Bakken's study analysed registry-based data from approximately 400 former residents at Stiftelsen Fossumkollektivet who had been in residential substance abuse treatment.
"There is limited research on how this group fares over time and what characterizes them", says Regine Bakken.
The results showed that the majority began using substances at age of 13, and that these young adults had major and complex problems related to mental health, education, work and crime.
Bakken also found gender-based differences.
"Females presented more severe substance use and mental health problems and a higher treatment use. Males were more likely to have been convicted of crimes and to die within the first three years after treatment", Bakken tells inn.no.
She believes these results suggest that special attention should be paid to the risk of substance use disorders (SUD) in women seeking help for mental health problems.
Age also played a role, according to Regine Bakken's research. Younger age was associated with decreasing mental health treatment use and an increasing SUD treatment use over time. A third showed higher levels of SUD treatment use three years after treatment, and more than half were outside education and employment.
"Many continued to struggle three years after residential treatment, suggesting that health and welfare services failed to provide the necessary support. Not receiving sufficient help early on could hinder social inclusion by further decreasing the chances of becoming part of society", says Regine Bakken.
Support and help are needed if these young adults are to have good lives after treatment.
"Not receiving sufficient help early on could hinder social inclusion by further decreasing the chances of becoming part of society", says Bakken.
Regine Bakken thesis is titled: "Young adults in SUD treatment: Characteristics and long-term course of service utilization, criminality, and socioeconomic factors"
Main findings in the doctoral work:
- Young adults seeking residential substance use disorder (SUD) treatment exhibit extensive treatment needs, with many disclosing polysubstance use, reported substance use at an early age and significant mental health problems.
- Women showed more severe substance use issues and mental health problems when entering treatment than males. Women were also more likely than men to consistently use mental health services and to increase their use of SUD treatment over time.
- Males were more likely to have been convicted of crimes and had a higher percentage of individuals who died during the three-year follow-up.
- The youngest participants tended to reduce their mental health treatment over time while increasing SUD treatment—possibly because they were not getting enough support early on.
- Most of the young adults were outside education and employment three years after entering residential SUD treatment.
Contact information:
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