engleski

Organization and policy for drug addiction treatment in Republic of Croatia

Republic of Croatia with adoption of National strategy for management and reduction of drug abuse, adopted also basic postulate of good treatment policy on state level. Drug addiction is a chronic disease with recidivism, which should be treated within public health model.Drug addicts should be discovered as early as possible, possibility to join specialized, easy accessible and for drug addicts acceptable treatment programs should be provided.Treatment is a long term process with various forms of help, individually adjusted to the drug addicts' needs (pharmacotherapy, social interventions, psychotherapy, family procedure, education, urine testing, comorbidity therapy). Basic healthcare system consists of a network of Centers for outpatient treatments working in cooperation with GP surgeries which give opiate drug addicts through entirely decentralized model, methadone. It is taken care about drug addicts' general health, they are tested for HBV (15%), HCV (40%) treatment with pegyllated interferon is provided) and HIV 0.5%.The number of first time treated heroin addicts is 900 per year, but first treatments are usually made at the age of 26. Basic element of initial treatment is easily accessible buprenorphine pharmacotherapy, while methadone (on national level available from 1991.) is gradually pushed aside. Treatment is also provided in prison system, and some addicts are involved in social rehabilitation programs in communities.

drug addiction; National strategy; treatment

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