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Friedman SR, Smyrnov P, Vasylyeva TI. Will the Russian war in Ukraine unleash larger epidemics of HIV, TB and associated conditions and diseases in Ukraine? Harm Reduct J 2023; 20:119. [PMID: 37658448 PMCID: PMC10472698 DOI: 10.1186/s12954-023-00855-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2023] [Accepted: 08/22/2023] [Indexed: 09/03/2023] Open
Abstract
The Russian war in Ukraine poses many risks for the spread of HIV, TB and associated conditions, including possible increases in the numbers of people who inject drugs or engage in sex work in the years ahead. Ukrainian civil society and volunteer efforts have been able to maintain and at times expand services for HIV Key Populations. The extent of mutual-aid and volunteer efforts as well as the continued strength and vitality of harm reduction organizations such as the Alliance for Public Health and the rest of civil society will be crucial resources for postwar efforts to assist Key Populations and prevent the spread of HIV, TB and other diseases. The postwar period will pose great economic and political difficulties for Ukrainians, including large populations of people physically and/or psychically damaged and in pain who might become people who inject drugs. Local and international support for public health and for harm reduction will be needed to prevent potentially large-scale increases in infectious disease and related mortality.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Tetyana I Vasylyeva
- Division of Infectious Diseases and Global Public Health, UC San Diego, San Diego, CA, USA.
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2
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Walters SM, Liu W, Lamuda P, Huh J, Brewer R, Johnson O, Bluthenthal RN, Taylor B, Schneider JA. A National Portrait of Public Attitudes toward Opioid Use in the US: A Latent Class Analysis. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2023; 20:4455. [PMID: 36901465 PMCID: PMC10001548 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph20054455] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2022] [Revised: 02/17/2023] [Accepted: 02/25/2023] [Indexed: 05/13/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Opioid overdose rates have steadily been increasing in the United States (US) creating what is considered an overdose death crisis. The US has a mixture of public health and punitive policies aimed to address opioid use and the overdose crisis, yet little is known about public opinion relating to opioid use and policy support. Understanding the intersection of public opinion about opioid use disorder (OUD) and policy can be useful for developing interventions to address policy responses to overdose deaths. METHODS A national sample of cross-sectional data from the AmeriSpeak survey conducted from 27 February 2020 through 2 March 2020 was analyzed. Measures included attitudes toward OUD and policy beliefs. Latent class analysis, a person-centered approach, was used to identify groups of individuals endorsing similar stigma and policy beliefs. We then examined the relationship between the identified groups (i.e., classes) and key behavioral and demographic factors. RESULTS We identified three distinct groups: (1) "High Stigma/High Punitive Policy", (2) "High Stigma/Mixed Public Health and Punitive Policy", and (3) "Low Stigma/High Public Health Policy". People with higher levels of education had reduced odds of being in the "High Stigma/High Punitive Policy" group. CONCLUSION Public health policies are most effective in addressing OUD. We suggest targeting interventions toward the "High Stigma/Mixed Public Health and Punitive Policy" group since this group already displays some support for public health policies. Broader interventions, such as eliminating stigmatizing messaging in the media and redacting punitive policies, could reduce OUD stigma among all groups.
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Affiliation(s)
- Suzan M. Walters
- Department of Epidemiology, School of Global Public Health, New York University, New York, NY 10003, USA
- Center for Drug Use and HIV/HCV Research, New York, NY 10003, USA
| | - Weiwei Liu
- Public Health Department, NORC at the University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60603, USA
| | - Phoebe Lamuda
- Public Health Department, NORC at the University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60603, USA
| | - Jimi Huh
- Department of Population and Public Health Sciences, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90033, USA
| | - Russell Brewer
- Department of Medicine, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA
| | - O’Dell Johnson
- Southern Public Health and Criminal Justice Research Center, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR 72205, USA
| | - Ricky N. Bluthenthal
- Department of Population and Public Health Sciences, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90033, USA
| | - Bruce Taylor
- Public Health Department, NORC at the University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60603, USA
| | - John A. Schneider
- Public Health Department, NORC at the University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60603, USA
- Department of Medicine, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA
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Friedman SR, Jordan AE, Perlman DC, Nikolopoulos GK, Mateu-Gelabert P. Emerging Zoonotic Infections, Social Processes and Their Measurement and Enhanced Surveillance to Improve Zoonotic Epidemic Responses: A "Big Events" Perspective. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2022; 19:ijerph19020995. [PMID: 35055817 PMCID: PMC8776232 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph19020995] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2021] [Revised: 12/23/2021] [Accepted: 01/10/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
Zoonotic epidemics and pandemics have become frequent. From HIV/AIDS through COVID-19, they demonstrate that pandemics are social processes as well as health occurrences. The roots of these pandemics lie in changes in the socioeconomic interface between humanity and non-human host species that facilitate interspecies transmission. The degree to which zoonoses spread has been increased by the greater speed and extent of modern transportation and trade. Pre-existing sociopolitical and economic structures and conflicts in societies also affect pathogen propagation. As an epidemic develops, it can itself become a social and political factor, and change and interact with pre-existing sociobehavioral norms and institutional structures. This paper uses a "Big Events" approach to frame these processes. Based on this framework, we discuss how social readiness surveys implemented both before and during an outbreak might help public health predict how overall systems might react to an epidemic and/or to disease control measures, and thus might inform interventions to mitigate potential adverse outcomes or possibly preventing outbreaks from developing into epidemics. We conclude by considering what "pathways measures", in addition to those we and others have already developed, might usefully be developed and validated to assist outbreak and epidemic disease responses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samuel R. Friedman
- Department of Population Health, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA
- Center for Drug Use and HIV/HCV Research, New York, NY 10003, USA; (A.E.J.); (D.C.P.); (P.M.-G.)
