What do people who use drugs look for in healthcare services? Understanding this issue beyond abstinence

Abstract

Proposals to modify the care provided for drug users in the Brazilian National Health System (SUS) have not been considering their needs, demands and expectations. Based on contributions from Collective Health, our objective was to understand them by means of a qualitative research that involved semi-structured interviews, focus groups and participant observation at Alcohol and Drugs Psychosocial Care Centers (Caps AD). We found that users go to the services not only to interrupt drug use, but also to reduce it, to receive care for organic or psychological problems, to construct social bonds, to have access to basic life conditions, and to achieve autonomy. By amplifying the understanding about the demands, needs and expectations of people who use drugs, the research has contributed to the analysis and redefinition of the care practices and model adopted by SUS.