Varatharajan Thepikaa, Sabioni Pamela, Russell Cayley, Henderson Joanna, Fischer Benedikt, Miles Sarah, Rehm Jürgen
Institute for Mental Health Policy Research, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, ON, Canada.
Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.
F1000Res. 2018 Oct 16;7:1644. doi: 10.12688/f1000research.16464.2. eCollection 2018.
The use of illicit and prescription drugs for non-medical purposes among youth and young adults living in Northern Ontario communities is a major public health concern. This problem is amplified in that there is insufficient knowledge on the types of services and treatment centers available for and utilized by young people with substance use issues in Northern Ontario. This needs assessment study aims to examine the service and treatment needs of youth and young adults who use drugs in Northern Ontario communities. A mixed-methods study design will be used to assess the service and treatment needs of youth and young adults (aged 14-25) who have used one or more illicit drug (excluding cannabis) and/or psychoactive prescription drug for non-medical purposes for at least 3 months and on at least 10 days in the last month. Participants will be recruited from approximately ten Northern, remote and rural communities across Northern Ontario using a mobile research lab. Eligible study candidates from each community will be asked to partake in a focus group and questionnaire exploring service and treatment utilization and needs. We will additionally collect basic socio-demographic information as well as examine patterns of problematic drug use. Interviews with service providers and community organizers will also be conducted in each community. : Findings from our study will highlight the availability, accessibility and utilization of existing services; identify the gaps and barriers in current service provision; and provide insight into the service and treatment needs of youth and young adults who use drugs in Northern Ontario communities. Assessing the needs of young people who use drugs will allow service providers, community organizers and health policymakers to improve addiction-related services and treatment centers in Northern Ontario.
安大略省北部社区的青少年和青年将非法及处方药用于非医疗目的，这是一个重大的公共卫生问题。该问题因安大略省北部物质使用问题的年轻人对可用服务及治疗中心的类型了解不足而更加严重。这项需求评估研究旨在调查安大略省北部社区吸毒的青少年和青年的服务及治疗需求。将采用混合方法研究设计来评估年龄在14至25岁之间、曾将一种或多种非法药物（不包括大麻）和/或精神活性处方药用于非医疗目的至少3个月且在上个月至少使用10天的青少年和青年的服务及治疗需求。将使用移动研究实验室从安大略省北部大约十个北部、偏远和农村社区招募参与者。每个社区符合条件的研究对象将被要求参加一个焦点小组以及一份探索服务及治疗利用情况和需求的问卷。我们还将收集基本的社会人口信息，并研究问题药物使用模式。还将在每个社区与服务提供者和社区组织者进行访谈。我们研究的结果将突出现有服务的可获得性、可及性和利用率；确定当前服务提供中的差距和障碍；并深入了解安大略省北部社区吸毒青少年和青年的服务及治疗需求。评估吸毒年轻人的需求将使服务提供者、社区组织者和卫生政策制定者能够改善安大略省北部与成瘾相关的服务和治疗中心。