- Correspondence:
| | - Ashly E. Jordan
- Center for Drug Use and HIV/HCV Research, New York, NY 10003, USA; (A.E.J.); (D.C.P.); (P.M.-G.)
| | - David C. Perlman
- Center for Drug Use and HIV/HCV Research, New York, NY 10003, USA; (A.E.J.); (D.C.P.); (P.M.-G.)
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Icahn School of Medicine, Mount Sinai Beth Israel, New York, NY 10003, USA
| | | | - Pedro Mateu-Gelabert
- Center for Drug Use and HIV/HCV Research, New York, NY 10003, USA; (A.E.J.); (D.C.P.); (P.M.-G.)
- Graduate School of Public Health and Health Policy, City University of New York, New York, NY 10027, USA
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4
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Surratt HL, Yeager HJ, Adu A, González EA, Nelson EO, Walker T. Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis Barriers, Facilitators and Unmet Need Among Rural People Who Inject Drugs: A Qualitative Examination of Syringe Service Program Client Perspectives. Front Psychiatry 2022; 13:905314. [PMID: 35706473 PMCID: PMC9189386 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2022.905314] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2022] [Accepted: 05/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND People who inject drugs (PWID) are at high risk for HIV infection, yet in rural areas PWID are understudied with respect to prevention strategies. Kentucky is notable for heavy rural HIV burden and increasing rates of new HIV diagnoses attributable to injection drug use. Despite high need and the strong evidence for Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) as a gold-standard biomedical HIV prevention tool, scale up has been limited among PWID in Kentucky and elsewhere. This paper explores individual, environmental, and structural barriers and facilitators of PrEP care from the perspective of PWID in rural Kentucky. METHODS Data are drawn from an ongoing NIH-funded study designed to adapt and integrate a PrEP initiation intervention for high-risk PWID at point of care in two rural syringe service programs (SSPs) in southeastern Kentucky. As part of this initiative, a qualitative study guided by PRISM (Practical, Robust, Implementation, and Sustainability Model) was undertaken to gather SSP client perspectives on intervention needs related to PrEP, competing needs related to substance use disorder, as well as tangible supports for and barriers to PrEP uptake. Recruitment and interviews were conducted during September-November 2021 with 26 SSP clients, 13 from each of the two SSP sites. A semi-structured guide explored injection behaviors, SSP use, knowledge of PrEP, perceived barriers to PrEP, as well as aspects of the risk environment (e.g., housing instability, community stigma) that may impact PrEP uptake. Interviews were digitally recorded, transcribed verbatim and verified by project staff. A detailed coding scheme was developed and applied by independent coders using NVivo. Coded transcripts were synthesized to identify salient themes in the data using the principles of thematic analysis All study procedures were approved by the University IRB. RESULTS Participants were 96% white, 42% female, with a median age of 41 years (range 21-62); all reported injection use within the past month. Overall, we found low PrEP awareness among this sample, yet interest in PrEP was high, with several indicating PrEP is urgently needed. Clients reported overwhelmingly positive experiences at the SSPs, considering them trusted and safe locations to receive health services, and were enthusiastic about the integration of co-located PrEP services. Lack of basic HIV and PrEP knowledge and health literacy were in evidence, which contributed to common misperceptions about personal risk for HIV. Situational risks related to substance use disorder, particularly in the context of withdrawal symptoms and craving, often lead to heightened HIV injection and sexual risk behaviors. Stigma related to substance use and HIV arose as a concern for PrEP uptake, with several participants reflecting that privacy issues would impact their preferences for education, prescribing and monitoring of PrEP. Noted tangible barriers included inconsistent access to phone service and transportation. Primary supports included high levels of insurance coverage, consistent pharmacy access, and histories with successful medication management for other health conditions. CONCLUSIONS Drawing on the critical perspectives of people with substance use disorder, our findings provide important and actionable information on individual and environmental barriers and facilitators of PrEP uptake among rural PWID at high risk for HIV infection. These data will drive the adaptation and implementation of a client-centered approach to integrated PrEP care within rurally located SSP settings to address unmet needs for PrEP care.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hilary L Surratt
- Department of Behavioral Science, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, United States.,Center on Drug and Alcohol Research, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, United States
| | - Hannah J Yeager
- Department of Anthropology, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY, United States
| | - Akosua Adu
- Department of Behavioral Science, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, United States
| | - Evelyn A González
- Center on Drug and Alcohol Research, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, United States
| | - Elizabeth O Nelson
- Department of Behavioral Science, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, United States
