Health Research Evidence-based Practice Research Centre, Faculty of Health, Edge Hill University, UK.
J Adv Nurs. 2010 Sep;66(9):1968-79. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2648.2010.05378.x. Epub 2010 Jul 2.
This paper is a report of an exploration of older people's experiences of substance use in the context of ageing, and its impact on health, quality of life, relationships and service use.
Use of illicit drugs by older people is a neglected policy, research and service provision and is generally perceived as a lifestyle of younger populations.
A convenience sample of 11 people aged 49-61 years (mean 57 years) in contact with voluntary sector drug treatment services participated in qualitative semi-structured tape-recorded interviews and thematic content analysis was performed. The data were collected in 2008.
Drug use can have negative impacts on health status, quality of life, family relationships and social networks that accrue with age. Participants were identified as early or later onset users of drugs due to the impact of life events and relationships. A range of substances had been used currently and throughout their lives, with no single gateway drug identified as a prelude to personal drug careers. Life review and reflection were common, in keeping with ageing populations, along with regret of ever having started to use drugs. Living alone and their accommodation made them more susceptible to social isolation, and they reported experiences of death and dying of their contemporaries and family members earlier than usual in the life course.
Older people who continue to use drugs and require the support of services for treatment and care are an important emerging population and their specific needs should recognized.
本文是对老年人在老龄化背景下物质使用体验及其对健康、生活质量、人际关系和服务利用的影响的探索报告。
老年人使用非法药物是一个被忽视的政策、研究和服务提供领域，通常被视为年轻人群体的生活方式。
本研究采用便利抽样法，选取了 11 名年龄在 49-61 岁（平均 57 岁）之间、接触志愿部门药物治疗服务的老年人作为研究对象。他们参与了半结构化的录音访谈，并进行了主题内容分析。数据收集于 2008 年。
药物使用可能对健康状况、生活质量、家庭关系和社交网络产生负面影响，这些影响随着年龄的增长而累积。参与者被确定为早期或晚期开始使用药物的人群，这是由于生活事件和人际关系的影响。目前和一生中使用过各种物质，没有一种单一的入门药物被确定为个人药物生涯的前奏。与老龄化人群保持一致，他们经常进行生活回顾和反思，同时对曾经开始使用药物感到遗憾。独居和他们的住所使他们更容易受到社会隔离的影响，他们报告说，在人生历程中，比正常情况下更早地经历了同龄人和家庭成员的死亡。
继续使用药物并需要服务支持治疗和护理的老年人是一个重要的新兴群体，他们的特殊需求应该得到认可。
