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Characteristics and Help‐seeking Patterns of Attenders at a Community‐based Voluntary Agency and an Alcohol and Drug Treatment Unit
Author(s) -
ALLAN CAROLE A.
Publication year - 1989
Publication title -
british journal of addiction
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.424
H-Index - 193
eISSN - 1360-0443
pISSN - 0952-0481
DOI - 10.1111/j.1360-0443.1989.tb00553.x
Subject(s) - agency (philosophy) , alcohol , matching (statistics) , turnover , drug , psychology , psychiatry , unit (ring theory) , clinical psychology , medicine , social psychology , sociology , biochemistry , chemistry , management , pathology , economics , social science , mathematics education
Summary The assumption that clients using community‐based facilities in the form of Councils on Alcohol have less serious alcohol problems uncomplicated by the physical, social and psychological difficulties found in those attending Alcohol Treatment Units was not confirmed. One of the most striking findings were the similarities, rather than the differences between the two samples. Both groups had attenders who were heavily dependent on alcohol and were experiencing a wide range of problems. Attenders at both agencies, women as well as men, had help seeking patterns similar to those described for other populations which were discontinuous and uncoordinated and featured multiple contacts and simultaneous use of different services. The need for co‐ordination was discussed in the light of the improved outcome which can be expected given appropriate matching of clients to treatment. Some suggestions as to how this might be achieved were discussed.