| | - Tamara Walker
- Department of Behavioral Science, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, United States
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5
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Friedman SR, Williams LD, Guarino H, Mateu-Gelabert P, Krawczyk N, Hamilton L, Walters SM, Ezell JM, Khan M, Di Iorio J, Yang LH, Earnshaw VA. The stigma system: How sociopolitical domination, scapegoating, and stigma shape public health. JOURNAL OF COMMUNITY PSYCHOLOGY 2022; 50:385-408. [PMID: 34115390 PMCID: PMC8664901 DOI: 10.1002/jcop.22581] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2020] [Revised: 03/07/2021] [Accepted: 03/14/2021] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Abstract
Stigma is a fundamental driver of adverse health outcomes. Although stigma is often studied at the individual level to focus on how stigma influences the mental and physical health of the stigmatized, considerable research has shown that stigma is multilevel and structural. This paper proposes a theoretical approach that synthesizes the literature on stigma with the literature on scapegoating and divide-and-rule as strategies that the wealthy and powerful use to maintain their power and wealth; the literatures on racial, gender, and other subordination; the literature on ideology and organization in sociopolitical systems; and the literature on resistance and rebellion against stigma, oppression and other forms of subordination. we develop a model of the "stigma system" as a dialectic of interacting and conflicting structures and processes. Understanding this system can help public health reorient stigma interventions to address the sources of stigma as well as the individual problems that stigma creates. On a broader level, this model can help those opposing stigma and its effects to develop alliances and strategies with which to oppose stigma and the processes that create it.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samuel R Friedman
- Department of Population Health, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, New York, USA
| | - Leslie D Williams
- Division of Community Health Sciences, University of Illinois at Chicago School of Public Health, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Honoria Guarino
- Institute for Implementation Science in Population Health, CUNY Graduate School of Public Health & Health Policy, New York, New York, USA
| | - Pedro Mateu-Gelabert
- Institute for Implementation Science in Population Health, CUNY Graduate School of Public Health & Health Policy, New York, New York, USA
| | - Noa Krawczyk
- Department of Population Health, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, New York, USA
| | - Leah Hamilton
- Department of Population Health, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, New York, USA
| | - Suzan M Walters
- NYU Rory Meyers College of Nursing, Interdisciplinary Research Training Institute on Hispanic Drug Abuse, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Jerel M Ezell
- Department of Sociology, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, USA
- Department of Medicine, Section on Global Health and Infectious Diseases, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Maria Khan
- Department of Population Health, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, New York, USA
| | - Jorgelina Di Iorio
- Faculty of Psychology and Intercambios Civil Association, CONICET/Buenos Aires University, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Lawrence H Yang
- Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, School of Global Public Health, New York University, New York, New York, USA
- Department of Epidemiology, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, New York, USA
| | - Valerie A Earnshaw
- Department of Human Development and Family Sciences, University of Delaware, Newark, Delaware, USA
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Surratt HL, Otachi J, McLouth C, Vundi N. Healthcare stigma and HIV risk among rural people who inject drugs. Drug Alcohol Depend 2021; 226:108878. [PMID: 34214880 PMCID: PMC8355211 DOI: 10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2021.108878] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2021] [Revised: 05/25/2021] [Accepted: 06/01/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION The HIV epidemic is increasingly penetrating rural areas of the U.S. due to evolving epidemics of injection drug use. Many rural areas experience deficits in availability of HIV prevention, testing and harm reduction services, and confront significant stigma that inhibits care seeking. This paper examines enacted stigma in healthcare settings among rural people who inject drugs (PWID) and explores associations of stigma with continuing high-risk behaviors for HIV. METHODS PWID participants (n = 324) were recruited into the study in three county health department syringe service programs (SSPs), as well as in local community-based organizations. Trained interviewers completed a standardized baseline interview lasting approximately 40 min. Bivariate logistic regression models examined the associations between enacted healthcare stigma, health conditions, and injection risk behaviors, and a mediation analysis was conducted. RESULTS Stigmatizing health conditions were common in this sample of PWID, and 201 (62.0 %) reported experiencing stigma from healthcare providers. Injection risk behaviors were uniformly associated with higher odds of enacted healthcare stigma, including sharing injection equipment at most recent injection (OR = 2.76; CI 1.55, 4.91), and lifetime receptive needle sharing (OR = 2.27; CI 1.42, 3.63). Enacted healthcare stigma partially mediated the relationship between having a stigmatizing health condition and engagement in high-risk injection behaviors. DISCUSSION Rural PWID are vulnerable to stigma in healthcare settings, which contributes to high-risk injection behaviors for HIV. These findings have critical public health implications, including the importance of tailored interventions to decrease enacted stigma in care settings, and structural changes to expand the provision of healthcare services within SSP settings.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Chris McLouth
