In total, approximately 250 individuals will be surveyed in Flanders, Brussels, and Wallonia. This will include various treatment modalities for alcohol and drug service users, such as outpatient counseling, substitution treatment, residential psychiatric treatment, and drug-free therapeutic communities. Participants will be contacted at the beginning of treatment and 45, 90, and 180 days later for the research. The collected information will provide insights into the treatment's effect, how it is experienced, and various recovery indicators. Additionally, a small group of participants will undergo in-depth interviews after 6 months, aiming to gain more profound insights into the experiences of healthcare service users regarding treatment and recovery trajectories.
For this project, we are collaborating with colleagues from the Vrije Universiteit Brussel and Sciensano. Prof. Wim van den Brink (University of Amsterdam) is involved as a senior expert in this project.
For more information about or participation in this study, you can contact Amine Zerrouk (ElAmine.Zerrouk@UGent.be), who oversees the research at UGent. Colleague Dr. Charlotte Migchels from Vrije Universiteit Brussel (Charlotte.migchels@vub.be; Tel. 02/474 91 71) is also involved in this research.
The promoters of the OMER-BE study are Prof. Wouter Vanderplasschen, Prof. Cleo Crunelle, Prof. Frieda Matthys, and Dr. Lies Gremeaux.