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Using Time-Geographic Life Charts to Illustrate and Understand the Life Course Among Patients Within Opioid Maintenance Treatment

Mårdhed, Emma LU orcid ; Sunnqvist, Charlotta LU and Håkansson, Anders LU orcid (2026) In Perspectives in Psychiatric Care 2026(1).
Abstract

Introduction: Opioid maintenance treatment is the dominant treatment for treating opioid dependence. The treatment is individualised and combines pharmaceuticals with psychosocial support. Aim: This study aimed to increase the understanding of the pathway to recovery, by illustrating the life course of patients within OMT before and after starting treatment using time-geographic life charts. Methods: Interviews were conducted with 13 patients using the software GeoLifeGraph. The patients’ life charts were based on household moves, social and stressful events, substance use and contacts with medical or social services. The material was analysed according to a manifest content analysis. Results: Five categories were identified: social... (More)

Introduction: Opioid maintenance treatment is the dominant treatment for treating opioid dependence. The treatment is individualised and combines pharmaceuticals with psychosocial support. Aim: This study aimed to increase the understanding of the pathway to recovery, by illustrating the life course of patients within OMT before and after starting treatment using time-geographic life charts. Methods: Interviews were conducted with 13 patients using the software GeoLifeGraph. The patients’ life charts were based on household moves, social and stressful events, substance use and contacts with medical or social services. The material was analysed according to a manifest content analysis. Results: Five categories were identified: social network and resources, destructive behaviour and stressful events, feelings of alienation, professional support and social and personal integration. Discussion: Life charts enabled both nurse and patient to visualise patterns and events, enhancing understanding of the patient’s life course. Knowledge about the patients’ narrative story is important to individualise the care. Using time-geographic life charts in an OMT programme can promote the patients’ social and personal integration and coherence. This method is in line with person-centred care and can help the nursing staff to better meet the patients’ needs for recovery.

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author
; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
life course, narrative story, opioid maintenance treatment, psychiatric nursing, Sweden, time geography
in
Perspectives in Psychiatric Care
volume
2026
issue
1
article number
9030418
publisher
John Wiley & Sons Inc.
external identifiers
  • scopus:105041908800
ISSN
0031-5990
DOI
10.1155/ppc/9030418
language
English
LU publication?
yes
additional info
Publisher Copyright: Copyright © 2026 Emma Mårdhed et al. Perspectives in Psychiatric Care published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.
id
54a87d2a-db5f-4243-a3ae-40971b048127
date added to LUP
2026-09-17 12:42:01
date last changed
2026-09-17 12:42:19
@article{54a87d2a-db5f-4243-a3ae-40971b048127,
  abstract     = {{<p>Introduction: Opioid maintenance treatment is the dominant treatment for treating opioid dependence. The treatment is individualised and combines pharmaceuticals with psychosocial support. Aim: This study aimed to increase the understanding of the pathway to recovery, by illustrating the life course of patients within OMT before and after starting treatment using time-geographic life charts. Methods: Interviews were conducted with 13 patients using the software GeoLifeGraph. The patients’ life charts were based on household moves, social and stressful events, substance use and contacts with medical or social services. The material was analysed according to a manifest content analysis. Results: Five categories were identified: social network and resources, destructive behaviour and stressful events, feelings of alienation, professional support and social and personal integration. Discussion: Life charts enabled both nurse and patient to visualise patterns and events, enhancing understanding of the patient’s life course. Knowledge about the patients’ narrative story is important to individualise the care. Using time-geographic life charts in an OMT programme can promote the patients’ social and personal integration and coherence. This method is in line with person-centred care and can help the nursing staff to better meet the patients’ needs for recovery.</p>}},
  author       = {{Mårdhed, Emma and Sunnqvist, Charlotta and Håkansson, Anders}},
  issn         = {{0031-5990}},
  keywords     = {{life course; narrative story; opioid maintenance treatment; psychiatric nursing; Sweden; time geography}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{1}},
  publisher    = {{John Wiley & Sons Inc.}},
  series       = {{Perspectives in Psychiatric Care}},
  title        = {{Using Time-Geographic Life Charts to Illustrate and Understand the Life Course Among Patients Within Opioid Maintenance Treatment}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/ppc/9030418}},
  doi          = {{10.1155/ppc/9030418}},
  volume       = {{2026}},
  year         = {{2026}},
}