Authors

• Saarnio, Pekka (University of Tampere. Department of Social Policy and Social Work)
• Tolonen, Marjo

Keywords

addiction, alcoholism, drug addiction, medical treatment methods, rehabilitation, social work

Abstract

The survey investigated how persons who had undergone substance abuse treatment coped after the treatment. The respondents had come in for treatment to an inpatient treatment facility for people with substance abuse problems in Finland between August and November 1995. The length of the treatment varied from 9 to 97 days. The respondents were interviewed five times: one week after the beginning of the treatment, 2-3 days before the end of the treatment, and three, six and twelve months after the end of the treatment.

In the first interview the respondents were first asked about their social stability (housing, job). Next questions covered the use of different substances in the previous 12 months, substance mainly used, number of years with substance abuse problems, number of days sober and intoxicated in the previous six months, longest period of sobriety in the previous six months and length of the most recent substance abuse period. Further questions charted the respondents' treatment history (e.g. number of visits to health care centre or hospital during the previous 12 months resulting from substance abuse), friends (e.g. number of substance abusing friends) and leisure time activities. The second interview charted the treatment period (length, reason for ending the treatment etc.), the respondents' plans of further treatment and estimates on their coping in the following 12 months and their personal therapists' estimates on their coping.

The third interview had many of the questions asked in the first and second interviews. Again, there were questions about the respondents' social stability, substance abuse, and friends and leisure activities. Questions were also asked about further treatment sought, satisfaction with the treatment period, the respondents' estimates on their situation in the previous three months and life events in the previous three months. In the fourth and the fifth interviews many of the same questions were again asked: social stability, possible further treatment sought, substance abuse, friends and leisure time, the respondent's own estimates of their situation and life events.

Background variables included the respondent's gender, economic activity, marital status and education.