Barriers and facilitators to substance abuse treatment in Ghana (West Africa) using Photovoice

Introduction: The continent of Africa is no longer just a place of transit for drugs but is now a place of their consumption. The aim of our study was to determine the barriers and facilitators to substance abuse treatment in Ghana (West Africa). Methods: This study used a qualitative method to explore the barriers and facilitators to substance abuse treatment in Ghana. We used a photovoice technique to collect data. Results: The following reasons were provided to explain the barriers to treatment: at the individual level, ignorance; at the interpersonal level, family; at the community level, lack of treatment centers, poverty, and stigma; at the organizational level, stigma; and at the policy level, poverty and cost of treatment. The study participants also highlighted many facilitators to substance abuse treatment: at the individual level, knowledge; at the interpersonal level, family; at the community level, media; and at the organizational level, religion. Conclusion: This is an exploratory study that will add to the limited existing literature about substance abuse treatment in the country and also help develop interventions that will fit the needs of several communities in Ghana.