Background: Addictive behaviours among people with disabilities (PWD) received little attention in Austria and so far, no data or information on addiction problems among this target group in Austria was available. The increasing autonomy of PWD, coupled with the deinstitutionalisation of services for disabled people, underscores the growing importance of collaboration between addiction treatment facilities and services tailored for PWD.
Methods: This study employed a two-fold approach. Initially, ten expert interviews were conducted with representatives from service providers for PWD and addiction facilities to identify main challenges related to consumption patterns and service utilization. Experts were identified via snowball sampling, ensuring representation across various facets of disability services and geographic locations.
Subsequently, an online survey targeted professionals in disability care facilities asking about substance use and addictive behaviours of their clients. Answers from 183 respondents were used for analyses.
Results: Alcohol and nicotine consumption, as well as gaming are most frequently observed and perceived as problematic. Alcohol-related problems included aggressive behaviour, increased care requirements, and interactions with existing medication. Additional challenges mentioned comprised reduced attention and work capacity, a general lack of motivation, or social withdrawal. By tendency, legal substances (alcohol and tobacco) seem to have comparable significance for PWD as for individuals without disabilities, whereas illegal substances held lower significance, and sedatives demonstrated higher significance. Professionals working with clients with mental disabilities were more likely to report additive related problems than professionals working with clients with other forms of impairments.
Substance related problems among PWD were shaped by individual capabilities (e.g., ability to reflect on consumption behaviour, risk competence) and social conditions (e.g., form of care, degree of autonomy). Barriers to provide addiction-related care included difficulties in motivating clients to seek external help and a lack of services tailored to the needs of the target groups.
While supervision and cooperation with external institutions and experts were common among service providers for PWD, standardized procedures rarely exist. Only one-third of professionals in disability services deemed their qualifications sufficient to address addiction-related issues without external assistance.
Conclusion: Substance use is a relevant issue in facilities for PWD, particularly those for individuals with mental disabilities. The broad concept of disability complicates generalized statements about differences in addiction-related problems between PWD and those without disabilities. Advocating for targeted addiction services for PWD and implementing addiction-specific training for professionals working with PWD could enhance service utilization.