0000000000322215
AUTHOR
John-kåre Vederhus
Effects of a brief pre‑admission telephone reminder on no‑show and dropout rates in substance use disorder treatment: a quasi‑experimental study
Abstract Background Appointment no-show and early dropout from treatment represent major challenges in outpatient substance use disorder treatment, adversely affecting clinical outcomes and health care productivity. In this quasi-experimental study, we examined how a brief reminder intervention for new patients before their first appointment affected treatment participation and retention. No-shows (not attending any sessions) and dropouts (discontinuation of initiated treatment because of three consecutively missed appointments) were compared between a period with pre-admission telephone calls (intervention) and a period without such reminders (non-intervention). Methods Participants were a…
Mental distress following inpatient substance use treatment, modified by substance use; comparing voluntary and compulsory admissions
Background Treatment services to patients with substance use disorders (SUDs), including those mandated to treatment, needs to be evaluated and evidence based. The Norwegian Municipal Health Care Act (NMHCA) calls for compulsory treatment for persons with “severe and life-threatening substance use disorder” if these individuals are not otherwise willing to be voluntarily treated and consequently risk their lives over drug use. Mental distress is known to be high among SUD patients admitted to inpatient treatment. The purpose of this study is to describe changes in mental distress from admission to a 6-month follow-up in patients with SUDs, which underwent either voluntary or compulsory trea…
Predicting patient post-detoxification engagement in 12-step groups with an extended version of the theory of planned behavior
Introduction Individuals with substance use disorders can receive important abstinence-specific support in 12-step groups (TSGs). However, our understanding of key factors that influence TSG participation remains limited. This study used an extended version of the theory of planned behavior (TPB) to enhance the understanding of TSG affiliation. Methods Data were retrieved from a controlled trial of a 12-step facilitation intervention conducted on an inpatient detoxification ward in Norway (N = 140). Surveys at baseline included a TPB questionnaire. The behavioral target was to attend at least two TSG meetings per month in the 6-month follow-up period. Structural equation modeling was used t…
Infralow neurofeedback in the treatment of substance use disorders: a randomized controlled trial
Background Infralow neurofeedback (ILF-NF) was recently developed as a subtype of traditional, frequency-based neurofeedback that targets cerebral rhythmic activity below 0.5 Hz and improves brain self-regulation. The efficacy of ILF-NF in the treatment of substance use disorder has not yet been evaluated, but clinical evidence suggests that it may prevent relapse by improving functioning in various life domains. The current study aimed to fill this research gap and extend empirical evidence related to this issue. Methods Ninety-three patients with substance use disorders at an outpatient unit in Norway were randomized to receive 20 sessions (30 minutes each) of ILF-NF training combined wit…
Perceived family cohesion, social support, and quality of life in patients undergoing treatment for substance use disorders compared with patients with mental and physical disorders
Abstract Purpose Support from family and other social network elements can be important in helping patients to cope with practical and emotional consequences of diseases. The aim of the study was to examine perception of family and social support and quality of life (QoL) in patients undergoing treatment for substance use disorders (SUDs). We compared them with patients in treatment for mental disorders (MDs) and physical disorders (PDs). Methods We used data from a national multicenter study that recruited patients (N = 518) from three treatment domains; SUD treatment units, MD treatment units, and PD treatment units (severe neurological conditions or cancer). Data on family cohesion, so…
The significance of the social and material environment to place attachment and quality of life: findings from a large population-based health survey
Abstract Background There is an international public health interest in sustainable environments that promote human wellbeing. An individual’s bond to places, understood as place attachment (PA), is an important factor for quality of life (QoL). The material environment, such as access to nature (AtN), access to amenities (AtA), or noise, and the social environment, such as social support or loneliness, has the potential to influence PA. The aim of the present study was to explore the relationship between these factors and QoL. Methods The study relied on data from 28,047 adults from 30 municipalities in Southern Norway obtained from the Norwegian Counties Public Health Surveys in 2019. Lat…
One size doesn’t fit all: a thematic analysis of interviews with people who have stopped participating in Narcotics Anonymous in Norway
Abstract Background For persons with substance use disorders (SUDs), 12-step groups (TSGs) are the most available and used peer-based recovery resource, worldwide. However, disengagement is common, and attrition may partly be due to practices and procedures within these groups that are unacceptable to a portion of the population with SUDs. Our overall aim was to identify problematic issues related to Narcotics Anonymous (NA) participation in Norway, to inform addiction professionals’ strategies when referring persons to addiction-related self-help groups (SHGs). Methods In this qualitative study, we interviewed ten individuals who had previously participated regularly in NA for at least 6 m…
Associations between parental alcohol problems in childhood and adversities during childhood and later adulthood: a cross-sectional study of 28047 adults from the general population
