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Li L, Fu L, Li H, Liu T, Sun J. Emerging trends and patterns in healthcare-seeking behavior: A systematic review. Medicine (Baltimore) 2024; 103:e37272. [PMID: 38394511 PMCID: PMC11309724 DOI: 10.1097/md.0000000000037272] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2023] [Accepted: 01/25/2024] [Indexed: 02/25/2024] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES The study of healthcare-seeking behavior is essential for optimizing resource allocation and improving healthcare services. Its complexity and diversity have made it a prominent research area. Understanding factors influencing healthcare-seeking decisions allows targeted interventions and policy development to address barriers and ensure equitable access to quality healthcare for diverse populations. Such research plays a vital role in enhancing healthcare outcomes and overall population health. METHODS The study utilized a systematic quantitative literature review approach, employing the Web of Science (WOS) Core Collection and PubMed databases as data sources. Additionally, bibliometric tools such as CiteSpace and VOSviewer were employed for analysis and visualization of the literature. RESULTS A comprehensive statistical analysis and visualization were performed on the annual publication volume, publication countries, journals, keywords, and keyword co-occurrence patterns up until 2023. Through this analysis, a framework was established, identifying the determinants and fundamental elements of healthcare-seeking behavior. These findings contribute to the advancement of research in this field and inform future studies and interventions aimed at improving healthcare-seeking behavior. CONCLUSIONS Based on the aforementioned literature review and framework, several conclusions were drawn. The determinants that facilitate healthcare-seeking behavior include improving health education awareness, enhancing healthcare resources, reducing costs, and ensuring system soundness. Additionally, providing social environment support was found to be crucial. Furthermore, the fundamental elements of healthcare-seeking behavior were identified as healthcare demand, healthcare choices, and the process of diagnosis and treatment. These findings provide valuable insights for developing interventions and policies to promote optimal healthcare-seeking behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Limin Li
- School of Health Care Management, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
| | - Li Fu
- School of Health Care Management, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
| | - Hui Li
- School of Health Care Management, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
| | - Tong Liu
- School of Health Care Management, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
| | - Jiangjie Sun
- School of Health Care Management, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
- School of Management, Hefei University of Technology, Hefei, China
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Francia L, Lam T, Berg A, Morgan K, Savic M, Lubman DI, Nielsen S. Putting out the welcome mat-A qualitative exploration of service delivery processes and procedures as barriers to treatment-seeking for people who use alcohol and other drugs. Drug Alcohol Rev 2023; 42:193-202. [PMID: 36169553 PMCID: PMC10947049 DOI: 10.1111/dar.13551] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2022] [Revised: 08/26/2022] [Accepted: 08/30/2022] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION There are a range of models and structures that determine features of alcohol and other drug treatment. Despite some structures being long-established, less is known about how specific aspects of service delivery impact treatment-seeking for people who use alcohol and other drugs. This Australian qualitative study explored both people with lived experience of problematic alcohol and other drug use, and health care staff's experiences of service delivery. METHODS Thirty-nine semi-structured interviews with people with lived experience and staff from either alcohol and other drug specialist, or broader health-care services, explored experiences of service delivery processes and procedures. Transcripts were thematically analysed and guided by a broad interest in barriers to treatment-seeking. RESULTS Within alcohol and other drug specialist services (i) time spent on wait lists; and (ii) poor implementation of assessment processes were identified barriers to treatment-seeking and engagement. Within broader health-care services (i) organisational expectations around behaviour and engagement; (ii) alcohol and other drugs viewed as separate to service role; and (iii) limited opportunities to informally engage were identified barriers to treatment-seeking. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS Results suggest opportunities to engage and undertake needs-based care planning are yet to be fully realised, particularly at the intake and assessment stages of alcohol and other drug service delivery; with frequent reassessment resulting in people repeatedly recounting traumatic experiences, often to different people, only to be placed back on wait lists with no support. Within broader health-care services aspects of service delivery may perpetuate stigma that places such people outside the purview of health care.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leanne Francia
- Monash Addiction Research Centre, Eastern Health Clinical SchoolMonash UniversityMelbourneAustralia
| | - Tina Lam
- Monash Addiction Research Centre, Eastern Health Clinical SchoolMonash UniversityMelbourneAustralia
| | - Amelia Berg
- Association of Participating Services UsersSelf Help Addiction Resource CentreMelbourneAustralia
| | | | - Michael Savic
- Turning PointEastern Health Clinical SchoolMelbourneAustralia
- Monash UniversityMelbourneAustralia
| | - Dan I. Lubman
- Turning PointEastern Health Clinical SchoolMelbourneAustralia
- Monash UniversityMelbourneAustralia
| | - Suzanne Nielsen
- Monash Addiction Research Centre, Eastern Health Clinical SchoolMonash UniversityMelbourneAustralia
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Motyka MA, Al-Imam A, Haligowska A, Michalak M. Helping Women Suffering from Drug Addiction: Needs, Barriers, and Challenges. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2022; 19:14039. [PMID: 36360917 PMCID: PMC9656705 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph192114039] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2022] [Revised: 10/19/2022] [Accepted: 10/25/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Statistical data on the use of various psychoactive substances indicate a narrowing of previous differences in substance use between men and women. Data from studies conducted among women suffering from drug addiction are increasingly published, with the authors highlighting the specific needs of this group and the difficulties that women with addiction problems encounter. The current study aimed to identify the barriers and needs of this audience, both when seeking help and during treatment. The method used in the study was secondary content analysis. To identify publications describing the barriers and needs of women suffering from drug addiction, we searched the PubMed database to find publications that met the adopted research objective. We set the data search period to the last ten years to examine the timeliness of the issue under study. The search yielded 199 research reports. Twenty-three articles describing 21 studies were included in the final analysis. The selected publications dealt with the difficulties and challenges faced by women with addiction problems. Barriers to accessing treatment for this group, the needs, and the challenges of helping women suffering from addiction were identified. Results showed that the barriers are mainly stigma but also deficits in the therapeutic offerings for this group. The primary need was identified as the introduction of appropriate drug policies, and the challenges, unfortunately, are the still-reported gender inequalities. To improve the situation of women, regular attention to these issues and the need to include them in national health strategies is essential.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marek A. Motyka
- Institute of Sociological Sciences, University of Rzeszow, 35-959 Rzeszów, Poland
| | - Ahmed Al-Imam
- Department of Computer Science and Statistics, Doctoral School, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, 61-806 Poznan, Poland
- Department of Anatomy and Cellular Biology, College of Medicine, University of Baghdad, Baghdad 10001, Iraq
- Barts and the London School of Medicine and Dentistry, Queen Mary University of London, London E1 2AD, UK
| | | | - Michał Michalak
- Department of Computer Science and Statistics, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, Rokietnicka 7 St. (1st Floor), 61-806 Poznan, Poland
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Sreenivasan ST, Nattala P, Rao GN, Sridaramurthy MK. "So what if I use tobacco or alcohol? It won't hurt me!" How women perceive substance use: insights from a community study in India. Arch Womens Ment Health 2022; 25:129-136. [PMID: 34499231 DOI: 10.1007/s00737-021-01180-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2021] [Accepted: 08/31/2021] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
Abstract
To explore the subjective perceptions of women from rural and urban communities in Bangalore, India, regarding their perspectives about addictive substance use (ASU), and the interventions/support they need to quit use. Based on the data collected, the goal of this study was to develop an intervention that would address the women's needs. Mixed methods were used as follows: (a) door-to-door survey of women (N = 2044) regarding their use of addictive substances, and (b) focus group discussions with the women to explore their perceptions. Interviews were transcribed verbatim, themes and sub-themes identified. More than one-third (32.7%) reported past 3-month ASU, with majority reporting smokeless tobacco products (82.6%). Alcohol use was reported by 17.4%. Four major themes (with sub-themes) were identified from the focus group discussions: (1) Patterns of use (oral tobacco products-kaddipudi, thambaku; alcohol), (2) Reasons for use (to relieve stress and forget problems, tobacco use as a way of life, for postnatal benefits, due to easy availability, to reduce fatigue and pain, indigestion, hunger), (3) Low risk perception related to ASU ("We know how to use tobacco safely", "No real harm from tobacco"), and (4) Issues related to quitting ASU and help-seeking (unwillingness to quit, methods of intervention- "videos, or tablets/injections to help us quit ASU"). The findings highlight challenges involved in the development of effective interventions for women. Additionally, there is a clear need for broader community agencies to address psychological, cultural, and social dimensions.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Prasanthi Nattala
- Department of Nursing, Center for Addiction Medicine, National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences (NIMHANS), Bangalore, Karnataka, India.
