Out-patient Treatment Provision to Drug Users in 2003

Overview

The Czech National Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction carried out a survey focused on the out-patient psychiatric treatment provision to drug users in 2003. The survey was realised in 2004. The aim of the study was to find out how many out-patient treatment centres are primarily oriented on drug users, i.e. how many so called “AT ambulances” do exist in the Czech Republic. Altogether 195 out-patient psychiatric centres participated in the study, out of them 35 centres had no drug user in treatment in 2003. Therefore 160 out-patient treatment centres were focused on treatment of drug users. 128 out-patient psychiatric centres provide treatment to alcohol users, 33 to tobacco users and 70 to illicit drug users. In these 160 centres, 43 201 patients were treated in 2003 (67% alcohol users, 15.5% tobacco users and 15% illicit drug users). The most frequent illicit drugs used were pervitin (methamphetamine) and marijuana. These centres co-operate mostly with inpatient psychiatric clinics and departments, as well as with general practitioners. Collaboration with non-governmental organisations in the field of drug treatment and after-care is assessed as insufficient.

Key words:
out-patient drug treatment centres, networking, drug users, alcohol, tobacco, illicit drugs.