Barriers to treatment of alcohol and tobacco use disorders in industrial workers

BACKGROUND: Substance use disorders (SUDs) are common among industrial workers and often lead to higher absenteeism and lower productivity. Multiple factors may be responsible for hindering the treatment of SUDs among industrial workers. OBJECTIVE: The study was planned to assess the barriers to treatment of SUDs among workers employed in organized industries and factories. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional study done at a tertiary care hospital associated with medical college in Delhi NCR. A total of 200 participants presenting to medicine outpatient department for the treatment of illnesses other than SUDs were selected by systematic random sampling. Participants consenting for inclusion and fulfilling the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Psychiatric Disorders, 5(th) edition criteria for substance dependence were assessed using barriers to treatment inventory and Mini-International Neuropsychiatric Interview 7.0.2. RESULTS: The most commonly reported barriers to seeking treatment were time conflict (99.5%), followed by the absence of problem (80.5%), fear of treatment (68%), and negative social factors (49%). The absence of problem as a major barrier was reported significantly more in younger male participants, whereas fear of treatment was reported more in younger and unmarried females. Privacy concerns showed significant association with older females whereas negative social support was associated with married urban males. Alcohol dependence was observed to be significantly more in barriers such as admission difficulty, poor treatment availability, privacy concern absence of problem, and poor treatment availability and admission difficulty as a barrier was observed to be more in mild severity of illness. CONCLUSION: Educating employees through company wellness programs, Employee Assistance Program, and Work/Life programs to educate them about the harmful effect of substance use and various treatment availability options. Efforts should be made to reduce stigma in the workplaces, making necessary amendments so as to allow workers to have sufficient time for proper rehabilitative services and to ensure the patient about the privacy and confidentiality of the illness and treatment.