Substance misuse trends in South Africa

Human Psychopharmacology
Sonja C Pasche, Bronwyn Myers

Abstract

This paper, the first in a series related to the Joint European South African Research Network in Anxiety Disorders programme, examines substance use trends in South Africa. Alcohol remains the substance with the greatest burden of harm. Yet, trends vary by region, with for example methamphetamine being a major driver of psychiatric and substance abuse treatment demand in the Western Cape province. Heroin use is increasing in several provinces, where rapid intervention is required to avoid an epidemic. In particular, the state (the main funder of drug services) urgently needs to provide opioid substitution treatment. Apart from an inadequate number of treatment services, barriers to treatment are high. Barriers are predominantly cost, transport and resource related. Services are also impacted by a small and inadequately trained workforce and poor integration with mental health services. To adequately intervene with substance use disorders, South Africa needs an evidence-based policy and service planning framework that forges linkages with the mental health service system.

References

May 21, 2005·Injury Control and Safety Promotion·Andreas PlüddemannAnesh Sukhai
Nov 28, 2006·Drug and Alcohol Dependence·Philip A MayDenis L Viljoen
Nov 16, 2010·Substance Abuse Treatment, Prevention, and Policy·Bronwyn J MyersSonja C Pasche
Jun 30, 2011·Current HIV/AIDS Reports·Judith A HahnWinnie Muyindike
Jan 27, 2012·Human Psychopharmacology·David S Baldwin, Dan J Stein

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Citations

Dec 10, 2013·The International Journal on Drug Policy·Wendee M WechsbergWilliam A Zule
Mar 24, 2017·Journal of Human Hypertension·A E SchutteH W Huisman
Jan 1, 2014·Health Psychology and Behavioral Medicine·Cheneal Puljević, Despina Learmonth
Jun 17, 2016·The South African Journal of Psychiatry : SAJP : the Journal of the Society of Psychiatrists of South Africa·Glen P DavisJonathan K Burns
Sep 29, 2018·Substance Abuse Treatment, Prevention, and Policy·Mandy StokesAssim Alpaslan
Feb 24, 2019·Journal of Ethnicity in Substance Abuse·Burt Davis, Carel Jansen
Sep 17, 2020·The South African Journal of Psychiatry : SAJP : the Journal of the Society of Psychiatrists of South Africa·Emmanuel ManuMartin A Ayanore
Dec 4, 2019·African Journal of Primary Health Care & Family Medicine·Kebogile Mokwena
Jul 3, 2021·International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health·Burt Davis, Carel J M Jansen

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