{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,30]],"date-time":"2026-08-30T03:09:21Z","timestamp":1788059361784,"version":"build-2784847793"},"reference-count":34,"publisher":"AOSIS","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2025,11,21]],"date-time":"2025-11-21T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1763683200000},"content-version":"unspecified","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":[],"abstract":"<jats:p>Background:\u00a0Substance abuse is increasing in South Africa with research indicating a lack of access to public drug rehabilitation centres in all provinces of the country. The insights of recovering substance abusers in terms of access to centres remain a gap in the north of Tshwane.\nAim:\u00a0The study explored the recovering substance abusers\u2019 views or perspectives on the accessibility of long-term inpatient substance abuse rehabilitation centres.\nSetting:\u00a0South African National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence (SANCA) centers in Soshanguve and Hammanskraal.\nMethods:\u00a0The qualitative study involved recovering substance abusers undergoing treatment at two outpatient substance rehabilitation centres in the north of Tshwane. The participants were interviewed using a semi-structured questionnaire which explored their views and perceptions and experiences on the accessibility to rehabilitation centres.\nResults:\u00a0Saturation was reached at 13 male participants between 29 years and 35 years of age. The interviews were transcribed and translated, and five distinct themes were identified. The themes identified were: rehabilitation is mindset-related; long waiting times translated into continuous substance abuse; peer pressure; no jobs or skills to keep busy; and a lack of trust within the community. Four of the themes were attributed to enabling factors for their substance abuse.\nConclusion:\u00a0Long waiting times, few rehabilitation centres, stigma, the lack of jobs and skills were identified as barriers to access rehabilitation centres.\nContribution:\u00a0The study contributes to the body of literature exploring access problems in rehabilitation centres from the perspective of recovering drug addicts. It provides insights into risk factors that exacerbate the scourge of substance abuse in the north of Tshwane.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.4102\/hsag.v30i0.3012","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2025,11,19]],"date-time":"2025-11-19T13:50:53Z","timestamp":1763560253000},"update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.4102\/crossmark-policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":1,"title":["Availability and access to long-term inpatient rehab centers in north Tshwane, Gauteng"],"prefix":"10.4102","volume":"30","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0005-2538-5730","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Rorisang G.","family":"Komane-Mnguni","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"id":[{"id":"https:\/\/ror.org\/00g0p6g84","id-type":"ROR","asserted-by":"publisher"}],"name":"University of Pretoria"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0000-5864-2661","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Nonhlanhla M.","family":"Mkhize","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"id":[{"id":"https:\/\/ror.org\/00g0p6g84","id-type":"ROR","asserted-by":"publisher"}],"name":"University of Pretoria"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-1710-6840","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Tshepiso","family":"Mfolo","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"id":[{"id":"https:\/\/ror.org\/00g0p6g84","id-type":"ROR","asserted-by":"publisher"}],"name":"University of Pretoria"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-0171-0595","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Thomas K.","family":"Madiba","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"id":[{"id":"https:\/\/ror.org\/00g0p6g84","id-type":"ROR","asserted-by":"publisher"}],"name":"University of Pretoria"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"2580","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2025,11,21]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref0","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Boroumandfar, Z., Kianpour, M. & Afshari, M., 2020, \u2018Ups and downs of drug rehab among women: A qualitative study\u2019, BMC Women\u2019s Health 20, 1\u201310. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1186\/s12905-020-00946-2","DOI":"10.1186\/s12905-020-00946-2"},{"key":"ref1","unstructured":"Chao, T.W.C., 2021, \u2018A systematic review and empirical study of the role of boredom in substance use problems\u2019, Doctoral dissertation, The New School."},{"key":"ref2","unstructured":"Department of Social Development, South Africa, 2012, Regulations in terms of section 65 of the Prevention of and Treatment for Substance Abuse Act, 2008 (Act No. 70 of 2008). 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