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Sweden has a free, universal addiction treatment system yet few studies examining utilization of treatment in this country. This study identified predisposing, enabling and need factors associated with history of number of voluntary addiction treatment episodes for a national sample of 12,009 individuals assessed for an alcohol and/or drug use disorder in Sweden. On average, people reported 4.3 prior treatment episodes. Linear regression methods identified that of predisposing factors older age and being male were associated with more voluntary addiction treatment episodes compared to younger and female clients; a higher Addiction Severity Index (ASI) employment score (an enabling factor) was associated with more voluntary addiction treatment episodes; and need factors including a history of inpatient mental health treatment, a higher ASI psychiatric score, a higher ASI alcohol score, higher levels of illict drug use, more compulsory addiction treatment episodes, a lower ASI legal score and history of criminal justice involvement were all associated with more voluntary addiction treatment episodes compared to their counterparts. There were no differences in number of treatment episodes by education or immigrant status. Implications: (1) Need is a key factor associated with more treatment use. (2) Further studies are needed to identify gender differences in access/use of treatment. (3) Given multiple treatment histories Swedish addiction treatment policy should reflect a chronic care model rather than an acute care model.

This study identified and described specific client groups who have repeated entries to the Swedish addiction compulsory care system. Specifically, through the use of baseline data from the Swedish government Staten’s Institutions Styrelse (SiS) database, for 2658 individuals who were assessed at their compulsory care intake interview by social workers in the national social welfare system between 2001 and 2009 the study identified the associations between specific predisposing, enabling and need characteristics and repeated addiction compulsory care entries. The logistic regression model identified that individuals whose children have been mandated to the child welfare system, who have experienced prior compulsory care including compulsory treatment through LVU (law (1990:52) with specific provision about care of young people under 18), and those who have been in prison are more likely to have two or more entries in the addiction compulsory care system compared to their counterparts. Individuals who have been mandated to compulsory care for their substance use disorder two or more times have significant multiple complex problems and repeated experiences of institutionalization. These individuals are a group in need of a well-coordinated and integrated system of aftercare services to reduce the likelihood of re-entry into addiction compulsory care. 

Drop-out of addiction treatment is common, however, little is known about drop-out of compulsory care in Sweden. Data from two national register databases were merged to create a database of 4515 individuals sentenced to compulsory care 2001-2009. The study examined (1) characteristics associated with having dropped out from a first compulsory care episode, (2) the relationship between drop-out and returning to compulsory care through a new court sentence, and (3) the relationship between drop-out and mortality. Methods: Multivariable logistic regression analysis was used to address Aim 1 and Cox proportional hazards regression modeling was applied to respond to Aims 2 and 3. Findings: Age and previous history of crime were significant predictors for drop-out. Clients who dropped out were 1.67 times more likely to return to compulsory care and the hazard of dying was 16% higher than for those who dropped-out. Conclusion: This study finds that 59% of clients assigned to compulsory care drop-out. Younger individuals are significantly more likely to drop-out. Those who drop out are significantly more likely to experience negative outcomes (additional sentence to compulsory care and higher risk of mortality). Interventions need to be implemented that increase motivation of youth to remain in compulsory care. 

Background: Treatment for substance use disorder (SUD), results, in general, in improvements in terms of both drug use and social functioning. However, there are clients who are in need of repeated treatment. The aim of this retrospective study is to identify, for adults in compulsory care for severe SUD, the association between and reporting have experienced a risky psychosocial childhood and repeated entries into the Swedish compulsory care system for SUD.

Method: Hierarchical logistic regression and mediation analysis methods were used to analyze data from the Swedish National Board of Institutional Care (SiS) database. The sample included 2719 adults assessed at their compulsory care intake. The study examined the association between history of institutional care, family with SUD or psychiatric problem and repeated compulsory care entries as adult controlling for main drug, age and gender.

Results: In the regression model the factor with the strongest association with repeated compulsory care intakes for SUD, was that as a child having been in mandated institutional care (OR=2.0 (1.60-2.51)). The proportion of the total effect that is mediated through LVU was 33% for SUD problems in family during childhood, 44% for psychiatric problems in family during childhood, and 38% for having been in foster care.

Conclusion: Having been in mandated institutional care as a youth was strongly associated with repeated compulsory care for SUD as an adult. This is concerning since receipt of services as a child is supposed to mediate against the consequences of risky childhood conditions. These adults, as a group are in need of a well-coordinated and integrated system of extensive after care services to reduce the likelihood of re-entryinto compulsory care for an SUD.