OBJECTIVE: In this study, 218 national drug rehabilitation center helpers in Malaysia were surveyed regarding perceptions of their on-the-job clinical supervision needs and preferred supervisor roles and emphasis areas in their supervision sessions.
METHODS: Descriptive analyses were conducted.
RESULTS: Findings suggest that drug rehabilitation center helpers in Malaysia expressed high level of on-the-job supervision needs. In addition, professional behavior skills were found to be the most desirable supervisory area followed by process, conceptualization, and personalization skills.
CONCLUSIONS: Implications for providing clinical supervision for drug rehabilitation center helpers in Malaysia were discussed, along with suggestions for future research.
BACKGROUND: Drug use in Malaysia remains a significant public health and social problem despite implementation of harsh punitive drug policies such as forcibly placing suspected drug users into compulsory drug detention centers (CDDCs). Following criticism over human right violations in CDDCs, Malaysia has begun to transition towards voluntary drug treatment centers known as Cure & Care (C&C) centers. To best serve the needs of regional C&C centers, data on drug use are essential among patients accessing treatment. Using a mixed-methods approach, the authors examined pretreatment drug use characteristics and experiences with addiction treatment among C&C patients in Kelantan-a religiously conservative state in northeast Malaysia with high prevalence of drug use but where limited data are available on drug use patterns.
METHODS: A mixed-methods study utilizing surveys (n = 96) and semistructured interviews (n = 20) was conducted among a convenience sample of inpatients and outpatients at the Pengkalan Chepa C&C Center in Kelantan.
RESULTS: Survey results showed that 89.6% of participants met screening criteria for moderate to severe addiction severity. Nearly 90% reported lifetime illicit amphetamine (syabu, meth, ice, and pil kuda) use, followed by alcohol (60.4%) and opioids (52.1%). Qualitative results pointed to the powerful influence of peer networks in drug initiation and relapse, and the positive effect of the C&C center on drug rehabilitation.
CONCLUSIONS: The drug use profile of the Kelantan C&C center enrollees shows extensive pretreatment amphetamine use, polysubstance use, and injection drug use, including high-risk behaviors such as sharing needles, syringes, and containers. Evidence points to the need for integration of social support-oriented practices and behavioral interventions into the rehabilitation of drug users in this region.
Study site: Pengkalan Chepa C&C Center, Jalan Padang Tembak, Kelantan, Malaysia
Background: Kratom (Mitragyna speciosa Korth.) is a traditional folk remedy used in Southeast Asia and is known to have a significant opioid-like effect. However, it is unknown whether kratom consumption can impair quality of life (QoL). This study aimed to examine the QoL of people who use kratom by comparing it with that of healthy non-kratom using controls and to determine the association between patterns of kratom use and QoL among people who use kratom. Methods: 200 respondents (100 subjects who use kratom and 100 healthy controls) were recruited for this cross-sectional study. The World Health Organization Quality of Life-BREF was administered to all the respondents to assess QoL, while the Kratom Dependence Scale (KDS) was used to assess the severity of kratom dependence among the subjects who use kratom. Results: The physical health, psychological, and environment QoL scores of the subjects who use kratom were significantly lower than those of the healthy controls. Multiple linear regression analysis revealed greater KDS score and longer duration of kratom use were significant predictors of physical health QoL, while only greater KDS score significantly predicted psychological and environment QoL scores. Conclusion: Prolonged kratom use and kratom dependence may negatively impact the QoL of people who use kratom, hence kratom addiction has to be treated adequately.