| | - Girish N Rao
- Department of Epidemiology, Center for Public Health, NIMHANS, Bangalore, India
| | - Meena K Sridaramurthy
- Department of Mental Health Education, National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences (NIMHANS), Bangalore, India
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Schamp J, Vanderplasschen W, Meulewaeter F. Treatment providers' perspectives on a gender-responsive approach in alcohol and drug treatment for women in Belgium. Front Psychiatry 2022; 13:941384. [PMID: 36111302 PMCID: PMC9468262 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2022.941384] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2022] [Accepted: 07/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Gender inequity is a pervasive challenge to health equity on a global scale, and research shows the impact of sex and gender on substance use regarding for example epidemiology, treatment needs, treatment admission and treatment outcomes. The gender-transformative approach to action and health indicates that health interventions may maintain, exacerbate or reduce gender-related health inequalities, depending on the degree and quality of gender-responsiveness within the programme or policy. However, research shows a lack of gender-responsive initiatives in the alcohol and drug addiction field. AIMS The purpose of this study is to explore in depth how alcohol and drug treatment can be made more sensitive to female users' treatment needs from the perspective of service providers. Consequently, study findings can inform the development of gender-responsive treatment options and aid to a deeper understanding of how these trends are designated on the continuum of approaches to action and health in the alcohol and drug field. METHODS Four focus groups were organized across different regions in Belgium with a total of 43 participants, including service providers, policy makers and women who use(d) drugs. RESULTS The perspective of the participants on substance use prevention and treatment for female users incorporates some crucial gender-specific and gender-transformative features. Next to implementing mother-child options, a holistic approach, experts by experience and empowering women in treatment, professionals report the relevance of awareness raising campaigns targeting all levels and sectors in society. Also, recurring attention was given to the role of men in the narratives of female users. CONCLUSION Study findings show that the field of alcohol and drug prevention and treatment is being looked at through the lens of gender-responsiveness. However, to achieve improvement in the lives of both women and men, and hence creating more equal chances and opportunities in substance abuse treatment, the gender-transformative approach in addiction care needs to be further explored, criticized and established in practice and future research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julie Schamp
- Department of Social Educational Care Work, University of Applied Sciences and Arts, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Wouter Vanderplasschen
- Department of Special Needs Education, Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Florien Meulewaeter
- Department of Special Needs Education, Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
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Salameh T, Hall L, Crawford T, Hall M. Perceived barriers to mental health and substance use treatment among US childbearing-aged women: NSDUH 2008-2014. Women Health 2021; 61:1007-1015. [PMID: 34802393 DOI: 10.1080/03630242.2021.2003501] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
This study compared and contrasted perceived barriers to mental health and substance use treatment among pregnant and non-pregnant women from 2008-2010 to 2011-2014. A trend study was conducted using secondary data from the National Survey on Drug Use and Health 2008-2014 from a propensity score-matched sample of pregnant (n = 5,520) and nonpregnant women (n = 11,040) aged 18 to 44 years. The most frequently perceived barriers to mental health treatment among all women ranked similarly in 2008-2010 compared to 2011-2014: cost (45.2% vs. 50.6%), opposition to treatment (41.9% vs. 41.4%), and stigma (28.2% vs. 24.7%). The rank order of barriers to substance use treatment in 2008-2010 among all women was cost (38.7%), stigma (18.2%), and time/transportation limitations (17%), whereas in 2011-2014, stigma ranked first (35.5%), followed by cost (25.9%) and time/transportation limitations (22.2%). In 2011-2014, the women were significantly more likely than women in 2008-2010 to report not knowing where to go (8.2% vs. .9%, p = .003) and a lack of substance use treatment programs (17.7% vs. 3.0%, p = .014). Perceived barriers to mental health treatment did not change overtime; however, there was a decrease in reported availability of substance use treatment programs between 2008-2010 and 2011-2014.
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Affiliation(s)
- Taghreed Salameh
- Department of Women's Health, Koc University School of Nursing, İstanbul, Turkey
| | - Lynne Hall
- University of Louisville School of Nursing, Louisville, Kentucky, USA
| | - Timothy Crawford
- Wright State University Department of Population and Public Health Sciences, Kettering, Ohio, USA
| | - Martin Hall
- University of Louisville Kent School of Social Work, Louisville, Kentucky, USA
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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: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.3] [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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Salameh TN, Hall LA, Crawford TN, Staten RR, Hall MT. Trends in mental health and substance use disorders and treatment receipt among pregnant and nonpregnant women in the United States, 2008-2014. J Psychosom Obstet Gynaecol 2020; 41:298-307. [PMID: 31718367 DOI: 10.1080/0167482x.2019.1689949] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/25/2022] Open
Abstract
PURPOSE To compare trends in mental health and substance use disorders and treatment receipt of pregnant and nonpregnant women from 2008 to 2014. METHODS Using data from the 2008-2014 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, logistic regression was used to compare trends in mental health and substance use disorders and treatment receipt for mental health and substance use disorders among propensity score-matched groups of pregnant (n = 5520) and nonpregnant women (n = 11,040). Among women in the matched sample who met criteria for at least one mental illness, trends in mental health treatment receipt of pregnant (n = 1003) and nonpregnant women (n = 2634) were compared. RESULTS There were no differences in the trends by pregnancy status from 2008 to 2014. Past-year anxiety disorder, past-month psychological distress and illicit drug use disorder increased in the total sample from 2008 to 2014, yet trends in mental health treatment and unmet need for substance use treatment did not change over time. Pregnant women had lower odds of mental illness, but those who had mental illness were less likely to receive mental health treatment than their nonpregnant counterparts. CONCLUSIONS There is a need for preventive strategies addressing anxiety disorder, psychological distress and illicit drug use among women of childbearing age as well as initiatives to increase access to mental health treatment among pregnant women.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Lynne A Hall
- School of Nursing, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY, USA
| | - Timothy N Crawford
- Department of Population and Public Health Sciences, Wright State University, Dayton, OH, USA
| | - Ruth R Staten
- School of Nursing, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY, USA
| | - Martin T Hall
- Kent School of Social Work, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY, USA
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Shirley-Beavan S, Roig A, Burke-Shyne N, Daniels C, Csak R. Women and barriers to harm reduction services: a literature review and initial findings from a qualitative study in Barcelona, Spain. Harm Reduct J 2020; 17:78. [PMID: 33076931 PMCID: PMC7574529 DOI: 10.1186/s12954-020-00429-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2020] [Accepted: 10/12/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Background There are an estimated 3.2 million women who inject drugs worldwide, constituting 20% of all people who inject drugs. The limited data that are available suggest that women who inject drugs are at greater risk of HIV and viral hepatitis acquisition than men who inject drugs. This increased vulnerability is a product of a range of environmental, social and individual factors affecting women, which also affect their ability to engage in health promoting services such as harm reduction. Methods The researchers undertook a narrative literature review examining access to harm reduction services for women who use drugs in Europe and conducted semi-structured focus groups with women who use drugs and harm reduction and prison health workers in Barcelona, Spain. Results Women who use drugs face multiple barriers to accessing harm reduction services. These include stigma, both in society in general and from health and harm reduction workers in prisons and in the community; gender-based violence and a lack of services that are equipped to address the interaction between drug use and experiences of violence; criminalisation in the form of legal barriers to access, arrest and harassment from law enforcement, and incarceration; and a lack of services focused on the specific needs of women, notably sexual and reproductive health services and childcare. In Barcelona, participants reported experiencing all these barriers, and that their engagement with the Metzineres harm reduction centre had to some extent mitigated them. However, women continued to experience structural barriers to harm reduction service access. Conclusions Women and gender non-conforming people who use drugs face unique barriers to accessing harm reduction services. While services such as Metzineres can be life changing and life affirming for its members, it is incumbent on states to act to address the structural barriers to health faced by women who use drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Aura Roig