- University of Kentucky, Department of Behavioral Science
| | - Nikita Vundi
- University of Kentucky, Center for Health Services Research
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7
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Friedman SR, Mateu-Gelabert P, Nikolopoulos GK, Cerdá M, Rossi D, Jordan AE, Townsend T, Khan MR, Perlman DC. Big Events theory and measures may help explain emerging long-term effects of current crises. Glob Public Health 2021; 16:1167-1186. [PMID: 33843462 PMCID: PMC8338763 DOI: 10.1080/17441692.2021.1903528] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2020] [Accepted: 02/25/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Big Events are periods during which abnormal large-scale events like war, economic collapse, revolts, or pandemics disrupt daily life and expectations about the future. They can lead to rapid change in health-related norms, beliefs, social networks and behavioural practices. The world is undergoing such Big Events through the interaction of COVID-19, a large economic downturn, massive social unrest in many countries, and ever-worsening effects of global climate change. Previous research, mainly on HIV/AIDS, suggests that the health effects of Big Events can be profound, but are contingent: Sometimes Big Events led to enormous outbreaks of HIV and associated diseases and conditions such as injection drug use, sex trading, and tuberculosis, but in other circumstances, Big Events did not do so. This paper discusses and presents hypotheses about pathways through which the current Big Events might lead to better or worse short and long term outcomes for various health conditions and diseases; considers how pre-existing societal conditions and changing 'pathway' variables can influence the impact of Big Events; discusses how to measure these pathways; and suggests ways in which research and surveillance might be conducted to improve human capacity to prevent or mitigate the effects of Big Events on human health.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Pedro Mateu-Gelabert
- Graduate School of Public Health and Health Policy, City University of New York, New York, NY, USA
| | | | | | - Diana Rossi
- Intercambios Civil Association and University of Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Ashly E Jordan
- Graduate School of Public Health and Health Policy, City University of New York, New York, NY, USA
| | | | - Maria R Khan
- NYU Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - David C Perlman
- Mount Sinai Beth Israel and Center for Drug Use and HIV Research, New York, NY, USA
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8
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Meyers SA, Earnshaw VA, D’Ambrosio B, Courchesne N, Werb D, Smith LR. The intersection of gender and drug use-related stigma: A mixed methods systematic review and synthesis of the literature. Drug Alcohol Depend 2021; 223:108706. [PMID: 33901753 PMCID: PMC8168566 DOI: 10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2021.108706] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2020] [Revised: 03/01/2021] [Accepted: 03/04/2021] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Substance use-related stigma is a significant barrier to care among persons who use drugs (PWUD). Less is known regarding how intersectional identities, like gender, shape experiences of substance use-related stigma. We sought to answer the following question: Do men or women PWUD experience more drug use stigma? METHODS Data were drawn from a systematic review of the global, peer-reviewed scientific literature on substance use-related stigma conducted through 2017 and guided by the Stigma and Substance Use Process Model and PRISMA guidelines. Articles were included in the present analysis if they either qualitatively illustrated themes related to the gendered nature of drug use-related stigma, or quantitatively tested the moderating effect of gender on drug use-related stigma. RESULTS Of the 75 studies included, 40 (53 %) were quantitative and 35 (47 %) were qualitative. Of the quantitative articles, 22 (55 %) found no association between gender and drug use-related stigma, 4 (10 %) identified women who use drugs (WWUD) were more stigmatized, and 2 (5 %) determined men who use drugs (MWUD) were more stigmatized. In contrast, nearly all (34; 97 %) of the qualitative articles demonstrated WWUD experienced greater levels of drug use-related stigma. CONCLUSION The quantitative literature is equivocal regarding the influence of gender on drug use-related stigma, but the qualitative literature more clearly demonstrates WWUD experience greater levels of stigma. The use of validated drug use-related stigma measures and the tailoring of stigma scales to WWUD are needed to understand the role of stigma in heightening the disproportionate harms experienced by WWUD.
