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Carroll JJ, Cummins ER, Formica SW, Green TC, Bagley SM, Beletsky L, Rosenbloom D, Xuan Z, Walley AY. The police paradox: A qualitative study of post-overdose outreach program implementation through public health-public safety partnerships in Massachusetts. THE INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF DRUG POLICY 2023; 120:104160. [PMID: 37597344 DOI: 10.1016/j.drugpo.2023.104160] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2023] [Revised: 07/27/2023] [Accepted: 08/05/2023] [Indexed: 08/21/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Post-overdose outreach has emerged in the United States as an increasingly common response to non-fatal overdose. This qualitative study investigates the implementation of such programs through public health-public safety partnerships in Massachusetts. METHODS We conducted semi-structured interviews with post-overdose outreach team members, overdose survivors, and family members who received outreach. Interview transcripts were inductively analyzed to identify emergent themes and subsequently organized within the framework of Ecological Systems Theory. RESULTS Forty-nine interviews were conducted, including 15 police officers (80% male, 100% non-Hispanic White); 23 public health partners (48% male, 87% non-Hispanic White); 8 overdose survivors who received outreach services and 3 parents of survivors who received services (collectively 27% male, 64% non-Hispanic White). Implementation factors identified across all levels (macrosystem, exosystem, mesosystem, and microsystem) of Ecological Systems Theory included key program facilitators, such as access to police data and funding (macro), interagency collaboration (exo), shared recognition of community needs (exo), supportive relationships among team members (meso), and program champions (micro). Common barriers included inherent contradictions between policing and public health mandates (macro), poor local treatment and service capacity (exo), divergent staff views of program goals (exo), overdose survivors' prior negative experiences with law enforcement (meso), difficulty locating overdose survivors (meso), and police officers' lack of qualifications or training in providing psycho-social services (micro). CONCLUSIONS Most post-overdose outreach programs in this study were dependent on funding and data-sharing partnerships, which police agencies largely controlled. Yet, police participation, especially during outreach visits presented numerous challenges for engaging overdose survivors and establishing non-coercive linkages with evidence-based services, which may undermine the public health goals of these programs. These findings should inform state and federal efforts to expand the role of law enforcement in behavioral health initiatives.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer J Carroll
- Department of Sociology & Anthropology, North Carolina State University, 10 Current Drive, Raleigh, NC 27605, United States; Department of Medicine, Brown University, 222 Richmond St., Providence, RI 02903, United States.
| | - Emily R Cummins
- Ariadne Labs, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, 405 Park Drive, Boston, MA 02215, United States
| | - Scott W Formica
- Social Science Research and Evaluation, Inc., 84 Mill St., Lincoln, MA 01773, United States
| | - Traci C Green
- The Heller School for Social Policy and Management at Brandeis University, Institute for Behavioral Health, 415 South Street MS 035, Waltham, MA 02453, United States
| | - Sarah M Bagley
- Boston Medical Center and Boston University School of Medicine, Grayken Center for Addiction, Clinical Addiction Research and Education Unit, Section of General Internal Medicine, Department of Medicine, 801 Massachusetts Ave, 2nd Floor, Boston, MA 02118, United States
| | - Leo Beletsky
- Northeastern University School of Law, Bouvé College of Health Sciences, and the Action Lab, 416 Huntington Ave, Boston, MA 02115, United States; Health in Justice Action Lab, Northeastern University, 416 Huntington Ave, Boston, MA 02115, United States
| | - David Rosenbloom
- Boston University School of Public Health, Department of Community Health Sciences, Crosstown Building - CT 454, 801 Massachusetts Ave, 4th Floor, Boston, MA 02118, United States
| | - Ziming Xuan
- Boston University School of Public Health, Department of Community Health Sciences, Crosstown Building - CT 454, 801 Massachusetts Ave, 4th Floor, Boston, MA 02118, United States
| | - Alexander Y Walley
- Boston Medical Center and Boston University School of Medicine, Grayken Center for Addiction, Clinical Addiction Research and Education Unit, Section of General Internal Medicine, Department of Medicine, 801 Massachusetts Ave, 2nd Floor, Boston, MA 02118, United States
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Haile R, Rowell-Cunsolo T, Hyacinthe MF, Alang S. "We (still) charge genocide": A systematic review and synthesis of the direct and indirect health consequences of police violence in the United States. Soc Sci Med 2023; 322:115784. [PMID: 36863215 DOI: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2023.115784] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2022] [Revised: 02/08/2023] [Accepted: 02/14/2023] [Indexed: 02/18/2023]
Abstract
Building on historical and contemporary efforts to eliminate police and other forms of state violence, and on the understanding that police violence is a social determinant of health, we conducted a systematic review in which we synthesize the existing literature around 1) racial disparities in police violence; 2) health impacts of direct exposure to police violence; and 3) health impacts of indirect exposure to police violence. We screened 336 studies and excluded 246, due to not meeting our inclusion criteria. Forty-eight additional studies were excluded during the full text review, resulting in a study sample size of 42 studies. Our review showed that Black people in the US are far more likely than white people to experience a range of forms of police violence: from fatal and nonfatal shootings, to assault and psychological violence. Exposure to police violence increases risk of multiple adverse health outcomes. Moreover, police violence may operate as a vicarious and ecological exposure, producing consequences beyond those directly assaulted. In order to successfully eliminate police violence, scholars must work in alignment with social justice movements.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rahwa Haile
- SUNY Old Westbury, Department of Public Health, Old Westbury, NY, USA.
