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Patient choice as a means of empowerment in opioid substitution treatment : a case from Sweden

Andersson, Lisa and Johnson, Björn LU orcid (2020) In Drugs: education prevention and policy 27(2). p.105-117
Abstract
Patient choice of treatment provider was introduced within opioid substitution treatment in the southern Swedish county of Skåne in 2014. Substitution treatment has often been criticised for being strict, rule-based, and driven by an ethos of discipline. This study explores the patients’ views and experiences of patient choice, particularly as a potential means of empowerment. The study is based on semi-structured interviews with 33 patients at six substitution treatment clinics in two cities. Patient choice within substitution treatment has empowered the patients in that many are able to choose their treatment provider and transfer to another provider. The interviewees appreciated the possibility to choose and transfer, and felt that they... (More)
Patient choice of treatment provider was introduced within opioid substitution treatment in the southern Swedish county of Skåne in 2014. Substitution treatment has often been criticised for being strict, rule-based, and driven by an ethos of discipline. This study explores the patients’ views and experiences of patient choice, particularly as a potential means of empowerment. The study is based on semi-structured interviews with 33 patients at six substitution treatment clinics in two cities. Patient choice within substitution treatment has empowered the patients in that many are able to choose their treatment provider and transfer to another provider. The interviewees appreciated the possibility to choose and transfer, and felt that they had gained more influence on their treatment. Experiences of poor staff conduct and the new clinic’s policies and practice on prescribing benzodiazepines were important reasons for choosing and transferring between clinics. In particular, the patients stressed the importance of the possibility to leave a clinic they felt offered substandard treatment, and the psychologically important feeling of knowing that they could transfer to another facility. However, patient choice in addiction treatment is very rare in Sweden, and the demographic structure limits the development of patient choice within substitution treatment. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
and
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Opioid substitution treatment, Patient choice, Empowerment, Benzodiazepines, Service user involvement, LARO, Vårdval, Brukarinflytande, Egenmakt, Valfrihet, Bensodiazepiner, Social Sciences, Samhällsvetenskap
in
Drugs: education prevention and policy
volume
27
issue
2
pages
13 pages
publisher
Informa Healthcare
external identifiers
  • scopus:85064153904
ISSN
0968-7637
DOI
10.1080/09687637.2019.1591342
language
English
LU publication?
no
additional info
2024-02-05T14:40:59.744+01:00
id
2129ea6e-abfc-4e84-b67a-0b91a98b0d70
alternative location
http://mau.diva-portal.org/smash/get/diva2:1401692/FULLTEXT01.pdf
date added to LUP
2025-10-01 18:00:44
date last changed
2025-10-08 03:38:18
@article{2129ea6e-abfc-4e84-b67a-0b91a98b0d70,
  abstract     = {{Patient choice of treatment provider was introduced within opioid substitution treatment in the southern Swedish county of Skåne in 2014. Substitution treatment has often been criticised for being strict, rule-based, and driven by an ethos of discipline. This study explores the patients’ views and experiences of patient choice, particularly as a potential means of empowerment. The study is based on semi-structured interviews with 33 patients at six substitution treatment clinics in two cities. Patient choice within substitution treatment has empowered the patients in that many are able to choose their treatment provider and transfer to another provider. The interviewees appreciated the possibility to choose and transfer, and felt that they had gained more influence on their treatment. Experiences of poor staff conduct and the new clinic’s policies and practice on prescribing benzodiazepines were important reasons for choosing and transferring between clinics. In particular, the patients stressed the importance of the possibility to leave a clinic they felt offered substandard treatment, and the psychologically important feeling of knowing that they could transfer to another facility. However, patient choice in addiction treatment is very rare in Sweden, and the demographic structure limits the development of patient choice within substitution treatment.}},
  author       = {{Andersson, Lisa and Johnson, Björn}},
  issn         = {{0968-7637}},
  keywords     = {{Opioid substitution treatment; Patient choice; Empowerment; Benzodiazepines; Service user involvement; LARO; Vårdval; Brukarinflytande; Egenmakt; Valfrihet; Bensodiazepiner; Social Sciences; Samhällsvetenskap}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{2}},
  pages        = {{105--117}},
  publisher    = {{Informa Healthcare}},
  series       = {{Drugs: education prevention and policy}},
  title        = {{Patient choice as a means of empowerment in opioid substitution treatment : a case from Sweden}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/09687637.2019.1591342}},
  doi          = {{10.1080/09687637.2019.1591342}},
  volume       = {{27}},
  year         = {{2020}},
}