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Affiliation(s)
- S. A. Meyers
- Department of Psychology, San Diego State University, 5500
Campanile Drive, San Diego, CA 92182, USA,Division of Infectious Diseases and Global Public Health,
Department of Medicine, University of California San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla,
CA 92093, USA
| | - V. A. Earnshaw
- Human Development and Family Sciences, University of Delaware,
Newark, DE, 19716, USA
| | - B. D’Ambrosio
- Division of Infectious Diseases and Global Public Health,
Department of Medicine, University of California San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla,
CA 92093, USA,School of Social Work, College of Health and Human Services,
San Diego State University, 5500 Campanile Drive, San Diego, CA 92182, USA
| | - N. Courchesne
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California San Diego,
9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - D. Werb
- Division of Infectious Diseases and Global Public Health,
Department of Medicine, University of California San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla,
CA 92093, USA,Centre for Urban Health Solutions, St. Michael’s
Hospital, 30 Bond Street, Toronto, ON, M5B 1W8 Canada
| | - L. R. Smith
- Division of Infectious Diseases and Global Public Health,
Department of Medicine, University of California San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla,
CA 92093, USA
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Muncan B, Jordan AE, Perlman DC, Frank D, Ompad DC, Walters SM. Acceptability and Effectiveness of Hepatitis C Care at Syringe Service Programs for People Who Inject Drugs in New York City. Subst Use Misuse 2021; 56:728-737. [PMID: 33682610 PMCID: PMC8514132 DOI: 10.1080/10826084.2021.1892142] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Introduction/Objectives: The incidence of hepatitis C (HCV) infection is rising among people who inject drugs (PWID). Even in the context of known HCV prevention and treatment strategies, some PWID remain unengaged in HCV care. This study aimed to identify and characterize experiences and perceptions of PWID regarding the acceptability and effectiveness of HCV testing and treatment at a local syringe service program (SSP). Methods: A total of 36 PWID participated in semi-structured interviews at an SSP in New York City. Interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed, and coded by three coders, following a constructivist grounded theory approach. Relevant themes were identified as they emerged from the data. Results: Interviews with PWID revealed three themes related to the impact of SSPs on HCV care: (1) non-stigmatizing SSP environments, (2) the role of SSPs in improving HCV knowledge, and (3) acceptability of SSPs as sites for HCV care among PWID. Discussion: This paper contributes to the ongoing understanding that SSPs provide a well-accepted source of HCV services for PWID. Participants believed that SSPs are accessible and effective sites for HCV care, and suggested that stigma among PWID continues to affect receipt of HCV care in traditional settings. Conclusions: Understanding attitudes and beliefs of PWID regarding the effectiveness of SSPs as sites for HCV care is crucial for the development of focused strategies to reduce HCV transmission, and to ultimately achieve HCV elimination. Given this, further research is warranted investigating how best to improve HCV care at harm reduction sites such as SSPs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brandon Muncan
- Renaissance School of Medicine at Stony, Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, USA
| | - Ashly E. Jordan
- Behavioral Science Training Program in Drug Abuse Research, Rory Meyers College of Nursing, New York University, New York, NY, USA
- Center for Drug Use and HIV/HCV Research, New York, NY, USA
- Graduate School of Public Health and Health Policy, City University of New York, New York, NY, USA
| | - David C. Perlman
- Center for Drug Use and HIV/HCV Research, New York, NY, USA
- Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - David Frank
- Behavioral Science Training Program in Drug Abuse Research, Rory Meyers College of Nursing, New York University, New York, NY, USA
- Center for Drug Use and HIV/HCV Research, New York, NY, USA
| | - Danielle C. Ompad
- Center for Drug Use and HIV/HCV Research, New York, NY, USA
- Department of Epidemiology, New York University School of Global Public Health, New York, NY, USA
| | - Suzan M. Walters
- Behavioral Science Training Program in Drug Abuse Research, Rory Meyers College of Nursing, New York University, New York, NY, USA
- Center for Drug Use and HIV/HCV Research, New York, NY, USA
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Ellis K, Walters S, Friedman SR, Ouellet LJ, Ezell J, Rosentel K, Pho MT. Breaching Trust: A Qualitative Study of Healthcare Experiences of People Who Use Drugs in a Rural Setting. FRONTIERS IN SOCIOLOGY 2020; 5:593925. [PMID: 33869521 PMCID: PMC8022503 DOI: 10.3389/fsoc.2020.593925] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2020] [Accepted: 10/16/2020] [Indexed: 05/05/2023]
Abstract
