Barriers to Drug Treatment for IDU Couples: The Need for Couple-Based Approaches

Abstract

This qualitative study examines the interpersonal and structural barriers to drug treatment program entry, retention, and outcomes experienced by injection drug-using couples, and the program policies regarding injection drug-using couples seeking treatment in New York, New York. Our findings reveal a mismatch between the substantial need for concurrent and coordinated treatment for partnered injection-drug users and programmatic policies that are antithetical to such treatment approaches. This discrepancy can be attributed to the lack of viable options for couple-focused treatment approaches that fit within the current drug treatment system. We provide a rationale and a roadmap for the development of innovative approaches for couple-based drug treatment.

KEYWORDS:

• IDU couples
• partnered IDUs
• injection drug use
• drug treatment barriers
• couples-based drug treatment

Acknowledgments

The authors thank the couples and treatment providers who participated in this study for sharing their experiences and insights; Michael Clatts (University of Puerto Rico); Steve Magura (Western Michigan University) and Richard Jenkins (National Institute on Drug Abuse) for early reviews of the study proposal; and Eric Metcalf for his editorial suggestions. This work was supported by a grant from the National Institute on Drug Abuse (R21DA022960). The content of this manuscript is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institute on Drug Abuse or the National Institutes of Health.