The Community Based Treatment and Care Model For Drug Rehabilitation : A Case Study in a village , Mueang District, Mahasarakham Province

Abstract

Objective : to study the problem in context of drug treatment in the community, develop a community based treatment and care model, and to study the effectiveness of the model for drug rehabilitation.

Method: this study was participatory action research (PAR), using the concepts of Kemmis and Mctaggart (1988), which were collected data in June 1, 2018 to December 31, 2020 in a village, NongWaeng Subdistrict, Mueang, Mahasarakham Province. Sample group included 21 drug users, 15 community leaders, 24 family leaders, 11 public health volunteers, 3 people in charge of drug rehabilitation, 2 teachers and 2 local polices, totaling 78 persons.

Results : It was found that in 2018, 23.07% of drug users received treatment, two of those who were addicted to psychological problems were left unattended. The drugs were brought by the labor force. In 2019, these problems were analyzed and found ways to prevent and solve drug problems through a strong community process, it was found 37.50% of drug users, a person with mental illness was cared for, accounting for 50%. In 2020, the problems were developed according to the community based treatment and care (CBTx), using the 9-step strong community process with the 4-step community treatment process and the community measures in order to rehabilitate 21 drug users. The results were found that 19 drug users revealed themselves for receiving the therapy, accounting for 90.47% (2 persons were imprisoned), a drug addict with psychotic symptoms who was treated, accounted for 100%. All of them passed the criteria for quality indicators of the Ministry of Public Health. Furthermore, 100% of those who undergo treatment do not repeat drug use and have a good quality of life.

Conclusion :  The community based treatment and care for drug rehabilitation which communities must be prepared to participate in every process by integrating a strong community with the rehabilitation treatment that can be monitored. This is a treatment method that less interferes with normal daily life than other treatments, it also can be a form of treatment that the community needs and suitable for the context of the area.