| | | | | | - Sirry Alang
- University of Pittsburgh, Department of Health and Human Development, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
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Schoenberger SF, Idrisov B, Sereda Y, Kiriazova T, Makarenko O, Bendiks S, Ahuja N, Dutta A, Flanigan T, Gillani FS, Lunze K. Police abuse and care engagement of people with HIV who inject drugs in Ukraine. Glob Public Health 2022; 17:3638-3653. [PMID: 35343870 PMCID: PMC9515241 DOI: 10.1080/17441692.2022.2049341] [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: 07/17/2021] [Accepted: 02/17/2022] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Police abuse affects people who inject drugs (PWID), including those with HIV, and negatively impacts care engagement. This cross-sectional study evaluated police abuse among PWID receiving MOUD (medication for opioid use disorder) living with HIV and associations with HIV treatment adherence and receipt of NGO services. We assessed lifetime and past six-month rates of police abuse among a cohort of Ukrainian PWID with HIV receiving MOUD (n = 190) from August to September 2017. Logistic regression models evaluated associations between past six-month police abuse and past 30-day antiretroviral therapy (ART) adherence, and past six-month NGO service receipt. Almost all (90%) participants reported lifetime police abuse: 77% reported physical violence and 75% reported paying the police to avoid arrest. One in four females (25%) reported police-perpetrated sexual violence. Recent police abuse was reported by 16% of males and 2% of females and was not associated with ART adherence (aOR: 1.1; 95% CI:0.3-5.0) or NGO service receipt (aOR: 3.4; 95% CI:0.6-18.3). While lifetime police abuse rates were high, few participants reported recent police abuse, which was not linked to care engagement. These trends should encourage the Ukrainian government for public health-public safety partnerships and legal interventions to eliminate human rights violations against PWID living with HIV.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samantha F Schoenberger
- Clinical Addiction and Research Education (CARE) Unit, Section of General Internal Medicine, Department of Medicine, Boston Medical Center, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Bulat Idrisov
- Institute for Leadership and Health Management, Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University, Moscow, Russia
- Bashkir State Medical University, Ufa, Russia
- Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology, Moscow, Russia
| | | | | | | | - Sally Bendiks
- Clinical Addiction and Research Education (CARE) Unit, Section of General Internal Medicine, Department of Medicine, Boston Medical Center, Boston, MA, USA
| | | | - Arunima Dutta
- Section of Internal Medicine, McLaren Flint/Michigan State University, Flint, MI, USA
| | - Timothy Flanigan
- Division of Infectious Disease, Alpert Medical School of Brown University, The Miriam & Rhode Island Hospitals, Brown University, Providence, RI, USA
| | - Fizza S Gillani
- Division of Infectious Disease, Alpert Medical School of Brown University, The Miriam & Rhode Island Hospitals, Brown University, Providence, RI, USA
| | - Karsten Lunze
- Clinical Addiction and Research Education (CARE) Unit, Section of General Internal Medicine, Department of Medicine, Boston Medical Center, Boston, MA, USA
- Section of General Internal Medicine, Department of Medicine, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA
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Gilbert L, Marotta PL, Goddard-Eckrich D, Richer A, Akuffo J, Hunt T, Wu E, El-Bassel N. Association Between Multiple Experiences of Violence and Drug Overdose Among Black Women in Community Supervision Programs in New York City. JOURNAL OF INTERPERSONAL VIOLENCE 2022; 37:NP21502-NP21524. [PMID: 34882025 DOI: 10.1177/08862605211057269] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Research has documented associations between all types of violence and substance misuse among Black women. However, research has yet to examine how different experiences of violence may be contributing to the surging epidemic of drug overdose among Black women. This study was conducted between 2015 and 2018 among 296 Black women who were mandated to community supervision programs (CSPs) in New York City (NYC). We used generalized linear modeling (GLM) to estimate associations of the adjusted relative risk (aRR) of experiencing a non-fatal overdose based on exposure to each type of violence after controlling for potentially confounding variables. Lifetime prevalence of a non-fatal drug overdose was 13.9% (n = 41). Lifetime severe physical/sexual violence by a male intimate partner (prevalence rate = 61.8%, n = 181) was associated with an overdose (aRR = 3.41, 95%CI = 1.19, 9.73). Severe violence by a female partner (prevalence rate = 7.4%, n = 22) was also associated with an overdose (aRR = 2.61, 95%CI = 1.46, 4.65). Lifetime sexual violence by a non-intimate partner (prevalence rate: 29.1%, n = 86) was associated with an overdose (aRR = 2.23, 95%CI = 1.32, 3.77). Sexual abuse by police/CSP staff (prevalence rate: 14.9%, n = 44) was associated with an overdose (aRR = 2.29, 95%CI = 1.27, 4.12). For each increase in the number of types of violence experienced, there was a 27% increase in the risk for an overdose (aRR = 1.27, 95%CI = 1.14, 1.42). This study found high rates of multiple types of violence that are associated with drug overdose among this sample of Black women in CSPs. These findings highlight the urgent public health need to address violence associated with overdose in this population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Louisa Gilbert
- Social Intervention Group, 5798Columbia University School of Social Work, New York, NY, USA
| | | | - Dawn Goddard-Eckrich
- Social Intervention Group, 5798Columbia University School of Social Work, New York, NY, USA
| | - Ariel Richer
- Social Intervention Group, 5798Columbia University School of Social Work, New York, NY, USA
| | - Jasmine Akuffo
- Social Intervention Group, 5798Columbia University School of Social Work, New York, NY, USA
| | - Timothy Hunt
- Social Intervention Group, 5798Columbia University School of Social Work, New York, NY, USA
| | - Elwin Wu
- Social Intervention Group, 5798Columbia University School of Social Work, New York, NY, USA
| | - Nabila El-Bassel
- Social Intervention Group, 5798Columbia University School of Social Work, New York, NY, USA
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Rosen JG, Schneider KE, Allen ST, Morris M, Urquhart GJ, Rouhani S, Sherman SG. Selling sex in the context of substance use: social and structural drivers of transactional sex among men who use opioids in Maryland. Harm Reduct J 2022; 19:115. [PMID: 36242081 PMCID: PMC9569095 DOI: 10.1186/s12954-022-00697-3] [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] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2022] [Accepted: 10/03/2022] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Transactional sex is an important driver of HIV risk among people who use drugs in the USA, but there is a dearth of research characterizing men's selling and trading of sex in the context of opioid use. To identify contextually specific factors associated with selling or trading sex in a US population of men who use drugs, we cross-sectionally examined social and structural correlates of transactional sex among men who use opioids (MWUO) in Anne Arundel County and Baltimore City, Maryland. METHODS Between July 2018 and March 2020, we used targeted sampling to recruit men reporting past-month opioid use from 22 street-level urban and suburban recruitment zones. MWUO completed a 30-min self-administered interview eliciting substance use histories, experiences with hunger and homelessness, criminal justice interactions, and transactional sex involvement. We identified correlates of recent (past 3 months) transactional sex using multivariable log-binomial regression with cluster-robust standard errors. RESULTS Among 422 MWUO (mean age 47.3 years, 73.4% non-Hispanic Black, 94.5% heterosexual), the prevalence of recent transactional sex was 10.7%. In multivariable analysis, younger age (adjusted prevalence ratio [aPR] 0.98, 95% confidence interval [95% CI] 0.97-0.99, p < 0.001), identifying as gay/bisexual (aPR = 5.30, 95% CI 3.81-7.37, p < 0.001), past-month food insecurity (aPR = 1.77, 95% CI 1.05-3.00, p = 0.032), and injection drug use in the past 3 months (aPR = 1.75, 95% CI 1.02-3.01, p = 0.043) emerged as statistically significant independent correlates of transactional sex. CONCLUSIONS Synergistic sources of social and structural marginalization-from sexuality to hunger, homelessness, and injection drug use-are associated with transactional sex in this predominantly Black, heterosexual-identifying sample of MWUO. Efforts to mitigate physical and psychological harms associated with transactional sex encounters should consider the racialized dimensions and socio-structural drivers of transactional sex among MWUO.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joseph G Rosen
- Department of International Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, 615 N. Wolfe Street, E5031, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA.
