Background: While people who are homeless often experience poor mental and physical health and problem substance use, getting access to appropriate services can be challenging. The development of trusting relationships with non-judgemental staff can facilitate initial and sustained engagement with health and wider support services. Peer-delivered approaches seem to have particular promise, but there is limited evidence regarding peer interventions that are both acceptable to, and effective for, people who are homeless and using drugs and/or alcohol. In the proposed study, we will develop and test the use of a peer-to-peer relational intervention with people experiencing homelessness. Drawing on the concept of psychologically informed environments, it will focus on building trusting and supportive relationships and providing practical elements of support such as access to primary care, treatment and housing options.
Since surgical excision of the conjunctival pseudomembranes alone in patients with LC does not protect from recurrences, the perioperative administration of FFP, both systemically and topically improves the outcome. Furthermore, the long-term application of topical FFP preparations seems to prevent recurrences and has a protective effect on the vision of these patients.
Background: In the past, Greek drug-affected families had predominantly been conceptualized as one of the main causes of drug problems. This study explored the ways drug-affected families respond to, and cope with, a relative’s drug problem by examining the perceptions of both Greek drug users and drug-affected families.
Method:
A qualitative study comprised of semi-structured in-depth interviews was conducted in two state drug agencies in Thessaloniki, Greece. A total of 40 adult problem drug-using men and women and eight parents of problem drug users were asked to reflect on the ways families respond to, and cope with, drug use. The method of data analysis involved a manual systematic identification of themes in participant narratives in line with analytic induction principles.
Results:
After discovery of the drug problem, all families were reported as coping with their adult children’s drug problems in ways consistent with the stress-strain-coping-support model. The emergent high engagement and low withdrawal coping exhibited by study participants can be contextualized by situating these strategies within the Greek cultural milieu and the notion of familism. While the data illustrate the importance of family solidarity in the face of addiction, caution is invited in making generalizations as sample selection may provide an alternative explanation for study findings.
Conclusion:
The paper advocates for a non-pathological view of drug-affected families and highlights the importance of cultural context. The stress-strain-coping-support model helps to depathologise and better understand family reactions to problem drug use. Implications for non-stigmatizing and culturally relevant policy and practice are outlined
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