The perceptions and aspirations illicit drug users hold toward health care staff and the care they receive

Abstract

Over the 30 years of conflict, Northern Ireland escaped the worst excess of illegal drug trafficking and usage. However, the recent 'peace dividend' has brought with it an unprecedented rise in the availability and use of illicit drugs. With this, new problems and pressures have been brought to bear on the health service. The literature would suggest that drug users are loathed and feared by health care staff. Staff will also admit to be lacking in the knowledge and skills necessary for the delivery of appropriate support and treatment for this client group. Further, the literature has little to offer on the experiences and aspirations of drug users in relation to their treatment and the staff who care for them. In order to understand the drug users' experiences of health care and health staff, focus group methodology was employed to obtain qualitative data. A total of 20 illicit drug users from across Northern Ireland took part. Supporting the literature, all had experienced 'care' that they felt was filled with judgement, hostility and loathing. They recognized clearly the challenge they pose to health care staff. These findings indicate that there is obvious dissonance between those tasked to care for drug users and drug users themselves, with little respect being shown on either side. Results suggest that action needs to be taken to address the deficits in the knowledge, skills and values of health care professionals in relation to illicit drug users. The findings will be of interest to service providers within and outside the United Kingdom.

Barriers to methamphetamine withdrawal treatment in Australia: Findings from a survey of AOD service providers

“…Some were related to drug treatment more generally including lack of funding and resources, limited access to services, lack of awareness regarding treatment options, social stigma, poor interagency coordination, poor case management and inadequate follow up. Such barriers have been identified in other research [10][11][12][13][14][15][16].…”

“…Barriers to effective service delivery for illicit drugs users more generally include social stigma, perceptions about treatment effectiveness, accessibility and waiting periods [10][11][12][13][14][15][16]. However, methamphetamine users face specific barriers, which include not identifying themselves as 'hard' or dependent drug users and being unwilling to mix with heroin users [16].…”

Health professionals’ attitudes towards AOD-related work: Moving the traditional focus from education and training to organizational culture

“…nurses and GPs) may hold negative stereotypic or stigmatized attitudes towards individuals who experience problematic AOD use (Brooks-Harris, Heesacker, & Mejia-Millan, 1996;Clement, 1986;McLaughlin, McKenna, & Leslie, 2000;Shaw et al, 1978;Weller et al, 1992), and consequently report lower willingness to provide health services to these individuals compared with individuals with other health issues (Brooks-Harris et al, 1996;Carroll, 1995;Chappel, Veach, & Krug, 1985;Davies & Huxley, 1997;Deehan, Taylor, & Strang, 1997;Karam-Hage et al, 2001;McLaughlin et al, 2000;Norman, 2001b;Roche & Richard, 1991). Furthermore, reports from individuals using drugs indicate that perceptions of health professionals' negative attitudes are a key factor in some individuals' reluctance to utilize health services (Matheson, 1998;McLaughlin et al, 2000;Telfer & Clulow, 1990;Treloar et al, 2004).…”

“The Rock Always Comes First”: Drug Users' Accounts About Using Formal Health Care

“…This dissatisfaction may stem from drug users' perceptions of providers' lack of respect, judgmental ism, hostility, and loathing (McLaughlin, McKenna & Leslie 2000). Studies also note that drug users' relation ships with their healthcare providers are related to satisfaction with health care services (Speed & Janikiewicz 2000).…”