TY - JOUR
T1 - Vietnamese-Australian heroin users' perspectives on the role of the family in treatment
AU - Higgs, Peter
AU - Jordens, Jay
AU - Maher, Lisa
AU - Dunlop, Adrian
PY - 2009
Y1 - 2009
N2 - Abstract
Ethnic Vietnamese heroin users in Australia typically experience high rates of blood-borne
virus infection, opioid overdose, criminal justice system involvement and poor retention in
substance use treatment, particularly methadone maintenance treatment. This paper
explores the experiences of twenty ethnic Vietnamese heroin users and examines the
specific role of families in treatment from the perspective of the person going through
treatment. What emerged from this study was a picture of a young, ethnically distinct
subgroup of opiate-dependent people struggling to engage in treatment in an environment
where heroin was easily accessible. The relational dynamics between participants and
their family appears as a key mediator of the experience of treatment: it can be a source of
motivation, grounding and connectedness; or it can be alienating and fragmenting. The
extended nature of Vietnamese family systems meant that these relationships had
implications for family members geographically and relationally close and distant.
AB - Abstract
Ethnic Vietnamese heroin users in Australia typically experience high rates of blood-borne
virus infection, opioid overdose, criminal justice system involvement and poor retention in
substance use treatment, particularly methadone maintenance treatment. This paper
explores the experiences of twenty ethnic Vietnamese heroin users and examines the
specific role of families in treatment from the perspective of the person going through
treatment. What emerged from this study was a picture of a young, ethnically distinct
subgroup of opiate-dependent people struggling to engage in treatment in an environment
where heroin was easily accessible. The relational dynamics between participants and
their family appears as a key mediator of the experience of treatment: it can be a source of
motivation, grounding and connectedness; or it can be alienating and fragmenting. The
extended nature of Vietnamese family systems meant that these relationships had
implications for family members geographically and relationally close and distant.
UR - http://informahealthcare.com.ezproxy.lib.monash.edu.au/doi/pdf/10.1080/09687630802063623
U2 - 10.1080/09687630802063623
DO - 10.1080/09687630802063623
M3 - Article
VL - 16
SP - 409
EP - 421
JO - Drugs
JF - Drugs
SN - 0968-7637
IS - 5
ER -