Background: Increased drug use has disproportionately impacted rural areas across the U.S. People who use drugs are at risk of overdose and other medical complications, including infectious diseases. Understanding barriers to healthcare access for this often stigmatized population is key to reducing morbidity and mortality, particularly in rural settings where resources may be limited. Methods: We conducted 20 semi-structured interviews with people who use drugs, including 17 who inject drugs, in rural southern Illinois between June 2018 and February 2019. Interviews were analyzed using a modified grounded theory approach where themes are coded and organized as they emerge from the data. Results: Participants reported breaches of trust by healthcare providers, often involving law enforcement and Emergency Medical Services, that dissuaded them from accessing medical care. Participants described experiences of mistreatment in emergency departments, with one account of forced catheterization. They further recounted disclosures of protected health information by healthcare providers, including communicating drug test results to law enforcement and sharing details of counseling sessions with community members without consent. Participants also described a hesitancy common among people who use drugs to call emergency medical services for an overdose due to fear of arrest. Conclusion: Breaches of trust by healthcare providers in rural communities discouraged people who use drugs from accessing medical care until absolutely necessary, if at all. These experiences may worsen healthcare outcomes and further stigmatize this marginalized community. Structural changes including reforming and clarifying law enforcement's role in Emergency Departments as well as instituting diversion policies during arrests may help rebuild trust in these communities. Other possible areas for intervention include stigma training and harm reduction education for emergency medicine providers, as well as developing and implementing referral systems between Emergency Departments and local harm reduction providers and medically assisted drug treatment programs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kaitlin Ellis
- Pritzker School of Medicine, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, United States
| | - Suzan Walters
- Rory Meyers College of Nursing, New York University, New York, NY, United States
| | - Samuel R. Friedman
- Department of Population Health, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, United States
| | - Lawrence J. Ouellet
- COIP/Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University of Illinois Chicago School of Public Health, Chicago, IL, United States
| | - Jerel Ezell
- Africana Studies and Research Center, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, United States
| | - Kris Rosentel
- Section of Infectious Disease, Department of Medicine, University of Chicago Medical Center, Chicago, IL, United States
| | - Mai T. Pho
- Section of Infectious Disease, Department of Medicine, University of Chicago Medical Center, Chicago, IL, United States
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Ezell JM, Walters S, Friedman SR, Bolinski R, Jenkins WD, Schneider J, Link B, Pho MT. Stigmatize the use, not the user? Attitudes on opioid use, drug injection, treatment, and overdose prevention in rural communities. Soc Sci Med 2020; 268:113470. [PMID: 33253992 DOI: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2020.113470] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Revised: 10/08/2020] [Accepted: 10/19/2020] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
Stigma is a known barrier to treating substance use disorders and dramatically diminishes the quality of life of people who use drugs (PWUD) nonmedically. Stigma against PWUD may be especially pronounced in rural areas due to their decreased anonymity and residents' limited access, or resistance, to "neutralizing" information on factors associated with drug use. Stigma often manifests in the attitudes of professionals whom stigmatized individuals regularly interact with and often materially impact. We analyzed interviews conducted between July 2018 and February 2019 with professional stakeholders in rural southern Illinois who interact with PWUD, specifically those who use opioids nonmedically or who inject drugs (n = 30). We further analyzed interview data from a complementary PWUD sample (n = 22). Interviews addressed perspectives around nonmedical drug use and treatment/harm reduction, with analysis centered around the Framework Integrating Normative Influences on Stigma and its focus on micro, meso and macro level stigmatization processes. Stakeholder participants included professionals from local law enforcement, courts, healthcare organizations, emergency management services, and faith-based and social services organizations. Most stakeholders, particularly law enforcement, negatively perceived PWUD and nonmedical drug use in general, questioned the character, agency and extrinsic value of PWUD, and used labels (e.g. "addict," "abuser," etc.) that may be regarded as stigmatizing. Further, most respondents, including PWUD, characterized their communities as largely unaware or dismissive of the bio-medical and sociocultural explanations for opioid use, drug injection and towards harm reduction services (e.g., syringe exchanges) and naloxone, which were frequently framed as undeserved usages of taxpayer funds. In conclusion, rural stigma against PWUD manifested and was framed as a substantial issue, notably activating at micro, meso and macro levels. Stigma prevention efforts in these communities should aim to improve public knowledge on the intricate factors contributing to opioid use and drug injection and harm reduction programming's moral and fiscal value.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jerel M Ezell
- Africana Studies and Research Center, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA; Cornell Center for Health Equity, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA.
