BACKGROUND: Implementing quality measurement is still a challenge in the field of drug treatment and harm reduction. In this case study, we investigate which strategies can be used to enhance the implementation of a policy in which quality indicators are made public.

METHODS: Building on an evidence-based methodology, this case study shows how an organisation in Flanders – the Flemish Institute for Quality of Care – develops quality indicators along with its strategies to implement the measurement of the indicators.

RESULTS: The study shows three types of quality indicators in the field of...

INTRODUCTION: In the favourable political climate of the mid-2010s, the standards for Assessment & Selection of Prevention programmes Issued from the Review of EDPQS (ASPIRE) were developed to support project planning in drug prevention.

METHODS: This case study is a narrative from the main coordinator responsible for drafting this quality assurance material.

RESULTS: The framework that led to the creation of the ASPIRE standards is described. The production process is then explained and, thereby, the 12 ASPIRE standards resulting from it are presented. These quality standards and their...

BACKGROUND: Coolmine’s implementation of quality standards involves a period of change management, strategic planning, and national policy development.

METHODS: A narrative case study focusing on national policy and internal strategic planning.

CONCLUSIONS: From 2000, Coolmine embarked on a change management journey that kept the organisation at the forefront of drug and alcohol treatment in Ireland and internationally while maintaining fidelity to the Therapeutic Community. The strategy for quality assurance is replicable across similar organisations.

INTRODUCTION: The Cyprus National Addictions Authority (NAAC) is the main coordinating body for all matters related to licit and illicit substances as well as pathological gambling in Cyprus and it is responsible, inter alia, for the licensing, evaluation, funding (where possible), coordination, and reinforcement of all programmes, actions, and activities related to substances and gambling. Licensing and funding are based on the fulfilment of certain criteria and a certain level of quality.

METHODS: The process that led to the establishment of a quality standards system for licensing and...

BACKGROUND: The implementation of quality standards in the treatment of substance use disorders in Lithuania is not well documented in the literature. AIMS: To describe the process of the development of quality standards from grassroots initiatives to their integration into mainstream healthcare under the leadership of the Ministry of Health.

METHODS: Narrative review of retrieved documents, including related legal acts, followed by a subsequent content analysis.

RESULTS: The implementation was divided into three stages characterised by specific activities, leading stakeholders, and the...

BACKGROUND: The abuse of psychoactive prescription drugs has become increasingly common in the Czech Republic. These drugs include sedatives, hypnotics, anxiolytics (benzodiazepines and Z-hypnotics), and opioids. Patients with an addiction to these prescription drugs exhibit symptoms associated with long-term use, particularly psychological and somatic problems, sleep disturbances, impaired cognitive functioning, and irritability. There is a need for a flexible response to their needs.

AIMS: The aim of the research is to describe selected psychological symptoms and the quality of life of...

Introduction 

There is increasing interest and evidence for the use of cannabinoid medications in the treatment of cannabis use disorder, but little examination of the correlates of successful treatment. This paper is a secondary analysis of a randomised placebo-controlled trial of nabiximols for the treatment of cannabis use disorder (CUD), aiming to identify which client and treatment characteristics impact treatment engagement and outcomes.

Method

Bayesian multiple regression models were used to examine the impact of age, gender, duration of regular cannabis use, daily quantity of...

Pozadí

Jsou zapotřebí nové intervence v oblasti veřejného zdraví, které by řešily dodávky toxických drog a uspokojily potřeby lidí, kteří užívají drogy uprostřed krize předávkování. V některých jurisdikcích byla zavedena bezpečnější dodávka – nízkobariérová distribuce látek farmaceutické kvality – s cílem poskytnout bezpečnější alternativy k neregulované nabídce drog, avšak dosud žádná studie nezkoumala názory odborných zúčastněných stran na tento přístup.

Metody

Účelový odběr vzorků byl použit k náboru profesionálních zúčastněných stran (n = 17) ze čtyř míst v Britské Kolumbii, Ontariu a...

Background

There is a higher prevalence of substance use disorder (SUD) among justice-involved children (JIC). It is critical to ensure that JIC who report current use are referred for SUD assessment and potentially life-saving treatment services. Prior research suggests that certain minoritised groups may be less likely to have ever been referred for screening, and research on intersectionality suggests that these disparities may be exacerbated for racially minoritised females.

Methods

Multivariate logistic regression and interaction effects were employed to analyse longitudinal data from...

Pozadí

Pandemie COVID-19 dramaticky omezila rozsah a rozsah práce místního zdravotnického oddělení (LHD) a přesměrovala zdroje na reakci. Potřeba základních služeb v oblasti veřejného zdraví – včetně prevence užívání návykových látek – se však nesnížila.

Metody

Bylo zkoumáno šest kvantitativních zdrojů údajů shromážděných v letech 2016 až 2021 s cílem prozkoumat dopad pandemie COVID-19 na služby související s užíváním látek LHD.

Výsledky

Před pandemií se podíl LHD poskytujících určitou úroveň služeb prevence užívání návykových látek zvyšoval a mnoho z nich rozšiřovalo úroveň jejich...

Background

Interdisciplinary collaborations (i.e., where various disciplines work coordinated and interdependently toward shared goals) are stated to yield higher team effectiveness than multidisciplinary approaches (i.e., where various disciplines work in parallel within their professional boundaries) in somatic health care settings. Nevertheless, research is lacking on interdisciplinary approaches for alcohol use disorder (AUD) treatment of hospitalized patients as these types of approaches are still uncommon. This study aims to evaluate an innovative interdisciplinary AUD treatment...

Introduction and aims

There is increasing interest and evidence for the use of cannabinoid medications in the treatment of cannabis use disorder, but little examination of the correlates of successful treatment. This paper is a secondary analysis of a randomised placebo-controlled trial of nabiximols for the treatment of cannabis use disorder (CUD), aiming to identify which client and treatment characteristics impact treatment engagement and outcomes.

Method

Bayesian multiple regression models were used to examine the impact of age, gender, duration of regular cannabis use, daily quantity...

Background

Novel public health interventions are needed to address the toxic drug supply and meet the needs of people who use drugs amidst the overdose crisis. Safer supply – low-barrier distribution of pharmaceutical grade substances – has been implemented in some jurisdictions to provide safer alternatives to the unregulated drug supply, yet no studies to date have explored professional stakeholder perspectives on this approach.

Methods

We used purposive sampling to recruit professional stakeholders (n = 17) from four locations in British Columbia, Ontario, and Nova Scotia, including...