Abstract
This paper presents findings from a survey that sought the post-treatment support preferences of a group of outpatient alcohol and other drug treatment clients. The client group (n = 83) were presented with six possible models of post-treatment support and were asked to express their level of interest in using or receiving each model and, if interested, by what means they could best be provided. The six models included a range of pro-active (service initiated) and passive (client initiated) support services, variously accessible by telephone, mail, text-message, computer or in-person. Participants were also afforded an opportunity to identify alternative approaches. The results suggest pro-active telephone- and mail-based approaches to post-treatment support are favoured over passive in-person approaches and that computer and text-message approaches (whether passive or pro-active) may be least favourable in the contemporary environment.
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Notes
The options were labelled in more colloquial terms to survey participants; however, the description of each option reflects the original wording.
Option 4 ‘Passive Telehealth Support’ was presented in two parts to survey participants. One part measured interest in passive telephone-based support and the other measured interest in passive text message or email support. The options were subsequently collapsed into a single category.
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Acknowledgements
This study was made possible by the generous support of the National Drug Policy Discretionary Grant Fund. The authors would also like to acknowledge the valuable contribution made by all participants involved in this study, Stephanie Budgett for statistical advice and Leonie Ariel for assistance with the postal survey.
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Pulford, J., Black, S., Wheeler, A. et al. Providing Post-treatment Support in an Outpatient Alcohol and other Drug Treatment Context: A Survey of Client Opinion. Int J Ment Health Addiction 8, 493–502 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11469-008-9159-z
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11469-008-9159-z