NCT03623178

Assertive Community Treatment for Patients Suffering From Substance Use Disorders

Assertive Community Treatment for Patients Suffering From Substance Use

• Status: Completed
• Phase: —
• Study type: Observational
• Enrollment: 29 (actual)
• Sponsor: University Hospital, Geneva · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: 18 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Not accepted

Summary

According to the World Health Organization the population suffering from addiction problems is increasing. This population is characterized by multiple needs at the medico-psychosocial level. However, some of these patients, a particular subgroup that we are going to be interested in the so-called "high need" user group, find it difficult to access and stay in outpatient treatment programs. Persons with substance use disorder often present a chaotic use of the health system, including a high number of hospitalizations in times of crisis. These individuals also show very low utilization of health care services, accompanied by social marginalization. This can be related to relapses and poor social functioning. A high number of relapses occur particularly at the end of hospitalization. Community Interventions, such as Assertive Community Treatment (ACT) should increase the adherence of these patients to treatment by accompanying them in the community and helping them during sensitive and crisis periods. One of the objectives of the study is to evaluate the impact of ACT on the time until service disengagement, measuring treatment adherence. The secondary objectives of this study will be to see the effect of ACT on duration and type of hospitalizations, as well as the number of emergency room visits. The investigators will focus on the impact of ACT on the participant's medico-psycho-social network, substance use and other psychological variables. The investigators will also evaluate his or her psychiatric symptoms and global and social functioning. Life satisfaction and satisfaction with the care received will also be measured. The study will investigate this through questionnaires at the beginning of care, at three months, six months and 12 months after the start of the ACT intervention.

Conditions

• Substance Use Disorders

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
OTHER	Assertive Community Treatment	The intervention program is a type of very flexible community treatment. This is facilitated by a small case load ratio per health care professional (1:10). The healthcare workers are specialized in SUD treatment. The time of the intervention differs, there is no prefixed limitation but the duration of the intervention depends on the goals agreed on with the patient. The main objective of this intervention is to ensure an adherence to an addiction treatment program and establish or consolidate a stable healthcare and social network for the patient. The intervention aims to prevent service disengagement. The healthcare workers will explore specific patient needs and ensure that health and social services are better coordinated to fit their needs.

Timeline

• Start date: 2017-12-01
• Primary completion: 2023-01-01
• Completion: 2023-12-01
• First posted: 2018-08-09
• Last updated: 2025-05-21

Locations

1 site across 1 country: Switzerland