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Dual diagnosis substance abuse in Vancouver mental health boarding homes : a need assessment survey

This study explores the dual diagnosis substance abuse phenomenon within the context of Vancouver area mental health boarding homes. The target population consisted of thirty-nine mental health boarding homes used by Greater Vancouver Mental Health Services, Mental Health Residental Services. An attempt was made to survey directors (n=37), staff (n=unknown), and residents (n = 422), to: estimate the prevalence of dual diagnosis substance abuse within these homes; look for associations between substance use/abuse and the demographic characteristics of staff, directors, and residents; examine boarding home policies; and to establish what, if any, services should be developed. Questionnaires were completed by twenty-nine directors (78%), twenty staff members (% unknown), and ten residents (3%), from twenty-nine boarding homes with a total resident population of 358. Results indicated that one hundred and fifteen residents (32%) consumed alcohol, and 57 residents (16%) had consumed alcohol during a specified two week period.
Only eight residents (2%) out of a potential 358 (from four different facilities) reportedly had substance related problems during the specified two week period. However, substance abuse was identified in eleven facilities (38%), without referrence to the two week time limitation. Further, staff and directors from fifteen facilities (52%) had at some time tried to get help for a resident with a substance abuse problem. Thus, while very few residents reportedly had dual diagnosis substance abuse problems, a considerably greater number of boarding homes reportedly had problems related to dual diagnosis substance abuse.
Twenty-four directors (86%) and thirteen staff (68%) were interested in receiving a workshop on dual diagnosis substance abuse. It is the recommendation of this author that a drug education program/workshop for boarding home directors and staff be developed through the Greater Vancouver Mental Health Services "dual diagnosis program." / Arts, Faculty of / Social Work, School of / Graduate

Identiferoai:union.ndltd.org:UBC/oai:circle.library.ubc.ca:2429/28715
Date January 1990
CreatorsHayward, Timothy James
PublisherUniversity of British Columbia
Source SetsUniversity of British Columbia
LanguageEnglish
Detected LanguageEnglish
TypeText, Thesis/Dissertation
RightsFor non-commercial purposes only, such as research, private study and education. Additional conditions apply, see Terms of Use https://open.library.ubc.ca/terms_of_use.

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