{"title":"Navigating challenges and opportunities: perspectives on digital service development in substance use disorder treatment.","authors":"Janika Kosonen, Gillian W Shorter, Katja Kuusisto","doi":"10.1186/s13011-024-00618-6","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Some people with substance use disorders (SUD) can experience multiple co-occurring social problems. Digital solutions have been developed to support effective and cost-effective social welfare and healthcare in addictions treatment. Given the varying severity of problems from alcohol and other drug use, digital service tools can save money and provide tailored care.</p><p><strong>Objective: </strong>In this study we aimed to understand the perspectives of those who develop digital service tools on people with SUD and treatment encounters. As a case, we interviewed those who have been involved in the development of a digital client segmentation tool The Navigator.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Ten (N = 10) semi-structured interviews were conducted with professionals involved in digital client segmentation tool development and were analysed with inductive content analysis. Participants were asked about the development of the Navigator from the perspectives of their own role as developers, the clients, the effectiveness of the services, and decision-making processes.</p><p><strong>Findings: </strong>Some people with SUD may face several obstacles when using digital services. Digital divide, feared or experienced stigma and biased attitudes, complex life situations, and difficulties in committing to treatment were identified as challenges. Nevertheless, digital solutions can offer the clients alternative ways of using the services that can better meet their individual needs. The anonymity and facelessness of digital solutions can reduce the fear of immediate judgement. Implementing digital solutions in substance use work poses challenges due to chronic staff shortages. Digitalisation often results in the creation of multiple simultaneously managed channels, potentially reducing time-consumption but increasing the perceived workload. There is a call for multi-professionalism, acknowledging inequalities between various disciplines within the field.</p>","PeriodicalId":22041,"journal":{"name":"Substance Abuse Treatment, Prevention, and Policy","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":3.0000,"publicationDate":"2024-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11293065/pdf/","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Substance Abuse Treatment, Prevention, and Policy","FirstCategoryId":"3","ListUrlMain":"https://doi.org/10.1186/s13011-024-00618-6","RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q2","JCRName":"SUBSTANCE ABUSE","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
Background: Some people with substance use disorders (SUD) can experience multiple co-occurring social problems. Digital solutions have been developed to support effective and cost-effective social welfare and healthcare in addictions treatment. Given the varying severity of problems from alcohol and other drug use, digital service tools can save money and provide tailored care.
Objective: In this study we aimed to understand the perspectives of those who develop digital service tools on people with SUD and treatment encounters. As a case, we interviewed those who have been involved in the development of a digital client segmentation tool The Navigator.
Methods: Ten (N = 10) semi-structured interviews were conducted with professionals involved in digital client segmentation tool development and were analysed with inductive content analysis. Participants were asked about the development of the Navigator from the perspectives of their own role as developers, the clients, the effectiveness of the services, and decision-making processes.
Findings: Some people with SUD may face several obstacles when using digital services. Digital divide, feared or experienced stigma and biased attitudes, complex life situations, and difficulties in committing to treatment were identified as challenges. Nevertheless, digital solutions can offer the clients alternative ways of using the services that can better meet their individual needs. The anonymity and facelessness of digital solutions can reduce the fear of immediate judgement. Implementing digital solutions in substance use work poses challenges due to chronic staff shortages. Digitalisation often results in the creation of multiple simultaneously managed channels, potentially reducing time-consumption but increasing the perceived workload. There is a call for multi-professionalism, acknowledging inequalities between various disciplines within the field.
背景:一些药物使用失调症(SUD)患者可能会遇到多种并发的社会问题。目前已开发出数字化解决方案,以支持在成瘾治疗方面提供有效且具有成本效益的社会福利和医疗保健。鉴于酒精和其他药物使用问题的严重程度各不相同,数字化服务工具可以节省资金并提供量身定制的护理:在这项研究中,我们旨在了解数字服务工具开发者对 SUD 患者和治疗遭遇的看法。作为一个案例,我们采访了参与数字客户细分工具 "导航仪 "开发的人员:我们对参与数字客户细分工具开发的专业人员进行了十次(N = 10)半结构式访谈,并对访谈内容进行了归纳分析。访谈从开发者的角色、客户、服务的有效性以及决策过程等角度询问了参与者有关导航仪开发的情况:一些 SUD 患者在使用数字服务时可能会遇到一些障碍。数字鸿沟、担心或经历过的污名化和偏见态度、复杂的生活状况以及难以接受治疗都被认为是挑战。尽管如此,数字化解决方案可以为客户提供使用服务的替代方式,从而更好地满足他们的个人需求。数字解决方案的匿名性和匿名性可以减少人们对直接判断的恐惧。由于工作人员长期短缺,在药物使用工作中实施数字化解决方案面临挑战。数字化往往会创建多个同时管理的渠道,这可能会减少时间消耗,但会增加工作量。人们呼吁多专业主义,承认该领域各学科之间的不平等。
期刊介绍:
Substance Abuse Treatment, Prevention, and Policy is an open access, peer-reviewed journal that encompasses research concerning substance abuse, with a focus on policy issues. The journal aims to provide an environment for the exchange of ideas, new research, consensus papers, and critical reviews, to bridge the established fields that share a mutual goal of reducing the harms from substance use. These fields include: legislation pertaining to substance use; correctional supervision of people with substance use disorder; medical treatment and screening; mental health services; research; and evaluation of substance use disorder programs.