Measuring met and unmet need of drug misusers: Integration of quantitative and qualitative data

TY - JOUR

T1 - Measuring met and unmet need of drug misusers: Integration of quantitative and qualitative data

AU - Fountain, J

AU - Strang, J

AU - Griffiths, P

AU - Powis, B

AU - Gossop, M

PY - 2000/6

Y1 - 2000/6

N2 - This paper reports on the combination of qualitative and quantitative methods which were used to record the attitudes to, and perceptions of, drug treatment services by current, ex-, and potential clients in south-east London. Three research instruments were employed: a structured current client satisfaction survey (n = 333); a questionnaire which included open-ended questions, administered to drug users not currently in treatment (n = 88), and focus groups for young drug users not in treatment (n = 14), women in treatment (n = 7) and men in treatment(n = 11), The data thus collected were used to construct a picture of local met and unmet need and obstacles to the uptake of health care, which is supported by more than one perspective, and which can reasonably be used as the basis for the planning of local health care purchase. Three major concerns were revealed by the data: the inadequacy of existing GP drug services; the deterrent effect of long waiting lists for methadone treatment, and the role of treatment services in relation to those drug users who acknowledge that their drug use is problematic, but believe that treatment services have nothing to offer them. Copyright (C) 2000 S. Karger AG, Basel.

AB - This paper reports on the combination of qualitative and quantitative methods which were used to record the attitudes to, and perceptions of, drug treatment services by current, ex-, and potential clients in south-east London. Three research instruments were employed: a structured current client satisfaction survey (n = 333); a questionnaire which included open-ended questions, administered to drug users not currently in treatment (n = 88), and focus groups for young drug users not in treatment (n = 14), women in treatment (n = 7) and men in treatment(n = 11), The data thus collected were used to construct a picture of local met and unmet need and obstacles to the uptake of health care, which is supported by more than one perspective, and which can reasonably be used as the basis for the planning of local health care purchase. Three major concerns were revealed by the data: the inadequacy of existing GP drug services; the deterrent effect of long waiting lists for methadone treatment, and the role of treatment services in relation to those drug users who acknowledge that their drug use is problematic, but believe that treatment services have nothing to offer them. Copyright (C) 2000 S. Karger AG, Basel.

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=0033909365&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1159/000019017

DO - 10.1159/000019017

M3 - Article

VL - 6

SP - 97

EP - 103

JO - European Addiction Research

JF - European Addiction Research

IS - 2

ER -