- Metzineres. Environments of Shelter for Womxn Who Use Drugs Surviving Violence, c/o ICEERS, Carrer de Sepúlveda, 65, Oficina 2, 08015, Barcelona, Spain
| | | | - Colleen Daniels
- Harm Reduction International, 61 Mansell Street, London, E1 8AN, UK
| | - Robert Csak
- Harm Reduction International, 61 Mansell Street, London, E1 8AN, UK
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Tibi-Lévy Y, Serebryakova D, Jauffret-Roustide M. Migration experiences, life conditions, and drug use practices of Russian-speaking drug users who live in Paris: a mixed-method analysis from the ANRS-Coquelicot study. Harm Reduct J 2020; 17:55. [PMID: 32778108 PMCID: PMC7418407 DOI: 10.1186/s12954-020-00398-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2020] [Accepted: 07/17/2020] [Indexed: 11/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Background After the collapse of the Soviet Union at the beginning of the 1990s, people who inject drugs spiked in Eastern Europe. Facing local repression and an array of factors encouraging emigration, some users have migrated to France. This population now make up to a third of the patient list of some harm reduction services in Paris. This article aims to present original data on the sociodemographic profiles of these users, on their migration trajectory, their life conditions, and on the evolution of their drug use practices since arriving in Paris. Methods Data were collected as part of the ANRS-Coquelicot Survey, an HIV and HCV seroprevalence study among French-speaking people who use drugs. A sub-sample of Russian-speaking drug users who had relocated from Eastern Europe to live in Paris completed a quantitative questionnaire (N = 150) and a qualitative semi-structured interview (N = 20). The survey aimed to describe participants’ backgrounds, and a thematic analysis of interviews was conducted to explore participants’ migration histories, their life conditions in Paris, and their drug use practices before and after arriving in France. Results This study highlights the great vulnerability of the participating population, often following a loss of social status after migrating to France. Another important finding is that participants had better access to harm reduction tools and reduced their risk of exposure to HIV and HCV infections linked to needle sharing. Although 60% said they had already shared a syringe in their lifetime (49.9% of them in their home country), the proportions shrank to 13.9% after they arrived in France and to 9.3% in the month before the study, a proportion that is lower than among French-speaking people who use drugs. Conclusions Our main findings on the profiles and behaviors of the study population lead us to make two recommendations: to offer stronger global care to these users in Paris and to reform drug policy in their home countries by integrating it into a public health approach.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yaël Tibi-Lévy
- Cermes3, Centre de recherche médecine, sciences, santé, santé mentale, société (Inserm U988/CNRS UMR 8211/EHESS/Université Paris Descartes), Campus CNRS - 7, rue Guy Moquet, 94801, Villejuif Cédex, France
| | - Daria Serebryakova
- Cermes3, Centre de recherche médecine, sciences, santé, santé mentale, société (Inserm U988/CNRS UMR 8211/EHESS/Université Paris Descartes), Campus CNRS - 7, rue Guy Moquet, 94801, Villejuif Cédex, France
| | - Marie Jauffret-Roustide
- Cermes3, Centre de recherche médecine, sciences, santé, santé mentale, société (Inserm U988/CNRS UMR 8211/EHESS/Université Paris Descartes), Campus CNRS - 7, rue Guy Moquet, 94801, Villejuif Cédex, France. .,Santé Publique France, Saint-Maurice, France. .,Institut Convergences Migrations, Campus Condorcet, Aubervilliers, France. .,Baldy Center for Law and Social Policy, Buffalo University of Social Sciences, New York, USA.
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Agterberg S, Schubert N, Overington L, Corace K. Treatment barriers among individuals with co-occurring substance use and mental health problems: Examining gender differences. J Subst Abuse Treat 2020; 112:29-35. [PMID: 32199543 DOI: 10.1016/j.jsat.2020.01.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2019] [Revised: 01/14/2020] [Accepted: 01/16/2020] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Despite the narrowing gender gap in the prevalence of substance use disorders, women continue to be vastly underrepresented in substance use services. Relational factors, family responsibilities, mental health, and stigma may present unique barriers encountered by women. AIMS The aims of this study were to examine: (1) gender differences in substance use treatment barriers, (2) gender differences in perceptions of stigmatization for seeking substance use treatment, and symptoms of depression, anxiety, and trauma-related stress, and (3) whether perceived stigmatization and mental health symptoms are associated with greater barriers among women. METHODS One hundred adults (50% self-identified women) from a substance use and concurrent disorders program in Ontario, Canada, completed a questionnaire package containing measures of sociodemographic information, substance use, mental health, perceived stigma, and substance use treatment barriers. RESULTS Women reported more barriers related to family responsibilities, relational factors, and mental health (p < .01), and higher levels of perceived stigma (p < .01) compared to men. CONCLUSIONS Findings from this study contribute to our understanding of treatment barriers and perceived stigmatization among women. This knowledge may be used to aid in the development and delivery of accessible, gender-responsive services that address these barriers and challenge the stigma attached to substance use among women.
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Affiliation(s)
- Silvana Agterberg
- Ferkauf Graduate School of Psychology, Yeshiva University, 1165 Morris Park Ave, Bronx, NY 10461, United States of America.
| | - Nicholas Schubert
- The Royal Ottawa Mental Health Centre, Substance Use and Concurrent Disorders Program, 1145 Carling Ave., Ottawa, ON K1Z 7K4, Canada.
| | - Louise Overington
- The Royal Ottawa Mental Health Centre, Substance Use and Concurrent Disorders Program, 1145 Carling Ave., Ottawa, ON K1Z 7K4, Canada; The Royal's Institute of Mental Health Research, 1145 Carling Ave., Ottawa, ON K1Z 7K4, Canada.
| | - Kimberly Corace
- The Royal Ottawa Mental Health Centre, Substance Use and Concurrent Disorders Program, 1145 Carling Ave., Ottawa, ON K1Z 7K4, Canada; The Royal's Institute of Mental Health Research, 1145 Carling Ave., Ottawa, ON K1Z 7K4, Canada; Faculty of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry, University of Ottawa, 5457-1145 Carling Avenue, Ottawa, ON K1Z 7K4, Canada.
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Myers B, Carney T, Johnson K, Browne FA, Wechsberg WM. Service providers' perceptions of barriers to the implementation of trauma-focused substance use services for women in Cape Town, South Africa. THE INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF DRUG POLICY 2020; 75:102628. [PMID: 31830616 PMCID: PMC7021212 DOI: 10.1016/j.drugpo.2019.102628] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2019] [Revised: 11/14/2019] [Accepted: 12/02/2019] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND A substantial number of South African women with substance use disorders also report psychological trauma related to experiences of physical and sexual abuse. Trauma-focused substance use programmes may support recovery from co-occurring substance use disorders and psychological trauma, yet integrated programmes are not widely available in South Africa. As part of the process of developing a trauma-focused substance use programme for South African women, we explored service providers' views of the feasibility of implementing trauma-focused substance use interventions within usual care settings in Cape Town, including potential barriers that need to be considered when planning for implementation. METHODS We conducted 16 in-depth interviews with key informants responsible for planning or delivering substance use, psychological trauma or gender-based violence services to women in Cape Town. Guided by Extended Normalisation Process Theory, interviews explored participants' perceptions of the potential value of trauma-focused substance use programmes, the feasibility of their implementation, and factors that may facilitate or hinder the implementation of trauma-focused substance use programmes. Qualitative data were analysed using the framework approach. RESULTS Three themes emerged: (1) Potential for the implementation of trauma-focused substance use programmes, describing participants' views of the acceptability of these programmes; (2) Capacity for intersectoral collaboration, which participants considered necessary for limiting barriers to implementation; and (3) Co-operation with community structures to enhance capability for implementation. CONCLUSION Findings show potential for implementing trauma-focused substance use interventions in South Africa, however context-specific capacity and capability barriers need to be considered and addressed for implementation to be successful.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bronwyn Myers
- Alcohol, Tobacco and Other Drug Research Unit, South African Medical Research Council, PO Box 19070, Francie van Zyl Drive, Tygerberg 7505, South Africa; Division of Addiction Psychiatry, Psychiatry and Mental Health, University of Cape Town, South Africa.
