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Addiction Therapy 2016
October 03-05, 2016
Volume 7, Issue 5(Suppl) J Addict Res Ther
ISSN:2155-6105 JART, an open access journal
conferenceseries .com
October 03-05, 2016 Atlanta, USA
5th International Conference and Exhibition on
Addiction Research & Therapy
Paula Strengell, J Addict Res Ther 2016, 7:5(Suppl)
Substance addicted mothers need multidisciplinary treatment modalities
Paula Strengell
Tampere University School of Medicine, Finland
Over half of substance misusing mothers is also suffering from some other psychiatric disease. This important factor should
be addressed in treatment settings. In Finland, most pregnant women get into maternity clinic check, but in this patient
group it sometimes happens that mothers come to give birth without any former visits to maternity services. Even if this group
of patients has some heterogeneity, their social background is usually difficult in many respects. Single-parenting, violence,
lack of support from owns parents and financial problems are common.
Psychiatric diseases encountered in this group are mostly the same as in other patient groups, prevalence of psychosis
is higher, though. Psychiatric and substance use treatment modalities should be combined with social services, supported
housing, child protection etc. Most urgent target for treatment is to provide drug free pregnancy. Under sufficient help most
mothers are capable of fostering their own children at least for the first years. Evaluations for pregnant women should include
psychiatric assessment and low-threshold services should be provided.
In this study sample of 49 pregnant substance abusing mothers attending Addiction Psychiatric Clinic in Tampere, Finland,
it came clear that supporting these mothers needs fluent co-work between social- and health services, reaching out approach
and net-working. Offering care to substance using mothers requires professional, patient-centered attitude to avoid the patient
escaping from services in fear of losing the child. Child protection services can be provided in supportive manner.
Biography
Paula Strengell has been working with addicted mothers for 15 years at Tampere University Addiction Psychiatric Clinic ever since she got her specialty in
psychiatry at Tampere University School of Medicine. In addition, she is teaching psychiatry and addiction medicine at the university. She is in PhD program and
has been publishing about this subject as well as working as a referee.