Facts

Contact person:
Olivia Liahaugen Flensburg
Financer:
  • FORTE - Swedish Research Council for Health Working Life and Welfare
Responsible at MaU:
Torkel Richert
Project members at MaU:
Time frame:
01 March 2022 - 02 August 2027
Faculty/department:
Research subject:

About the project

The use of illegal drugs is often regarded as a youth phenomenon, yet a growing group of people live with long-term drug problems into older age. Research on older adults with drug-related problems remains limited, both within addiction studies and ageing research, despite the fact that this group often faces complex health issues and extensive social needs. To develop appropriate care and support interventions, more knowledge is required about their living conditions and experiences.

This project aims to examine the life situation of older adults with long-term drug problems in Sweden, with a particular focus on the significance of ageing. We explore everyday life, social relationships, drug use, risk management, and physical and mental health, as well as experiences of contact with authorities and perceived support needs.

The analysis is informed by a life-course perspective and views ageing as both a social and biological process shaped by previous experiences and sociocultural contexts. The study is conducted using qualitative methods, based on semi-structured interviews with a strategic sample of older people who use drugs, recruited through treatment units, supported housing, and low-threshold services.