1. HEROIN USE AND BARRIERS TO TREATMENT IN STREET –INVOLVED YOUTH.
2. INTRODUCTION
“ADOLESCENT WITH SUBSTANCE DEPENDENCE DISPLAY A CLUSTER OF COGNITIVE ,
BEHAVIOURAL AND PHYSIOLOGICAL SYMPTOMS” (WEIS, 2008)
• INTERNATIONAL AND NATIONAL RESEARCH HAS REPORTED THAT HEROIN USE AMONG
YOUTHS IS ON THE RISE
• IT POSES A SERIOUS SOCIAL , HEALTH PROBLEMS AND PSYCHOLOGICAL PROBLEMS.
• RESEARCH FROM CANADA INTERVIEWING 49 HEROIN USING YOUTHS WERE
INTERVIEWED
• FROM FOUR COMMUNITY AGENCIES IN TORONTO.
• 79% HAS ENGAGED IN INJECTION DRUG USE
• 58% HAD SHARED THEIR INJECTION EQUIPMENT.
• IN U.S THE DATA WAS 13% ON STREET YOUTH
• 4.4% AMONG YOUTHS IN SHELTER
• 0.5% AMONG YOUTHS LIVING AT HOME.
3. SIGNIFICANCE
• MENTAL HEALTH- DEPRESSION AND BEHAVIOURAL PROBLEMS
• EXPOSURE TO H.I.V. VIA INJECTION DRUG USE AND NEEDLE
SHARING
• UNEMPLOYMENT
• HOMELESSNESS
• DEATH(OVER DOSE)
• UNPLANNED PREGNANCY
4. RISK FACTORSRISK FACTORS CAN INCREASE THE YOUTH CHANCES FOR DRUG ABUSE.
• DRUG AVAILABILITY
• LACK OF PARENTAL SUPERVISION
• POVERTY COMMUNITY /FAMILY
• ENGAGING AND RETAINING YOUTH DRUG USER IN TREATMENT .
• ATTRITION , MOVEMENT OF YOUTHS FORM DIFFERENT PLACES.
5. PROTECTIVE FACTORS
FAMILY
• BETTER COMMUNICATION SKILLS
• APPROPRIATE PARENTING SKILLS
• UNDERSTANDING YOUTH CONCERNS AND PROBLEMS
• MONITORING THEIR ACTIVITIES
7. PROTECTIVE FACTORS
COMMUNITY
• STRONG AND BETTER NEIGHBOURHOOD ATTACHMENT
FOR YOUTHS
• LEGISLATIVE POLICES/ ANTI DRUG USE POLICES
• RAISING AWARENESS ON THE DANGERS OF DRUGS.
• SELF CONTROL
8. BARRIERS TO TREATMENT ( YOUTHS PERCEPTIVE)
• DENIAL OF PROBLEM
• FEAR OF TREATMENT
• NEGATIVE EXPERIENCE WITH TREATMENT PROVIDERS, WHICH INCLUDE
• RESTRICTIVE RULES,
• AGE LIMITATION
• CONFIDENTIALITY
• FINANCE
• CONTACT WITH EX-USER ACQUAINTANCE
• LACK OF TRANSPORTATION
• FEW AVAILABLE SERVICE
9. BARRIER TO TREATMENT ( SERVICE PROVIDER PERCEPTIVE)
• NO HOME ADDRESS
• NO TELEPHONE
• SERIOUS MENTAL ILLNESS
• FEW ACCOMMODATIONS FOR MINORS
10. CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION
• ASSESSMENT AND TREATMENT
• PROVISION OF HOUSING AND MINOR ACCOMMODATIONS
• CHANGE OF POLICY
• VOCATIONAL GUIDANCE AND FINANCIAL SUPPORT . E.G.
COMMUNITIES, FAMILIES AND SERVICE PROVIDERS
11. REFERENCES
1.BRANDS, B., LESLIE., CATZ-BIRO, L .AND LI ,S (2005)’ HEROIN USE AND BARRIERS TO
TREATMENT IN STREET-INVOLVED YOUTH’ ADDICTION RESEARCH & THEORY .
INFORMAL UK, 13(5), PP.447-487.DOI:
2.DISHION, T.; KAVANAGH, K.; SCHNEIGER, A.K.J.; NELSON, S.; AND KAUFMAN, N.
PREVENTING EARLY ADOLESCENT SUBSTANCE USE: A FAMILY CENTRED STRATEGY
FOR THE PUBLIC MIDDLE SCHOOL. PREVENTION SCIENCE 3(3):191–202, 2002.
3.WILLS, T.; MCNAMARA, G.; VACCARO, D.; AND HIRKY, A. ESCALATED SUBSTANCE
USE: A LONGITUDINAL GROUPING ANALYSIS FROM EARLY TO MIDDLE
ADOLESCENCE. JOURNAL OF ABNORMAL PSYCHOLOGY 105:166–180, 1996.
4. WEIS,R (2007) INTRODUCTION TO ABNORMAL CHILD AND ADOLESCENT . UNITED
STATES : SAGE PUBLICATION.