| | - Tara Carney
- Alcohol, Tobacco and Other Drug Research Unit, South African Medical Research Council, PO Box 19070, Francie van Zyl Drive, Tygerberg 7505, South Africa; Division of Addiction Psychiatry, Psychiatry and Mental Health, University of Cape Town, South Africa.
| | - Kim Johnson
- Alcohol, Tobacco and Other Drug Research Unit, South African Medical Research Council, PO Box 19070, Francie van Zyl Drive, Tygerberg 7505, South Africa.
| | - Felicia A Browne
- Substance Use, Gender and Applied Research, RTI International, 3040 East Cornwallis Road, Research Triangle Park, NC, United States.
| | - Wendee M Wechsberg
- Substance Use, Gender and Applied Research, RTI International, 3040 East Cornwallis Road, Research Triangle Park, NC, United States; Health Policy and Administration, Gillings School of Global Public Health, The University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, United States; Department of Psychology, North Carolina State University, United States; Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, United States.
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Luo S, Lin C, Feng N, Wu Z, Li L. Stigma towards people who use drugs: A case vignette study in methadone maintenance treatment clinics in China. THE INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF DRUG POLICY 2019; 71:73-77. [PMID: 31233972 DOI: 10.1016/j.drugpo.2019.06.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2018] [Revised: 05/06/2019] [Accepted: 06/06/2019] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Drug use stigma among service providers has been recognized as a barrier to improving the accessibility and outcomes of addiction treatment. This study examined the stigmatizing attitudes towards people who use drugs (PWUD) among service providers in methadone maintenance treatment (MMT) clinics in China and its associated factors. METHODS The cross-sectional study used the baseline data of a randomized intervention trial conducted in China, and the data were collected from January 2012 to August 2013. A total of 418 MMT service providers were included in the study. Stigma towards PWUD was measured via a 10-item scale embedded in two case vignettes (PWUD and non-PWUD). The Wilcoxon signed-rank test was performed to evaluate the vignette difference for each item of the scale. The linear mixed model was used to identify the adjusted association between drug use stigma and other interested variables including demographics, professional background, and MMT knowledge of the service providers. RESULTS The Wilcoxon signed-rank tests showed that the participants had a higher level of stigmatizing attitudes towards PWUD than non-PWUD (p-value<0.001 for all items of the stigma scale). The linear mixed model identified that the reception of national MMT training was associated with a lower degree of drug use stigma (estimate=-1.79; 95% CI: -3.13, -0.45; p-value = 0.009). CONCLUSION The findings of the study provide evidence of the existence of drug use stigma among MMT providers in China. The expansion of national-level training and the development of stigma reduction interventions are needed to address this issue.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sitong Luo
- Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, Center for Community Health, University of California, Los Angeles, 10920 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 350, Los Angeles, CA 90024, USA.
| | - Chunqing Lin
- Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, Center for Community Health, University of California, Los Angeles, 10920 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 350, Los Angeles, CA 90024, USA.
| | - Nan Feng
- Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, Center for Community Health, University of California, Los Angeles, 10920 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 350, Los Angeles, CA 90024, USA.
| | - Zunyou Wu
- National Center for AIDS/STD Control and Prevention, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, 155 Changbai Road, Changping District, Beijing, 102206, China.
| | - Li Li
- Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, Center for Community Health, University of California, Los Angeles, 10920 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 350, Los Angeles, CA 90024, USA.
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Khazaee-Pool M, Pashaei T, Nouri R, Taymoori P, Ponnet K. Understanding the relapse process: exploring Iranian women's substance use experiences. Subst Abuse Treat Prev Policy 2019; 14:27. [PMID: 31215472 PMCID: PMC6582531 DOI: 10.1186/s13011-019-0216-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2018] [Accepted: 06/07/2019] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Relapse is one of the main challenges that must be tackled in the drug addiction treatment. Different factors contribute to the relapse process but it remains unclear how relapse occursin women. Describing the relapse phenomenon in women might be of interest to practitioners and academics. The aim of this study was to explore the relapse experiences of Iranian women with a substance use disorder. METHODS Qualitative in-depth interviews were conducted with women with a substance use disorder. The interviews contained open-ended questions regarding relapse experiences during previous treatment. Interviews were digitally recorded. Data were analyzed using the content analysis method. RESULTS In total, 20 women who use drugs took part in the study. The mean age of the women was 34.57 (age range = 9.6 years), and the minimum age of participants was 23 years. The following five main themes were explored: socioeconomic backgrounds, physical complications of drug withdrawal, psychological burden of drug withdrawal, family atmosphere, and cultural factors. The findings highlighted the different treatment needs in women with a substance use disorder. CONCLUSIONS Based on the interviews, it seems necessary to develop female-specific comprehensive treatment programs by putting more emphasis on pain treatment intervention, relapse prevention, the diagnosis and treatment of mental disorders, couples counseling, and financial support. Furthermore, policymakers should be committed to providing a nonjudgmental social environment to remove or reduce stigma of women with drug use problems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maryam Khazaee-Pool
- Department of Public Health, School of Health, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran
- Health Sciences Research Center, Addiction Research Institutes, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran
| | - Tahereh Pashaei
- Environmental Health Research Center, Research Institute for Health Development, Kurdistan University of Medical Sciences, Sanandaj, Iran.
- Department of public health,Faculty of Health, Kurdistan University of Medical Sciences, Sanandaj, Iran.