| | - Suzan Walters
- Rory Meyers College of Nursing, New York University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Samuel R Friedman
- Department of Population Health, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Rebecca Bolinski
- Department of Sociology, Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, IL, USA
| | - Wiley D Jenkins
- Department of Population Science and Policy, Southern Illinois University School of Medicine, Springfield, IL, USA
| | - John Schneider
- Department of Medicine, Section of Infectious Diseases and Global Health, University of Chicago Medicine, Chicago, IL, USA; Chicago Center for HIV Elimination, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Bruce Link
- Department of Sociology, University of California, Riverside, CA, USA
| | - Mai T Pho
- Department of Medicine, Section of Infectious Diseases and Global Health, University of Chicago Medicine, Chicago, IL, USA
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Muncan B, Walters SM, Ezell J, Ompad DC. "They look at us like junkies": influences of drug use stigma on the healthcare engagement of people who inject drugs in New York City. Harm Reduct J 2020; 17:53. [PMID: 32736624 PMCID: PMC7393740 DOI: 10.1186/s12954-020-00399-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 173] [Impact Index Per Article: 43.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2020] [Accepted: 07/17/2020] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND People who inject drugs (PWID) are a medically and socially vulnerable population with a high incidence of overdose, mental illness, and infections like HIV and hepatitis C. Existing literature describes social and economic correlations to increased health risk, including stigma. Injection drug use stigma has been identified as a major contributor to healthcare disparities for PWID. However, data on this topic, particularly in terms of the interface between enacted, anticipated, and internalized stigma, is still limited. To fill this gap, we examined perspectives from PWID whose stigmatizing experiences impacted their views of the healthcare system and syringe service programs (SSPs) and influenced their decisions regarding future medical care. METHODS Semi-structured interviews conducted with 32 self-identified PWID in New York City. Interviews were audio recorded and transcribed. Interview transcripts were coded using a grounded theory approach by three trained coders and key themes were identified as they emerged. RESULTS A total of 25 participants (78.1%) reported at least one instance of stigma related to healthcare system engagement. Twenty-three participants (71.9%) reported some form of enacted stigma with healthcare, 19 participants (59.4%) described anticipated stigma with healthcare, and 20 participants (62.5%) reported positive experiences at SSPs. Participants attributed healthcare stigma to their drug injection use status and overwhelmingly felt distrustful of, and frustrated with, medical providers and other healthcare staff at hospitals and local clinics. PWID did not report internalized stigma, in part due to the availability of non-stigmatizing medical care at SSPs. CONCLUSIONS Stigmatizing experiences of PWID in formal healthcare settings contributed to negative attitudes toward seeking healthcare in the future. Many participants describe SSPs as accessible sites to receive high-quality medical care, which may curb the manifestation of internalized stigma derived from negative experiences in the broader healthcare system. Our findings align with those reported in the literature and reveal the potentially important role of SSPs. With the goal of limiting stigmatizing interactions and their consequences on PWID health, we recommend that future research include explorations of mechanisms by which PWID make decisions in stigmatizing healthcare settings, as well as improving medical care availability at SSPs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brandon Muncan
- Renaissance School of Medicine at Stony Brook University, 100 Nicolls Rd., Stony Brook, NY, 11794, USA.
