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Table 3 Frequencies and weighted percentages including 95 % confidence intervals (CI) for reasons not to seek treatment. Refers to patients that were diagnosed with an alcohol use disorder, reported a reason for not seeking treatment, and that did not receive treatment. Multiple reasons per patient were possible. Percentages in subcategories refer to respective broader category

From: Alcohol use disorder severity and reported reasons not to seek treatment: a cross-sectional study in European primary care practices

  12 months Lifetime (excluding past 12 months)
Reason for not seeking treatment N % 95 % CI N % 95 % CI
Lack of problem awareness 139 55.3 49.0 - 61.2 519 78.3 75.1 - 81.4
1 Drinking was no problem 50 37.4 29.1 - 45.8 221 42.5 38.2 - 46.8
2 No help needed 59 41.3 32.3 - 49.8 168 32.4 28.3 - 36.5
3 Normal consumption 9 6.4 2.2 - 10.5 47 9.3 6.7 - 11.9
4 Consumption under control 11 8.3 3.5 - 13.2 55 10.8 8.1 - 13.5
5 Nothing serious, no problem insight 10 6.5 2.4 - 10.6 28 5.0 3.2 - 6.9
Cope alone 53 20.9 15.8 - 26.1 115 17.2 14.8 - 20.1
1 Wish to cope alone 47 86.7 76.3 - 97.1 77 69.4 66.7 - 75.5
2 Reduction in drinking 2 5.1 0.0 - 12.3 9 8.0 2.9 - 13.1
3 Non - professional support 0 0.0 -a 9 8.0 2.9 - 13.1
4 Acknowledgement of problem but not of its severity 4 8.2 0.0 - 16.4 20 17.3 10.2 - 24.3
Stigma or shame 73 28.6 22.9 - 34.4 16 2.4 1.2 - 3.6
1 Fear of stigma and shame 71 97.2 92.3 – 100 10 62.1 35.2 - 89.0
2 Social pressure 0 0.0 -a 4 25.1 1.1 - 49.1
3 Drinking is private issue 2 2.8 0.0 - 6.7 2 12.8 0.0 - 31.3
Other prominent problem 3 1.3 0.0 - 2.8 11 1.7 0.7 - 2.7
1 Other problem was more prominent 2 68.3 0.0 - 100 6 53.4 18.1 - 88.7
2 Other substance was more prominent 1 31.7 0.0 - 100 5 46.6 11.3 - 81.9
Encounter barriers 60 22.8 17.6 - 28.1 31 4.6 3.0 - 6.3
1 Lack of possibility or knowledge 2 3.0 0.0 - 7.3 11 35.8 17.7 - 54.0
2 Lack of time 0 0.0 -a 2 6.6 0.0 - 16.1
3 Asked for help but did not get any 0 0.0 -a 1 3.3 0.0 - 10.1
4 Treatment was not affordable 3 4.7 0.0 - 10.1 1 4.1 0.0 - 12.3
5 Wish not to stop drinking 43 72.9 61.2 - 84.6 3 10.0 0.0 - 21.3
6 Treatment was not seen as an option 3 4.0 0.0 - 8.8 7 20.2 5.5 - 34.9
7 No trust in treatment system 6 9.9 2.1 - 17.6 6 20.0 4.8 - 35.2
8 The help needed was not offered 3 5.6 0.0 - 12.0 0b 0.0 -a
  1. aThe confidence interval was not calculable
  2. bBarrier 8 (‘The help needed was not offered’) was assessed in a closed question for the past 12 months only
  3. Percentages of broader categories do not add up to 100 % because multiple answers were possible
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Substance Abuse Treatment, Prevention, and Policy

ISSN: 1747-597X