| | - Roghayeh Nouri
- Environmental Health Research Center, Research Institute for Health Development, Kurdistan University of Medical Sciences, Sanandaj, Iran
| | - Parvaneh Taymoori
- Department of public health,Faculty of Health, Kurdistan University of Medical Sciences, Sanandaj, Iran
| | - Koen Ponnet
- Department of Communication Sciences, imec-mict-Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
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Otiashvili D, Kirtadze I, Vardanashvili I, Tabatadze M, Ober AJ. Perceived acceptability of and willingness to use syringe vending machines: results of a cross-sectional survey of out-of-service people who inject drugs in Tbilisi, Georgia. Harm Reduct J 2019; 16:21. [PMID: 30898120 PMCID: PMC6429706 DOI: 10.1186/s12954-019-0292-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/13/2018] [Accepted: 03/07/2019] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The growing HIV epidemic in Eastern Europe and Central Asia has been driven by high rates of injection drug use. The Republic of Georgia has among the highest injection drug use rates globally, with a prevalence of 2.24%. The reach of evidence-based HIV prevention interventions like needle and syringe programs (NSP) among people who inject drugs (PWID) has remained below rates that could significantly impact the epidemic. Syringe vending machines (SVM) are an effective and cost-effective supplement to standard NSP; if acceptable to PWID, SVM could reach hard-to-reach PWID and cover geographic areas where fixed or mobile NSPs do not operate. The aim of this study was to assess the perceived acceptability of SVM among out-of-service (harm reduction or substance use treatment) PWID in Tbilisi, Georgia. METHODOLOGY Participants were recruited using respondent-driven sampling (RDS) to participate in cross-sectional, face-to-face interviews. We conducted individual interviews using a structured questionnaire that covered participants' socio-demographics, drug use practices, and perceived acceptability of SVM. Uni-variate analyses were employed for data analysis. RESULTS The final sample (n = 149) was almost exclusively male with a mean age of 42.2 years and mean years of injection drug use of 14.4 years. Heroin, buprenorphine, and stimulants were the main drugs injected. Eighty-five percent of the sample had never received any harm reduction services, and 30% had never been tested for HIV. Fifteen percent of the sample reported sharing injection equipment with others during last month. All but one participant agreed that PWID would benefit from SVM and 145 (97%) said they would personally use SVM. Ninety percent of those sampled stated that they would use HIV self-tests if available from vending machines. The most highly endorsed features of SVM were provision of free injection equipment, no need to deal with pharmacies, uninterrupted 24/7 access, and availability of HIV self-testing kits. DISCUSSION Perceived acceptability of syringe vending machines was extremely high among PWID not currently receiving any harm reduction or treatment services, with strong support indicated for uninterrupted free access to sterile injection equipment, privacy, and anonymity. Introducing SVM in Georgia holds the potential to deliver significant public health benefits by attracting hard-to-reach PWID, reducing unsafe injection behavior, and contributing to HIV testing uptake and linkage to care.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Otiashvili
- Addiction Research Centre Alternative Georgia, 14A Nutsubidze Street, Office 2, 0177 Tbilisi, Georgia
| | - Irma Kirtadze
- Addiction Research Centre Alternative Georgia, 14A Nutsubidze Street, Office 2, 0177 Tbilisi, Georgia
- School of Arts and Sciences, Ilia State University, 3/5 Kakutsa Cholokashvili Ave., 0162 Tbilisi, Georgia
| | - Irina Vardanashvili
- School of Arts and Sciences, Ilia State University, 3/5 Kakutsa Cholokashvili Ave., 0162 Tbilisi, Georgia
| | - Mzia Tabatadze
- Addiction Research Centre Alternative Georgia, 14A Nutsubidze Street, Office 2, 0177 Tbilisi, Georgia
- School of Business, Ilia State University, 3/5 Kakutsa Cholokashvili Ave., 0162 Tbilisi, Georgia
| | - Allison J. Ober
- RAND Corporation, 1776 Main Street, PO Box 2138, Santa Monica, CA 90407-2138 USA
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A scoping review of health-related stigma outcomes for high-burden diseases in low- and middle-income countries. BMC Med 2019; 17:17. [PMID: 30764819 PMCID: PMC6376728 DOI: 10.1186/s12916-019-1250-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 148] [Impact Index Per Article: 29.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2018] [Accepted: 01/02/2019] [Indexed: 12/05/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Stigma is associated with health conditions that drive disease burden in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), including HIV, tuberculosis, mental health problems, epilepsy, and substance use disorders. However, the literature discussing the relationship between stigma and health outcomes is largely fragmented within disease-specific siloes, thus limiting the identification of common moderators or mechanisms through which stigma potentiates adverse health outcomes as well as the development of broadly relevant stigma mitigation interventions. METHODS We conducted a scoping review to provide a critical overview of the breadth of research on stigma for each of the five aforementioned conditions in LMICs, including their methodological strengths and limitations. RESULTS Across the range of diseases and disorders studied, stigma is associated with poor health outcomes, including help- and treatment-seeking behaviors. Common methodological limitations include a lack of prospective studies, non-representative samples resulting in limited generalizability, and a dearth of data on mediators and moderators of the relationship between stigma and health outcomes. CONCLUSIONS Implementing effective stigma mitigation interventions at scale necessitates transdisciplinary longitudinal studies that examine how stigma potentiates the risk for adverse outcomes for high-burden health conditions in community-based samples in LMICs.
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Hammarlund R, Crapanzano KA, Luce L, Mulligan L, Ward KM. Review of the effects of self-stigma and perceived social stigma on the treatment-seeking decisions of individuals with drug- and alcohol-use disorders. Subst Abuse Rehabil 2018; 9:115-136. [PMID: 30538599 PMCID: PMC6260179 DOI: 10.2147/sar.s183256] [Citation(s) in RCA: 132] [Impact Index Per Article: 22.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Substance-use disorders are a public health crisis globally and carry with them significant morbidity and mortality. Stigma toward people who abuse these substances, as well as the internalization of that stigma by substance users, is widespread. In this review, we synthesized the available evidence for the role of perceived social stigma and self-stigma in people’s willingness to seek treatment. While stigma may be frequently cited as a barrier to treatment in some samples, the degree of its impact on decision-making regarding treatment varied widely. More research needs to be done to standardize the definition and measurement of self- and perceived social stigma to fully determine the magnitude of their effect on treatment-seeking decisions.
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Affiliation(s)
- R Hammarlund
- Our Lady of the Lake Division of Academic Affairs, Baton Rouge, LA, USA
| | - K A Crapanzano
- Department of Psychiatry, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, Baton Rouge, LA, USA,
| | - L Luce
- Department of Psychiatry, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, Baton Rouge, LA, USA,
| | - L Mulligan
- Department of Psychiatry, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, Baton Rouge, LA, USA,
| | - K M Ward
- Department of Psychiatry, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, Baton Rouge, LA, USA,
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18
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Massaro LTS, Abdalla RR, Laranjeira R, Caetano R, Pinsky I, Madruga CS. Alcohol misuse among women in Brazil: recent trends and associations with unprotected sex, early pregnancy, and abortion. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2018; 41:131-137. [PMID: 30365669 PMCID: PMC6781687 DOI: 10.1590/1516-4446-2017-0024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2017] [Accepted: 05/08/2018] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Objective: This study compared the rates of binge drinking (BD) and alcohol use disorder (AUD) reported for 2006 with those reported for 2012, exploring their associations with unprotected sex, early pregnancy, and abortion in a representative sample of women in Brazilian households. Methods: This was a descriptive analysis of data from a cross-sectional study involving randomized multistage cluster sampling of the population ≥ 14 years of age. Weighted prevalence rates and odds ratios were estimated, and serial mediation analysis was performed. Results: A total of 4,256 women were analyzed. The BD prevalence was 35.1% and 47.1% in 2006 and 2012, respectively, a significant increase, especially among women 40-59 years of age. There was no significant difference in AUD prevalence. BD (without AUD) was found to increase the odds of unprotected sex and abortion. The path analysis showed that early pregnancy was a mediator of the relationship between alcohol consumption and abortion. Conclusion: Among women in Brazil, the harmful use of alcohol is increasing, which has an impact on female reproductive health and exposure to risks. There is a need for specific prevention initiatives focusing on alcohol-related behaviors in women.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luciana T S Massaro
- Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia para Políticas Públicas do Álcool e Outras Drogas (INPAD), Departamento de Psiquiatria e Psicologia Médica, Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP), São Paulo, SP, Brazil.,Departamento de Psiquiatria e Psicologia Médica, UNIFESP, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Renata R Abdalla
- Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia para Políticas Públicas do Álcool e Outras Drogas (INPAD), Departamento de Psiquiatria e Psicologia Médica, Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP), São Paulo, SP, Brazil.,Departamento de Psiquiatria e Psicologia Médica, UNIFESP, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Ronaldo Laranjeira
- Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia para Políticas Públicas do Álcool e Outras Drogas (INPAD), Departamento de Psiquiatria e Psicologia Médica, Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP), São Paulo, SP, Brazil.,Departamento de Psiquiatria e Psicologia Médica, UNIFESP, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | | | - Ilana Pinsky
- Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia para Políticas Públicas do Álcool e Outras Drogas (INPAD), Departamento de Psiquiatria e Psicologia Médica, Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP), São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Clarice S Madruga
- Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia para Políticas Públicas do Álcool e Outras Drogas (INPAD), Departamento de Psiquiatria e Psicologia Médica, Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP), São Paulo, SP, Brazil.,Departamento de Psiquiatria e Psicologia Médica, UNIFESP, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
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Kirtadze I, Otiashvili D, O'Grady KE, Zule W, Krupitsky E, Wechsberg W, Jones HE. Comprehensive Women-Centered Treatment for Psychoactive Substance Use in the Republic of Georgia: Outcomes of a Randomized Clinical Trial. Int J Ment Health Addict 2017; 16:1249-1260. [PMID: 33312083 DOI: 10.1007/s11469-017-9852-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
This study aimed to assess the impact of a culturally sensitive, comprehensive women-centered intervention on psychoactive substance use among women in the Republic of Georgia. Study participants included 128 women who had injected psychoactive substance(s) in the past 30 days and had enrolled in a randomized controlled trial that compared Reinforcement Based Treatment and the Women's CoOp (RBT+WC) to usual care (UC). RBT+WC provided a structured 12-session intervention designed to reduce HIV/HCV risk and psychoactive substance and alcohol use, and to improve mental and physical health; whereas UC provided information booklets on the same topics and case management for 12 sessions. Urine drug screening was conducted at baseline, treatment completion, and 3-month follow-up. The findings showed that RBT+WC was not more effective than UC, although both treatments positively impacted opioid, benzodiazepine, and amphetamine/methamphetamine use. The findings suggest that RBT+WC represents a promising comprehensive women-centered intervention for reducing substance use and HIV risks for Georgian women who use substances.
