Beliefs and attitudes of drug and alcohol clinicians when considering referral of Aboriginal clients to involuntary drug and alcohol treatment: A qualitative study.

Lee, KSK; Bullen, LM; Zheng, C; Dawson, A; Munro, A; Conigrave, KM

Beliefs and attitudes of drug and alcohol clinicians when considering referral of Aboriginal clients to involuntary drug and alcohol treatment: A qualitative study.

Lee, KSK Bullen, LM Zheng, C Dawson, A

Munro, A Conigrave, KM

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Publisher:: Wiley
Publication Type:: Journal Article
Citation:: Drug Alcohol Rev, 2022
Issue Date:: 2022-10-04

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Field	Value	Language
dc.contributor.author	Lee, KSK
dc.contributor.author	Bullen, LM
dc.contributor.author	Zheng, C
dc.contributor.author	Dawson, A https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0926-2202
dc.contributor.author	Munro, A
dc.contributor.author	Conigrave, KM
dc.date.accessioned	2022-11-30T02:27:49Z
dc.date.available	2022-08-29
dc.date.available	2022-11-30T02:27:49Z
dc.date.issued	2022-10-04
dc.identifier.citation	Drug Alcohol Rev, 2022
dc.identifier.issn	0959-5236
dc.identifier.issn	1465-3362
dc.identifier.uri	http://hdl.handle.net/10453/163869
dc.description.abstract	INTRODUCTION: Involuntary drug and alcohol treatment occurs in many countries and its role is often controversial. This can be a particular concern in relation to First Nations or other culturally distinct populations. This study explores beliefs and attitudes of drug and alcohol clinicians when considering referral of Aboriginal Australians to involuntary drug and alcohol treatment in New South Wales (NSW), Australia. METHODS: The Involuntary Drug and Alcohol Treatment program (IDAT) is legislated by the NSW Drug and Alcohol Treatment Act 2007. There are two IDAT units-in urban (Sydney, four beds) and regional NSW (Orange, eight beds). NSW Health drug and alcohol clinicians who had referred clients to IDAT between 2016 and 2018 were invited to participate in a semi-structured 1:1 interview. Eleven clinicians (n = 2, male) from six local health districts (urban through to remote) agreed to participate. A descriptive qualitative analysis of responses was conducted. RESULTS: Two key themes summarised the beliefs and attitudes that clinicians reported influencing them when considering referral of Aboriginal Australians to involuntary drug and alcohol treatment in NSW: (i) dilemma between saving someone's life and being culturally safe; and (ii) need for holistic wrap-around care. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS: Almost all clinicians were worried that being in IDAT would further erode their Aboriginal client's autonomy and be retraumatising. Strategies are needed to support the involvement of Aboriginal-specific services in IDAT processes and ensure local support options for clients on discharge. Future research should examine the effectiveness, acceptability and feasibility of involuntary drug and alcohol treatment programs.
dc.format	Print-Electronic
dc.language	eng
dc.publisher	Wiley
dc.relation.ispartof	Drug Alcohol Rev
dc.relation.isbasedon	10.1111/dar.13549
dc.rights	info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess
dc.subject	11 Medical and Health Sciences, 16 Studies in Human Society, 17 Psychology and Cognitive Sciences
dc.subject.classification	Substance Abuse
dc.title	Beliefs and attitudes of drug and alcohol clinicians when considering referral of Aboriginal clients to involuntary drug and alcohol treatment: A qualitative study.
dc.type	Journal Article
utslib.location.activity	Australia
utslib.for	11 Medical and Health Sciences
utslib.for	16 Studies in Human Society
utslib.for	17 Psychology and Cognitive Sciences
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/Faculty of Health
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/Strength - WHO CC
utslib.copyright.status	open_access	*
dc.date.updated	2022-11-30T02:27:48Z
pubs.publication-status	Published online

Abstract:

INTRODUCTION: Involuntary drug and alcohol treatment occurs in many countries and its role is often controversial. This can be a particular concern in relation to First Nations or other culturally distinct populations. This study explores beliefs and attitudes of drug and alcohol clinicians when considering referral of Aboriginal Australians to involuntary drug and alcohol treatment in New South Wales (NSW), Australia. METHODS: The Involuntary Drug and Alcohol Treatment program (IDAT) is legislated by the NSW Drug and Alcohol Treatment Act 2007. There are two IDAT units-in urban (Sydney, four beds) and regional NSW (Orange, eight beds). NSW Health drug and alcohol clinicians who had referred clients to IDAT between 2016 and 2018 were invited to participate in a semi-structured 1:1 interview. Eleven clinicians (n = 2, male) from six local health districts (urban through to remote) agreed to participate. A descriptive qualitative analysis of responses was conducted. RESULTS: Two key themes summarised the beliefs and attitudes that clinicians reported influencing them when considering referral of Aboriginal Australians to involuntary drug and alcohol treatment in NSW: (i) dilemma between saving someone's life and being culturally safe; and (ii) need for holistic wrap-around care. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS: Almost all clinicians were worried that being in IDAT would further erode their Aboriginal client's autonomy and be retraumatising. Strategies are needed to support the involvement of Aboriginal-specific services in IDAT processes and ensure local support options for clients on discharge. Future research should examine the effectiveness, acceptability and feasibility of involuntary drug and alcohol treatment programs.

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http://hdl.handle.net/10453/163869