| | - Suzan M Walters
- Rory Meyers College of Nursing, New York University, New York, NY, USA
- Center for Drug Use and HIV/HCV Research, New York University School of Global Public Health, New York, NY, USA
| | - Jerel Ezell
- Africana Studies and Research Center, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA
| | - Danielle C Ompad
- Center for Drug Use and HIV/HCV Research, New York University School of Global Public Health, New York, NY, USA
- Department of Epidemiology, New York University School of Global Public Health, New York, NY, USA
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Walters SM, Coston B, Neaigus A, Rivera AV, Starbuck L, Ramirez V, Reilly KH, Braunstein SL. The role of syringe exchange programs and sexual identity in awareness of pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) for male persons who inject drugs. THE INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF DRUG POLICY 2020; 77:102671. [PMID: 32092665 DOI: 10.1016/j.drugpo.2020.102671] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2019] [Revised: 01/13/2020] [Accepted: 01/20/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Male persons who inject drugs (male PWID) are at heightened risk for HIV, particularly if they also have sex with men. Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) could aid in HIV prevention for this population, but PrEP awareness within different sexual identities among male PWID is not well-understood. We report factors associated with greater awareness among male PWID to identify efficient means of awareness dissemination. METHODS Data from the 2015 National HIV Behavioral Surveillance (NHBS) system cycle on injection drug use collected in New York City (NYC) were used. Bivariable analyses, using chi-squared statistics, were conducted to examine correlates of awareness of PrEP with socio-demographic, behavioral, and health care variables. Log-linked Poisson regression with robust standard errors was used to estimate adjusted prevalence ratios and determine differences in awareness of PrEP. RESULTS Among a sample of 332 male PWID (i.e., PWID who identified as male, not transgender) we find awareness of PrEP to be low (23%) among male PWID despite 68% reporting condomless vaginal/anal sex and 32% reporting injection equipment sharing in the last twelve months. Multivariable analysis found greater PrEP awareness associated with gay or bisexual identity (aPR: 2.77, 95% CI: 1.81-4.24) and having a conversation about HIV prevention at a syringe exchange program (SEP) (aPR: 2.71, 95% CI: 1.87-3.94) to be associated with increased PrEP awareness. CONCLUSION We found low rates of PrEP awareness among male PWID. However, our findings provide insight into information diffusion that can be utilized to increase PrEP awareness among male PWID and among all PWID. We suggest that gay and bisexual social networks and syringe exchange programs are diffusing PrEP awareness among male PWID and can be harnessed to increase PrEP awareness among male PWID.
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Affiliation(s)
- Suzan M Walters
- Rory Meyers College of Nursing, New York University, New York, NY, United States; Center for Drug Use and HIV/HCV Research, New York, NY, United States.
| | - Bethany Coston
- Department of Gender, Sexuality, and Women's Studies, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, United States
| | - Alan Neaigus
- Department of Epidemiology Joseph L. Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, NY, United States
| | - Alexis V Rivera
- New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, New York, NY, United States
| | - Lila Starbuck
- New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, New York, NY, United States
| | - Valentina Ramirez
- New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, New York, NY, United States
| | - Kathleen H Reilly
- New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, New York, NY, United States
| | - Sarah L Braunstein
- New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, New York, NY, United States
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Friedman SR, Pouget ER, Sandoval M, Nikolopoulos GK, Mateu-Gelabert P, Rossi D, Auerbach JD. New Measures for Research on Men Who Have Sex with Men and for At-Risk Heterosexuals: Tools to Study Links Between Structural Interventions or Large-Scale Social Change and HIV Risk Behaviors, Service Use, and Infection. AIDS Behav 2020; 24:257-273. [PMID: 31313092 DOI: 10.1007/s10461-019-02582-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
Large-scale structural interventions and "Big Events" like revolutions, wars and major disasters can affect HIV transmission by changing the sizes of at-risk populations, making high-risk behaviors more or less likely, or changing contexts in which risk occurs. This paper describes new measures to investigate hypothesized pathways that could connect macro-social changes to subsequent HIV transmission. We developed a "menu" of novel scales and indexes on topics including norms about sex and drug injecting under different conditions, experiencing denial of dignity, agreement with cultural themes about what actions are needed for survival or resistance, solidarity and other issues. We interviewed 298 at-risk heterosexuals and 256 men who have sex with men in New York City about these measures and possible validators for them. Most measures showed evidence of criterion validity (absolute magnitude of Pearson's r ≥ 0.20) and reliability (Cronbach's alpha ≥ 0.70). These measures can be (cautiously) used to understand how macro-changes affect HIV and other risk. Many can also be used to understand risk contexts and dynamics in more normal situations. Additional efforts to improve and to replicate the validation of these measures should be conducted.
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Affiliation(s)
- S R Friedman
- Institute for Infectious Disease Research, National Development and Research Institutes, Inc., 71 West 23rd Street, Fourth Floor, New York, NY, 10010, USA.
- Center for Drug Use and HIV Research, New York, NY, USA.
| | - E R Pouget
- Health and Nutrition Sciences, Brooklyn College, Brooklyn, NY, USA
| | - M Sandoval
- Brooklyn Legal Service's Corp A (Group Representation Unit), Brooklyn, NY, USA
| | | | - P Mateu-Gelabert
- Institute for Infectious Disease Research, National Development and Research Institutes, Inc., 71 West 23rd Street, Fourth Floor, New York, NY, 10010, USA
- Center for Drug Use and HIV Research, New York, NY, USA
| | - D Rossi
- University of Buenos Aires and Intercambios Civil Association, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - J D Auerbach
- Medicine, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
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