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Affiliation(s)
- Irma Kirtadze
- Addiction Research Center, Alternative Georgia, Tbilisi, Georgia
- Ilia State University, Tbilisi, Georgia
| | - David Otiashvili
- Addiction Research Center, Alternative Georgia, Tbilisi, Georgia
| | - Kevin E O'Grady
- Department of Psychology, University of Maryland, College Park, College Park, MD USA
| | - William Zule
- Substance Use, Gender and Applied Research, RTI International, Research Triangle Park, NC USA
| | - Evgeny Krupitsky
- Department of Addictions, Bekhterev Research Psychoneurological Institute, St. Petersburg, Russian Federation
| | - Wendee Wechsberg
- Substance Use, Gender and Applied Research, RTI International, Research Triangle Park, NC USA
| | - Hendrée E Jones
- UNC Horizons, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC USA
- Departments of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences and Obstetrics and Gynecology, School of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD USA
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Bergen-Cico D, Sikharulidze K, Ivanashvili N, Ivanishvili M, Keshelava T. Hepatitis C Risk and Protective Factors Associated With Drug Policies in the Republic of Georgia. WORLD MEDICAL & HEALTH POLICY 2017. [DOI: 10.1002/wmh3.213] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
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Hewell VM, Vasquez AR, Rivkin ID. Systemic and individual factors in the buprenorphine treatment-seeking process: a qualitative study. SUBSTANCE ABUSE TREATMENT PREVENTION AND POLICY 2017; 12:3. [PMID: 28086837 PMCID: PMC5237159 DOI: 10.1186/s13011-016-0085-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2016] [Accepted: 12/19/2016] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Opioid use is a significant problem in Alaska. Medication-assisted treatment for opioid use, including buprenorphine, reduces withdrawal symptoms and the harm associated with opioid abuse. Understanding consumers' treatment-seeking process is important for addressing barriers to treatment, facilitating effective service utilization, and informing policy. METHODS To understand treatment-seeking behavior, we examined the attitudes, perceptions, and knowledge of those who would benefit from the medication-assisted treatment (MAT) buprenorphine. Qualitative data from 2 focus groups (each including 4 participants) and 3 in-depth interviews with people who have used or considered using buprenorphine in treatment for an opioid use disorder were analyzed using grounded theory and directed content analysis approaches. RESULTS Key findings suggest that individual (withdrawal process, individual motivation) and systemic (sociocultural, political, societal values) factors frame the treatment seeking process. Participants' progress on the treatment-seeking road was affected by models of addiction and MAT, which related to facilitators and barriers encountered in seeking treatment (e.g. support, resources, treatment structure). These factors shaped the longer-term road to recovery, which was seen as on ongoing process. CONCLUSIONS The findings of this study suggest it is crucial for interventionists to take a contextual approach that considers individual and systemic factors involved in opioid addiction, treatment, and recovery. This study highlights ways policy makers and treatment providers can address the barriers consumers face in their treatment-seeking process in order to increase treatment access.
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Affiliation(s)
- Valerie M Hewell
- Department of Psychology, University of Alaska Fairbanks, P.O. Box 756480, AK 99775, Fairbanks, USA.
| | - Angel R Vasquez
- Department of Psychology, University of Alaska Fairbanks, P.O. Box 756480, AK 99775, Fairbanks, USA
| | - Inna D Rivkin
- Department of Psychology, University of Alaska Fairbanks, P.O. Box 756480, AK 99775, Fairbanks, USA
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Correlates of injection drug use among individuals admitted to public and private drug treatment facilities in Turkey. Drug Alcohol Depend 2016; 164:71-81. [PMID: 27173661 DOI: 10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2016.04.032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2015] [Revised: 03/25/2016] [Accepted: 04/26/2016] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The number of individuals seeking treatment for drug use has been increasing in recent years in Turkey. However, existing research on patterns and risk factors for drug use and how they vary by age and location in Turkey is limited. METHODS We examined the socio-demographic characteristics, drug use behaviors, and treatment history of citizens admitted to inpatient substance use treatment at public and private facilities in Turkey during 2012 and 2013 and identified correlates of lifetime and current injection drug use. RESULTS Of the 11,247 patients at the 22 public treatment centers in 2012-2013, a majority were male, lived with family, were unemployed, and had an average age of 27 years. Within private clinics (n=663), a higher proportion was female (9.7% private vs. 5.7% public), aged 11-17 years old (13% vs. 7.4%), used cannabis as their primary drug (18.4% vs. 13.2%), and had previously received drug treatment (57% vs. 47.2%). Within public centers, 40.4% reported ever injecting drugs and 33.7% reported injecting in the past 30 days; the corresponding percentages at private clinics were 22.5% and 18.1%. Significant predictors of injection drug use included being homeless, being a temporal employee or unemployed, having higher education, heroin as a preferred drug, having a longer duration of drug use, and prior drug treatment. CONCLUSION Prevention and intervention efforts are needed to reduce the transition to heroin and injection drug use among youth as well as improve access to a variety of drug treatment options for people who use substances in Turkey.
