Key components of drug treatment provision for young people: a Delphi approach

Abstract

To date, most drug treatment services have dealt with adult clients, often stretching their services to include a younger age group. As drug services specifically for young people are being developed, there is scant evidence of the effectiveness of treatment provision on which to draw. Consequently, policy makers, service commissioners, and service providers face the problem of trying to make decisions in a situation where there is little information concerning the key components of accessible and effective services for young drug users. The current authoritative guidance is contained within the Health Advisory Service (HAS) Report (1996), and the subsequent Health Advisory Service (HAS) Review (2001). The HAS Report and the HAS Review were generated by consensus methodologies based on eliciting expert opinion. The aim of this study was to obtain information by using a different, and arguably more rigorous, method to the consensus methodologies used in the HAS Report and the HAS Review. A Delphi consensus methodology was used in this study in order to corroborate (or otherwise) the current HAS guidance, and thus better inform service provision. The Delphi panel was mainly in agreement with the recommendations of the HAS Report and the HAS Review, but placed less weight on physiological and pharmaceutical interventions and more emphasis on interventions that may lead to social integration. The implications with regard to future service development are discussed in light of the findings of this Delphi study.

• Youth
• drugs
• treatment