Poster 19: Utfordringer med brukermedvirkningsprinsipper i rusbehandling

By giving practical meaning to key concepts of PI, such as conceptual understanding and treatment dilemmas, a flexible approach can be taken and adjusted to patients’ individual needs.

Background: Health professionals are responsible for implementing patient involvement (PI) in the choice of treatment approach. Previous studies within the field of substance use disorder (SUD) treatment have shown positive patient experiences with PI. However, health professionals may experience challenges related to the nature of SUD and in conceptualising PI into clinical practice. Previous studies highlight the need to explore such perspectives to optimise PI. In this abstract, we present findings from an ongoing study exploring challenges with PI principles perceived by health professionals in treating SUD. Aim: To explore challenges with PI perceived by health professionals in treating SUD.

Methods: Five health professionals working in a Norwegian institution for SUD patients were included and participated in a semi-structured interview. Data were analysed using a systematic text condensation approach.

Results: PI in SUD treatment was perceived as challenging due to 1) conceptual unclarities and 2) treatment dilemmas regarding the nature of SUD. Conceptual unclarities entailed confusion about the actual meaning of PI and how they conceptualised it in clinical practice. Treatment dilemmas arose when health professionals needed to consider the mandatory obligation to ensure PI in situations where the risk of relapse was high, or patients’ needs challenged professional judgement.

Conclusions: Findings from this study may provide a useful framework to accomplish the need to critically examine the PI concept from ethical, clinical, and practical perspectives and to take a flexible approach to adjust PI principles to patients’ individual needs. Further studies on how patients in SUD treatment perceive challenges with PI may provide valuable insight to optimise PI and overcome future challenges.