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Myers B, Carney T, Wechsberg WM. "Not on the agenda": A qualitative study of influences on health services use among poor young women who use drugs in Cape Town, South Africa. THE INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF DRUG POLICY 2016; 30:52-8. [PMID: 26797188 PMCID: PMC4829448 DOI: 10.1016/j.drugpo.2015.12.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2015] [Revised: 12/08/2015] [Accepted: 12/17/2015] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Poor young women who use alcohol and other drugs (AODs) in Cape Town, South Africa, need access to health services to prevent HIV. Efforts to link young women to services are hampered by limited information on what influences service initiation. We explored perceptions of factors that influence poor AOD-using young women's use of health services. METHODS We conducted four focus groups with young women (aged 16-21) who used AODs and were recruited from two township communities in Cape Town. We also conducted 14 in-depth interviews with health and social welfare service planners and providers. Discussion topics included young women's use of health services and perceived influences on service use. Qualitative data were analysed using a framework approach. RESULTS The findings highlighted structural, contextual, and systemic influences on the use of health services by young women who use AODs. First, young women were absent from the health agenda, which had an impact on the provision of women-specific services. Resource constraints and gender inequality were thought to contribute to this absence. Second, gender inequality and stigma toward young women who used AODs led to their social exclusion from education and employment opportunities and health care. Third, community poverty resulted in the emergence of perverse social capital and social disorder that limited social support for treatment. Fourth, the health care system was unresponsive to the multiple service needs of these young women. CONCLUSION To reach young women who use AODs, interventions need to take cognisance of young women's risk environment and health systems need to adapt to respond better to their needs. For these interventions to be effective, gender must be placed on the policy agenda.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bronwyn Myers
- Alcohol, Tobacco and Other Research Unit, South African Medical Research Council, P.O. Box 19070, Tygerberg, Cape Town 7505, South Africa
- Department of Psychiatry and Mental Health, University of Cape Town, Anzio Road, Observatory, 7900, South Africa
| | - Tara Carney
- Alcohol, Tobacco and Other Research Unit, South African Medical Research Council, P.O. Box 19070, Tygerberg, Cape Town 7505, South Africa
| | - Wendee M. Wechsberg
- RTI International, 3040 E. Cornwallis Road, P.O. Box 12194, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709
- Gillings Global School of Public Health, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
- Psychology in the Public Interest, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina, USA
- Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, North Carolina, USA
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Saadat VM. HIV Risks, Testing, and Treatment in the Former Soviet Union: Challenges and Future Directions in Research and Methodology. Cent Asian J Glob Health 2016; 4:225. [PMID: 29138724 PMCID: PMC5661207 DOI: 10.5195/cajgh.2015.225] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The dissolution of the USSR resulted in independence for constituent republics but left them battling an unstable economic environment and healthcare. Increases in injection drug use, prostitution, and migration were all widespread responses to this transition and have contributed to the emergence of an HIV epidemic in the countries of former Soviet Union. Researchers have begun to identify the risks of HIV infection as well as the barriers to HIV testing and treatment in the former Soviet Union. Significant methodological challenges have arisen and need to be addressed. The objective of this review is to determine common threads in HIV research in the former Soviet Union and provide useful recommendations for future research studies. Methods In this systematic review of the literature, Pubmed was searched for English-language studies using the key search terms "HIV", "AIDS", "human immunodeficiency virus", "acquired immune deficiency syndrome", "Central Asia", "Kazakhstan", "Kyrgyzstan", "Uzbekistan", "Tajikistan", "Turkmenistan", "Russia", "Ukraine", "Armenia", "Azerbaijan", and "Georgia". Studies were evaluated against eligibility criteria for inclusion. Results Thirty-nine studies were identified across the two main topic areas of HIV risk and barriers to testing and treatment, themes subsequently referred to as "risk" and "barriers". Study design was predominantly cross-sectional. The most frequently used sampling methods were peer-to-peer and non-probabilistic sampling. The most frequently reported risks were condom misuse, risky intercourse, and unsafe practices among injection drug users. Common barriers to testing included that testing was inconvenient, and that results would not remain confidential. Frequent barriers to treatment were based on a distrust in the treatment system. Conclusion The findings of this review reveal methodological limitations that span the existing studies. Small sample size, cross-sectional design, and non-probabilistic sampling methods were frequently reported limitations. Future work is needed to examine barriers to testing and treatment as well as longitudinal studies on HIV risk over time in most-at-risk populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Victoria M Saadat
- Department of Health Research and Policy, Stanford University of Medicine, Stanford, CA
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Latypov A, Otiashvili D, Zule W. Drug scene, drug use and drug-related health consequences and responses in Kulob and Khorog, Tajikistan. THE INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF DRUG POLICY 2015; 25:1204-14. [PMID: 25449057 DOI: 10.1016/j.drugpo.2014.09.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2014] [Revised: 09/16/2014] [Accepted: 09/23/2014] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Tajikistan and other Central Asian republics are facing intertwined epidemics of injecting drug use and HIV. This paper aims to examine drug scene, drug use, drug-related infectious diseases, drug treatment and other responses to health consequences of drug injecting in two Tajik cities of Kulob (Khatlon Region) and Khorog (Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Oblast). METHODS We conducted 12 focus group discussions in Kulob and Khorog and analysed peer-reviewed literature, published and unpublished programme and country reports and other publications that focused on substance use and/or HIV/AIDS in Tajikistan and included the Khatlon and Gorno-Badakhshan regions. RESULTS In both Kulob and Khorog, heroin is used by the overwhelming majority of people who inject drugs (PWID), with one dose of heroin in Khorog costing less than a bottle of vodka. Opioid overdose among PWID in Tajikistan is a serious issue that appears to be substantially underestimated and inadequately addressed at the policy and practice levels. In integrated bio-behavioural surveys (IBBS), HIV and HCV prevalence in both Kulob and Khorog varied widely over a short period of time, raising questions over the quality and reliability of these data. Access to opioid substitution therapy (OST) and antiretroviral therapy (ART) by PWID is either lacking or inadequate. Very few women who inject drugs access needle and syringe programmes in Kulob and Khorog. HCV treatment cannot be afforded by the overwhelming majority of PWID due to high costs. CONCLUSION Tajikistan IBBS data point to the potential problems in using composite national prevalence as an adequate reflection of the HIV epidemic among PWID in the country and highlight the importance of examining site-specific prevalence rates for better understanding of the dynamics of the epidemic over time as well as potential problems related to the reliability of data. Furthermore, our analysis highlights that in a country where almost all PWID inject opiates, agonist treatment should be an intervention of choice. Scaling-up both OST and ART coverage must be seen as the top priority for reducing HIV prevalence and incidence in Tajikistan. Naloxone distribution programmes need to be expanded and drug treatment, harm reduction and HIV services that meet the specific needs of female injecting drug users should be put in place.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alisher Latypov
- Management Sciences for Health, Leadership, Management and Governance, Kiev, Ukraine. alisher
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Global Epidemiology of HIV Among Women and Girls Who Use or Inject Drugs: Current Knowledge and Limitations of Existing Data. J Acquir Immune Defic Syndr 2015; 69 Suppl 2:S100-9. [PMID: 25978476 DOI: 10.1097/qai.0000000000000623] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Women and girls who use and inject drugs are a critical population at risk of HIV. In this article, we review data on the epidemiology of drug use and injection among women globally and HIV prevalence among women and girls who use and inject drugs. RESULTS Women and girls comprise one-third of people who use and inject drugs globally. There is substantial variation in HIV prevalence in this population, between and within countries. There is a pronounced lack of data examining HIV risk among particularly vulnerable subpopulations of women who use and inject drugs, including women who have sex with women, transgender women, racial and ethnic minority women, and young women. Women who use and inject drugs experience stigma and discrimination that affect access to services, and high levels of sexual risk exposures. CONCLUSIONS There are significant gaps in our understanding of the epidemiology of drug use and injecting among women and girls and HIV risk and prevalence in this population. Women are frequently underrepresented in studies of drug use and HIV risk and prevalence among people who inject drugs, limiting our understanding of possible sex differences in this population. Most research originates from developed countries and may not be generalizable to other settings. A great deal of work is needed to improve understanding of HIV among particularly vulnerable subpopulations, such as transgender women who use drugs. Better data are critical to efforts to advocate for the needs of women and girls who use and inject drugs.
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Structural Interventions for HIV Prevention Among Women Who Use Drugs: A Global Perspective. J Acquir Immune Defic Syndr 2015; 69 Suppl 2:S140-5. [PMID: 25978480 DOI: 10.1097/qai.0000000000000638] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
We briefly review extant literature on the contextual sources of HIV risk among drug users—the drug user risk environment—and on structural interventions to address drug user vulnerability to HIV. We argue that issues of gender inequality and gendered power relations are largely absent from this literature. We then identify 5 contextual factors that are critical for understanding women's HIV-related vulnerability and whose impacts are exacerbated among women who use drugs, including a division of reproductive labor in which women bear primary responsibility for family caretaking, women's lack of full access to or control of productive resources and decision making, women's vulnerability to sexual and physical violence, and especially, intimate partner violence, women's (particularly heterosexual women's) relationship dependency and limited power in sexual interactions, and harmful gender norms that reinforce these other factors. We discuss a range of structural interventions and structural intervention approaches with the potential to address these contextual factors and call for more research, both to better understand the risk environment of women who use drugs and the impacts of structural interventions on it. We argue that our understanding of and ability to impact on the HIV-related risk environment of drug users is incomplete if we do not fully incorporate the analysis of gender inequality and gendered power relations.
