Aberdeen University experts say a more hands-on approach from service users will help tackle alcohol and drugs problems in rural communities.
Public health experts from the Aberdeen Centre for Health Data Science have been working alongside South African researchers to establish new ways to improve drug and alcohol programmes.
Their findings show that involving those with lived experiences with alcohol and drug problems will be more beneficial in developing new services.
‘People are experts in their own lives’
Dr Lucia D’Ambruoso, Aberdeen University’s project lead, says that the lessons learned in South Africa can be applied to programmes in Scotland.
She said: “The lessons that we have learned from our community-led approach in South Africa are very relevant here at home.
“We took a participatory approach where we shared power throughout the research process: the health issues under investigation were not imposed by outsiders but were instead directed by participants.
“We then took ‘community voice’ a step further – it is perfectly possible to raise community voice on local public health concerns – people are experts in their own lives after all.
“What is critical, and often missing, is connecting community voice to the authorities to support the establishment of virtuous cycles of ‘community voice’ and ‘state response.'”
‘Engaging our lived experience’
John Mooney, consultant in public health with NHS Grampian believes the health board will follow the approach of Aberdeen University.
He said: “Local drug and alcohol services in NHS Grampian have recently become very pro-active in exploring the most effective means of incorporating genuine lived experience into all aspects of service development and delivery.
“The work of Dr D’Ambruoso and colleagues with very marginalised service user groups in South Africa, is therefore likely to be of great significance as we look towards fully engaging our lived experience community across our whole multi-agency network of drug and alcohol service provision.”
Conversation