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A Qualitative Study of Addiction Help-Seeking in People with Different Co-occurring Mental Disorders and Substance Use Problems

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Abstract

People with mental disorders (MD) have high rates of substance use problems (SUP) that are undertreated and understudied despite their adverse outcomes. The objective of this study is to examine barriers and facilitators that influence help-seeking to addiction treatment from the perspective of people with co-occurring MD and SUP. Forty-three individuals with MD and SUP were selected from the sample (n = 127) of a larger research project. This sub-group participated in semi-structured interviews and completed questionnaires. Interview contents were thematically analyzed using a trajectory approach. Based on participants’ addiction trajectories, two mental health experiences were identified: the “multiple disorders experience” and the “anxiety disorder experience.” The analysis highlighted how participants relate to barriers and facilitators to addiction help-seeking at the individual level (denial/minimization of problematic drug use, fear of being labeled an addict, influence of social networks, and knowledge of addiction services) and health system level (waiting time, costs, relationships with health providers, therapeutic approaches, and availability of psychological support). Interventions should be sensitive to the different experiences of people with MD and SUP. Integrated addiction services and a “no wrong door” approach are suggested.

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Acknowledgements

This study was funded by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC) through the Community-University Research Alliance Program (CURA).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Addiction Studies and Research Program, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Université de Sherbrooke, Longueuil, Quebec, Canada

    Rossio Motta-Ochoa, Karine Bertrand & Jorge Flores-Aranda

  2. Coalition internationale sida, Cedex, Pantin, France

    Jorge Flores-Aranda

  3. School of Criminology, Université de Montréal, Montreal, Quebec, Canada

    Catherine Patenaude & Serge Brochu

  4. Department of Psychoeducation, Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières, Trois-Rivières, Québec, Canada

    Natacha Brunelle

  5. Montreal Addiction Rehabilitation Centre, University Institute, Montreal, Quebec, Canada

    Michel Landry

  6. Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Université de Sherbrooke, 150, Place Charles-LeMoyne, office 200, Longueuil, Quebec, J4K 0A8, Canada

    Rossio Motta-Ochoa

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  1. Rossio Motta-Ochoa
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  2. Karine Bertrand
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  3. Jorge Flores-Aranda
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  4. Catherine Patenaude
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  5. Natacha Brunelle
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  6. Michel Landry
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  7. Serge Brochu
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Rossio Motta-Ochoa.

Ethics declarations

This study was approved by the ethics committee of the Centre hospitalier de l’Université de Sherbrooke (CHUS 2010-208-09-188) and by the Comité d’éthique de la recherché en toxicomanie of the Centre Dollard Cormier – Institut universitaire sur les Dépendances (CDC-IUD-09001).

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The authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest.

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Motta-Ochoa, R., Bertrand, K., Flores-Aranda, J. et al. A Qualitative Study of Addiction Help-Seeking in People with Different Co-occurring Mental Disorders and Substance Use Problems. Int J Ment Health Addiction 15, 883–899 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11469-017-9762-y

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