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Wechsberg WM, Deren S, Myers B, Kirtadze I, Zule WA, Howard B, El-Bassel N. Gender-Specific HIV Prevention Interventions for Women Who Use Alcohol and Other Drugs: The Evolution of the Science and Future Directions. J Acquir Immune Defic Syndr 2015; 69 Suppl 2:S128-39. [PMID: 25978479 PMCID: PMC4505613 DOI: 10.1097/qai.0000000000000627] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
The use of alcohol and other drugs (AODs) is an important driver of gender disparities in HIV prevalence. Consequently, there is a need for women-specific HIV interventions that are conceptualized to address (1) women's risk behavior, their roles in sexual relationships, and gender power dynamics and (2) other issues commonly faced by women who use AODs, such as gender-based violence and victimization. This article presents the evolution of HIV prevention intervention research with women who use AODs. It looks at 3 generations of women-focused HIV research interventions, including first-generation projects that started in the 1990s, second-generation efforts where projects expanded in scope and included adaptions of evidence-based interventions for global relevance, and finally third-generation projects currently underway that combine biobehavioral methods and are being implemented in real-world settings. Because women who use AODs continue to report risk behaviors related to HIV, emphasis should be placed on training scientists to conduct gender-specific studies, increasing funding for new studies, and advocating to ensure that stigma-free services are available for these at-risk women.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wendee M. Wechsberg
- RTI International, Research Triangle Park, NC, USA
- University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
- Department of Psychology in the Public Interest, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, USA
- Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Sherry Deren
- Center for Drug Use and HIV Research, College of Nursing, New York University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Bronwyn Myers
- Alcohol, Tobacco & Other Drug Research Unit, South African Medical Research Council, Cape Town, South Africa
- Department of Psychiatry and Mental Health, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Irma Kirtadze
- Addiction Research Center, Alternative Georgia, Tbilisi, Georgia
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Azim T, Bontell I, Strathdee SA. Women, drugs and HIV. THE INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF DRUG POLICY 2015; 26 Suppl 1:S16-21. [PMID: 25277726 PMCID: PMC4498573 DOI: 10.1016/j.drugpo.2014.09.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 100] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2014] [Revised: 09/01/2014] [Accepted: 09/05/2014] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Women who use drugs, irrespective of whether these are injected or not, are faced with multiple issues which enhance their vulnerability to HIV. METHODS In this commentary, we explore the HIV risks and vulnerabilities of women who use drugs as well as the interventions that have been shown to reduce their susceptibility to HIV infection. RESULTS Women who inject drugs are among the most vulnerable to HIV through both unsafe injections and unprotected sex. They are also among the most hidden affected populations, as they are more stigmatized than their male counterparts. Many sell sex to finance their own and their partner's drug habit and often their partner exerts a significant amount of control over their sex work, condom use and injection practices. Women who use drugs all over the world face many different barriers to HIV service access including police harassment, judgmental health personnel and a fear of losing their children. CONCLUSION In order to enable these women to access life-saving services including needle-syringe and condom programs, opioid substitution therapy and HIV testing and treatment, it is essential to create a conducive environment and provide tailor-made services that are adapted to their specific needs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tasnim Azim
- Centre for HIV and AIDS, International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh (icddr,b), Mohakhali, Dhaka, Bangladesh.
| | - Irene Bontell
- Centre for HIV and AIDS, International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh (icddr,b), Mohakhali, Dhaka, Bangladesh; Unit of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine Huddinge, Karolinska Institutet, 141 86 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Steffanie A Strathdee
- Division of Global Public Health, Department of Medicine, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
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Kirtadze I, Otiashvili D, O’Grady K, Zule W, Krupitsky E, Wechsberg W, Jones H. Women who inject drugs in the republic of georgia: in their own words. J Psychoactive Drugs 2015; 47:71-9. [PMID: 25715075 PMCID: PMC6876852 DOI: 10.1080/02791072.2014.990174] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
This study describes the initiation and maintenance of illicit drug use, risky behaviors, and the substance use treatment experiences of women in Georgia. Qualitative interviews with 55 drug-using women (mean age 36 years; SD = 9.52), were conducted during April-September 2011. Participants presented diverse histories of drug use initiation and substance use, risky behaviors, and drug treatment participation. All participants reported concurrent use of different substances, including home-produced injection preparations. Women described their experiences of both the positive and negative effects (physical and psychological) that they attributed to their use of drugs. Findings enrich our understanding of the environment in which substance use is initiated and maintained in a female population in Georgia, and illustrate the importance of culture and the role of social factors in the development of injection drug use. Results can provide direction for tailoring the development of interventions for substance use disorders, public policy discussions regarding the treatment of women who use drugs, and future research on substance use among women in Georgia and other post-Soviet nations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Irma Kirtadze
- Alternative Georgia—Addiction Research Center, Tbilisi, Georgia
| | | | - Kevin O’Grady
- Department of Psychology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD
| | - William Zule
- RTI International—Substance Abuse Treatment Evaluations and Interventions Research Program, Research Triangle Park, NC
| | - Evgeny Krupitsky
- Laboratory of Clinical Psychopharmacology of Addictions, St. Petersburg Pavlov State Medical University; Chief, Department of Addictions, Bekhterev Research Psychoneurological Institute, St. Petersburg, Russia
| | | | - Hendrée Jones
- UNC Horizons, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, UNC School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC
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Process and product in cross-cultural treatment research: development of a culturally sensitive women-centered substance use intervention in georgia. JOURNAL OF ADDICTION 2014; 2014:163603. [PMID: 25332836 PMCID: PMC4190114 DOI: 10.1155/2014/163603] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2014] [Revised: 09/02/2014] [Accepted: 09/02/2014] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Women who inject drugs (WID) are highly marginalized and stigmatized and experience ongoing discrimination in Georgia. Few opportunities exist for WID to receive publicly funded treatment for substance use disorders. The IMEDI (Investigating Methods for Enhancing Development in Individuals) project was developed in response to the need for women-specific and women-centered treatment services. This paper described our approach to understanding the Georgian culture—and WID within that culture—so that we could integrate two interventions for substance use found effective in other Western and non-Western cultures and to outline how we refined and adapted our integrated intervention to yield a comprehensive women-centered intervention for substance use. Reinforcement Based Treatment (RBT) and the Women's CoOp (WC) were adapted and refined based on in-depth interviews with WID (N = 55) and providers of health services (N = 34) to such women and focus groups [2 with WID (N = 15) and 2 with health service providers (N = 12)]. The resulting comprehensive women-centered intervention, RBT+WC, was then pretested and further refined in a sample of 20 WID. Results indicated positive pre-post changes in urine screening results and perceived needs for both RBT+WC and a case management control condition. The approach to treatment adaptation and the revised elements of RBT+WC are presented and discussed.
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Otiashvili D, Kirtadze I, O'Grady KE, Zule W, Krupitsky E, Wechsberg WM, Jones HE. Comprehensive Women-centered Treatment for Substance Use Disorders in Georgia: Current Status and Future Directions. JOURNAL OF SUBSTANCE USE 2014; 20:367-374. [PMID: 29606915 DOI: 10.3109/14659891.2014.923052] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022]
Abstract
The present paper examines the current status of women-centered substance use disorder treatment in Georgia. Four major issues are identified that adversely impact the delivery of effective services for women with substance use disorders: Policy Issues; Sociocultural Issues; Programmatic/Structural Issues; and Personal/Interpersonal Issues. These four issues are seen to form a complex, dynamic system that serves to maintain the current ineffective service delivery system and suppresses movement toward an effective service delivery for this highly marginalized and at-risk population. How these issues, and their interplay, present continuing barriers to the development and implementation of effective treatment for this population are outlined and discussed. In order to overcome these barriers, solutions must be sought in four areas: Policy reform; Public health campaigns; Development and implementation of comprehensive women-specific confidential treatment models; and Empowering women. Specific goals in each of these areas that would achieve a positive impact on various aspects of the functioning of the current service delivery system for women with substance use disorders are suggested. Simultaneously seeking solutions in all four of these areas would improve the service delivery system and benefits women with substance use disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Otiashvili
- Addiction Research Center, Alternative Georgia, Tbilisi 0177, Georgia
| | - Irma Kirtadze
- Addiction Research Center, Alternative Georgia, Tbilisi 0177, Georgia
| | - Kevin E O'Grady
- Department of Psychology, University of Maryland, College Park, College Park, MD 20742, USA
| | - William Zule
- RTI International, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709, USA
| | - Evgeny Krupitsky
- Department of Addictions, Bekhterev Research Psychoneurological Institute, St. Petersburg 192019, Russia
| | | | - Hendrée E Jones
- UNC Horizons, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27514, USA.,Departments of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences and Obstetrics and Gynecology, School of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21224, USA
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