Estimation of Needs for Addiction Services: A Youth Model

Area of Science:

• Health Services Research
• Adolescent Health
• Substance Use Disorders

Background:

• Resource allocation in healthcare increasingly relies on population needs models.
• Existing models for substance use are primarily designed for adults and may not be suitable for adolescents.
• There is a need for tailored models to address the unique service requirements of young people with substance misuse.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and validate a population needs model for health care service allocation for youth with substance use problems.
• To adapt existing resource allocation methodologies for the specific context of adolescent substance misuse.
• To provide a framework for estimating service needs and access for different severity levels of substance use in youth.

Main Methods:

• A six-step model was proposed, including population targeting, estimating prevalence of substance misuse, and determining service needs.
• Youths aged 12-17 in Québec were classified into four tiers based on substance use severity.
• Service categories (detoxification, outpatient, residential) were defined, and access proportions were estimated for each tier.

Main Results:

• The proportion of youths requiring services ranged from 38% to 95% depending on severity.
• Access proportions to specific service categories and subcategories varied significantly across severity tiers.
• The model underwent pre-experimentation and subsequent adjustments for improved accuracy.

Conclusions:

• The developed model is adaptable to different jurisdictions with local prevalence adjustments.
• Future improvements require better data on client pathways, outreach strategies, and optimal service categorization.
• Development of adapted models for low- and moderate-income countries with limited mental health and addiction services is recommended.