The Relationship Between Person-Centred Care for Substance Use Disorders and Service Outcomes: a Systematic Scoping Review

This Discussion Paper, prepared by UNODC, aligns with key international policy frameworks, including CND resolutions 59/4 and 64/3. These resolutions highlight the importance of developing and disseminating international standards for the treatment of drug use disorders and promoting evidence-based, high-quality, affordable, and comprehensive approaches to prevention, treatment, sustained recovery, and related support services. Building on these mandates, the paper provides an in-depth examination of person-centred care within substance use disorder treatment, aiming to inform policy and practice globally.

The paper presents the results of a systematic scoping review that mapped existing literature on person-centred care and service outcomes, following up on the earlier work of E/CN.7/2023/CRP.9, which identified patient-centred care as a key dimension of treatment quality linked to positive outcomes. This review explores which specific components of patient-centred care are most strongly associated with improved patient outcomes. The Discussion Paper is provided as a Conference Room Paper for the Commission’s information at its sixty-seventh session, supporting ongoing efforts to enhance the effectiveness and quality of treatment services for people with substance use disorders.