Relationship of reasons and fears of treatment with outcome in substance using population attending a de-addiction centre.

BACKGROUND: Substance users approach a treatment facility for a variety of reasons as well as avoid or delay in help seeking due to perceived fears with treatment facilities. Sometimes these factors might be associated with treatment outcomes.

OBJECTIVES: We studied the relationship of reasons and fears of treatment seeking with treatment outcome in substance users.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: One hundred subjects, attending the Drug Deaddiction and Treatment Centre, PGIMER, were prospectively recruited by purposive sampling. A semistructured proforma was used to gather sociodemographic and clinical data. Reasons of help-seeking and fear questionnaire, social support scale, and PGI locus of control scale were then applied. Followup data were available for 69 patients, which were classified into good or poor outcome based on relapse status.

RESULTS: At 6 months followup, 22 patients had relapsed, while 47 patients did not relapse. A higher degree of dysfunction due to substance at baseline was associated with relapsed status at followup. Parents or guardians coming to know about resuming substance and being unemployed for a long time were the reasons associated with relapsed status, while needing to consult a doctor immediately was significantly related to abstinent status at followup. Fear of not being able to meet substance using friends was associated with a poorer outcome in the form of relapse.

CONCLUSIONS: Reasons for treatment seeking as well as fears related to treatment have significant implications on the clinical outcome of substance abusing patients. Addressing these could help in better patient outcomes.