Measuring social integration, treatment, and mortality after substance use treatment: methodological elaborations in a 20-year follow-up study
Abstract Objective Alcohol and Other Drug (AOD) disorders cause substantial harm. Effective Substance Use Treatment (SUT) exists, but long-term outcomes remain inconclusive. This study used a 20-year prospective follow-up of 1248 service users entering SUT in Stockholm, Sweden, in 2000–2002 to elabo...
Saved in:
Main Authors: | , , |
---|---|
Format: | Article |
Language: | English |
Published: |
BMC
2025-01-01
|
Series: | BMC Research Notes |
Subjects: | |
Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s13104-025-07108-3 |
Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
_version_ | 1832586089922035712 |
---|---|
author | Tove Sohlberg Jessica Storbjörk Peter Wennberg |
author_facet | Tove Sohlberg Jessica Storbjörk Peter Wennberg |
author_sort | Tove Sohlberg |
collection | DOAJ |
description | Abstract Objective Alcohol and Other Drug (AOD) disorders cause substantial harm. Effective Substance Use Treatment (SUT) exists, but long-term outcomes remain inconclusive. This study used a 20-year prospective follow-up of 1248 service users entering SUT in Stockholm, Sweden, in 2000–2002 to elaborate on how different dimensions of long-term outcomes may be measured by register-based indicators. Baseline characteristics and attrition bias were explicated, and register-based outcomes were examined. Results Register-based indicators are valuable, but they also have inherent limitations such as the lack of substance use data and inability to differentiate between un/met treatment needs and access. Significant variations in long-term outcomes were evident depending on which register-based indicator was used, and whether used in isolation or combinations. Six out of 10 service users were still alive after 20 years, but as many as 8 out of 10 of the survivors remained in treatment, and only two out of 10 had a stable economic situation. Hence, the register indicators identified only a few survivors, with stable economic and social situations, and without recent treatment contacts 20 years after treatment entry. The long-term outcomes were concerning and even more so when combining outcome dimensions. |
format | Article |
id | doaj-art-d2fb265bbd1146b88df9de5746052122 |
institution | Kabale University |
issn | 1756-0500 |
language | English |
publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
publisher | BMC |
record_format | Article |
series | BMC Research Notes |
spelling | doaj-art-d2fb265bbd1146b88df9de57460521222025-01-26T12:13:20ZengBMCBMC Research Notes1756-05002025-01-011811710.1186/s13104-025-07108-3Measuring social integration, treatment, and mortality after substance use treatment: methodological elaborations in a 20-year follow-up studyTove Sohlberg0Jessica Storbjörk1Peter Wennberg2Department of Public Health Sciences, Stockholm UniversityDepartment of Public Health Sciences, Stockholm UniversityDepartment of Public Health Sciences, Stockholm UniversityAbstract Objective Alcohol and Other Drug (AOD) disorders cause substantial harm. Effective Substance Use Treatment (SUT) exists, but long-term outcomes remain inconclusive. This study used a 20-year prospective follow-up of 1248 service users entering SUT in Stockholm, Sweden, in 2000–2002 to elaborate on how different dimensions of long-term outcomes may be measured by register-based indicators. Baseline characteristics and attrition bias were explicated, and register-based outcomes were examined. Results Register-based indicators are valuable, but they also have inherent limitations such as the lack of substance use data and inability to differentiate between un/met treatment needs and access. Significant variations in long-term outcomes were evident depending on which register-based indicator was used, and whether used in isolation or combinations. Six out of 10 service users were still alive after 20 years, but as many as 8 out of 10 of the survivors remained in treatment, and only two out of 10 had a stable economic situation. Hence, the register indicators identified only a few survivors, with stable economic and social situations, and without recent treatment contacts 20 years after treatment entry. The long-term outcomes were concerning and even more so when combining outcome dimensions.https://doi.org/10.1186/s13104-025-07108-3Long-term outcomesSubstance use treatmentAlcoholDrugsSweden |
spellingShingle | Tove Sohlberg Jessica Storbjörk Peter Wennberg Measuring social integration, treatment, and mortality after substance use treatment: methodological elaborations in a 20-year follow-up study BMC Research Notes Long-term outcomes Substance use treatment Alcohol Drugs Sweden |
title | Measuring social integration, treatment, and mortality after substance use treatment: methodological elaborations in a 20-year follow-up study |
title_full | Measuring social integration, treatment, and mortality after substance use treatment: methodological elaborations in a 20-year follow-up study |
title_fullStr | Measuring social integration, treatment, and mortality after substance use treatment: methodological elaborations in a 20-year follow-up study |
title_full_unstemmed | Measuring social integration, treatment, and mortality after substance use treatment: methodological elaborations in a 20-year follow-up study |
title_short | Measuring social integration, treatment, and mortality after substance use treatment: methodological elaborations in a 20-year follow-up study |
title_sort | measuring social integration treatment and mortality after substance use treatment methodological elaborations in a 20 year follow up study |
topic | Long-term outcomes Substance use treatment Alcohol Drugs Sweden |
url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s13104-025-07108-3 |
work_keys_str_mv | AT tovesohlberg measuringsocialintegrationtreatmentandmortalityaftersubstanceusetreatmentmethodologicalelaborationsina20yearfollowupstudy AT jessicastorbjork measuringsocialintegrationtreatmentandmortalityaftersubstanceusetreatmentmethodologicalelaborationsina20yearfollowupstudy AT peterwennberg measuringsocialintegrationtreatmentandmortalityaftersubstanceusetreatmentmethodologicalelaborationsina20yearfollowupstudy |