Abstract Background Adverse childhood experiences (ACE) are related to adverse physical and mental health outcomes. However, few larger studies based on a general population sample with age groups ranging from young adults to elderly have investigated whether parental alcohol problems increase the risk of offspring subjective reports of ACE both during childhood and current adult adversities. The purpose of this study was to examine the associations between parental alcohol problems and adversities during childhood and later in adulthood. Methods The 28,047 respondents were adults (> 18 years old) from the general population who participated in the Norwegian Counties Public Health Survey…
Adverse childhood experiences and impact on quality of life in adulthood: development and validation of a short difcult childhood questionnaire in a large population‑based health survey
Abstract Purpose A short adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) measure is needed with non-intrusive items that include subjective evaluations of childhood. We validated a short Difficult Childhood Questionnaire (DCQ) that assesses ACEs using personal perceptions of events. Methods The study relied on 2019 data from a representative survey (N = 28,047) in Norway. We examined the DCQ’s factor structure, internal consistency, and discriminant validity in a multi-group confirmatory factor analysis. As a group variable, we used whether the respondent had the ACE of parental alcohol use disorder (adult children of alcoholics; ACOA). To assess the DCQ’s convergent validity, we used latent regressio…
A mediational analysis of adverse experiences in childhood and quality of life in adulthood
Objectives: This study examined associations of three prevalent adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) - parents' problematic alcohol use (PPAU), parental separation/divorce, and lack of support from a trusted adult-with adult quality of life (QoL), and potential mediators of associations. Methods: Data were from a representative survey (N = 28,047) in Norway that assessed ACEs, QoL, and potential mediators: enduring perceptions of childhood hardships (Difficult Childhood Questionnaire; DCQ), current mental distress, and current social isolation. Latent regression analyses examined potential mediators. Results: Each ACE was positively associated with perceptions of childhood as difficult (hig…
Perceived quality of life in partners of patients undergoing treatment in somatic health, mental health, or substance use disorder units: a cross-sectional study
Background This study explores (1) differences in socio-demographic, social/familial, and health variables and perceived quality of life (QoL) among partners of patients with somatic illness, mental illness, or substance use disorder (SUD); and (2) identifies factors associated with QoL. Methods Participants (N = 213) in this cross-sectional study were recruited from inpatient or outpatient services in five hospitals in Norway, 2013–2014. QoL was measured by the QoL-5, a generic five-item questionnaire. Differences between groups were examined using Chi-square for categorical variables and Kruskal-Wallis for contiuous variables. Multiple linear regression analyses were used to examine facto…
Improved drug-use patterns at 6 months post-discharge from inpatient substance use disorder treatment: Results from compulsorily and voluntarily admitted patients
Background Treatment services to patients with substance use disorders (SUDs), including those mandated to treatment, needs to be evaluated and evidence based. The Norwegian Municipal Health Care Act calls for mandated treatment for persons with “severe and life-threatening substance use disorder” if these individuals are not otherwise willing to be voluntarily treated and consequently risk their lives over drug use. This study aims to examine substance use–related outcomes at 6 months following inpatient treatment and to analyse factors associated with improved outcomes and abstinence. Method This prospective study followed 202 hospitalized patients with SUD who were admitted voluntarily (…
Quality of life improved following in-patient substance use disorder treatment
Background Quality of life (QoL) is increasingly recognized as central to the broad construct of recovery in patients with substance use disorders (SUD). However, few longitudinal studies have evaluated changes in QoL after SUD treatment and included patients with SUD that were compulsorily hospitalized. This study aimed to describe QoL among in-patients admitted either voluntarily or compulsorily to hospitalization and to examine patterns and predictors of QoL at admission and at 6 months post treatment. Methods This prospective study followed 202 hospitalized patients with SUD that were admitted voluntarily (N=137) or compulsorily (N=65). A generic QoL questionnaire (QoL-5) was used to as…
Perceived coercion to enter treatment among involuntarily and voluntarily admitted patients with substance use disorders
Background Perceived coercion is a sense of pressure related to the experience of being referred to treatment. The sense of pressure arises from the patient’s internal perception of coercion. The sources of coercion may be the legal system, the family, the health system, or self-criticism (internal sources). Here, we studied patients diagnosed with substance use disorders that were involuntarily admitted to hospital, pursuant to a social services act. We sought to determine whether these patients perceived coercion differently than patients that were admitted voluntarily. Methods This study included patients admitted to combined substance use disorder and psychiatry wards in three publicly …
Additional file 1 of The significance of the social and material environment to place attachment and quality of life: findings from a large population-based health survey
Additional file 1. Figure S3 Latent regression model showing associations between material environment and social factors as independent variables and quality of life (QoL) mediated by place attachment (PA). The model controls for sociodemographic variables. The figure shows the structural model (without the observed indicators of the latent variables) with unstandardized regression coefficients. Abbreviations: access to amenities (AtA), access to nature (AtN), social support (SOC), loneliness (LONE), education (Edu), relationship (Relat), economic capability (INCOME).