| | - Kristin E Schneider
- Department of Health, Behavior and Society, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, 624 N. Broadway, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | - Sean T Allen
- Department of Health, Behavior and Society, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, 624 N. Broadway, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | - Miles Morris
- Department of Health, Behavior and Society, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, 624 N. Broadway, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | - Glenna J Urquhart
- Department of International Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, 615 N. Wolfe Street, E5031, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | - Saba Rouhani
- Department of Health, Behavior and Society, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, 624 N. Broadway, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | - Susan G Sherman
- Department of Health, Behavior and Society, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, 624 N. Broadway, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
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Allen ST, Danforth S, Grieb SM, Glick JL, Harris SJ, Tomko C, Sherman SG. Law enforcement and syringe services program implementation in rural counties in Kentucky: a qualitative exploration. Harm Reduct J 2022; 19:109. [PMID: 36180853 PMCID: PMC9526275 DOI: 10.1186/s12954-022-00684-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2022] [Accepted: 08/16/2022] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Existing research in urban areas has documented a multitude of ways in which law enforcement may affect risks for bloodborne infectious disease acquisition among people who inject drugs (PWID), such as via syringe confiscation and engaging in practices that deter persons from accessing syringe services programs (SSPs). However, limited work has been conducted to explore how law enforcement may impact SSP implementation and operations in rural counties in the United States. This creates a significant gap in the HIV prevention literature given the volume of non-urban counties in the United States that are vulnerable to injection drug use-associated morbidity and mortality. OBJECTIVE This study explores the influence of law enforcement during processes to acquire approvals for SSP implementation and subsequent program operations in rural Kentucky counties. METHODS From August 2020 to October 2020, we conducted eighteen in-depth qualitative interviews among persons involved with SSP implementation in rural counties in Kentucky (USA). Interviews explored the factors that served as barriers and facilitators to SSP implementation and operations, including the role of law enforcement. RESULTS Participants described scenarios in which rural law enforcement advocated for SSP implementation; however, they also reported police opposing rural SSP implementation and engaging in adverse behaviors (e.g., targeting SSP clients) that may jeopardize the public health of PWID. Participants reported that efforts to educate rural law enforcement about SSPs were particularly impactful when they discussed how SSP implementation may prevent needlestick injuries. CONCLUSIONS The results of this study suggest that there are multiple ways in which rural SSP implementation and subsequent operations in rural Kentucky counties are affected by law enforcement. Future work is needed to explore how to expeditiously engage rural law enforcement, and communities more broadly, about SSPs, their benefits, and public health necessity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sean T Allen
- Department of Health, Behavior and Society, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, 624 N. Broadway, Hampton House 184, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA.
| | - Sarah Danforth
- Department of Health, Behavior and Society, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, 624 N. Broadway, Hampton House 184, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | - Suzanne M Grieb
- Department of Pediatrics, Center for Child and Community Health Research, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21224, USA
| | - Jennifer L Glick
- Department of Health, Behavior and Society, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, 624 N. Broadway, Hampton House 184, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | - Samantha J Harris
- Department of Health Policy and Management, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, 624 N. Broadway, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | - Catherine Tomko
- Department of Health, Behavior and Society, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, 624 N. Broadway, Hampton House 184, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | - Susan G Sherman
- Department of Health, Behavior and Society, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, 624 N. Broadway, Hampton House 184, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
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Weisenthal K, Kimmel SD, Kehoe J, Larochelle MR, Walley AY, Taylor JL. Effect of police action on low-barrier substance use disorder service utilization. Harm Reduct J 2022; 19:86. [PMID: 35906660 PMCID: PMC9338497 DOI: 10.1186/s12954-022-00668-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2021] [Accepted: 07/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Police action can increase risky substance use patterns by people who use drugs (PWUD), but it is not known how increased police presence affects utilization of low-barrier substance use disorder bridge clinics. Increased police presence may increase or decrease treatment-seeking behavior. We examined the association between Operation Clean Sweep (OCS), a 2-week police action in Boston, MA, and visit volume in BMC’s low-barrier buprenorphine bridge clinic. Methods In this retrospective cohort, we used segmented regression to investigate whether the increased police presence during OCS was associated with changes in bridge clinic visits. We used General Internal Medicine (GIM) clinic visit volume as a negative control. We examined visits during the 6 weeks prior, 2 weeks during, and 4 weeks after OCS (June 18–September 11, 2019). Results Bridge clinic visits were 2.8 per provider session before, 2.0 during, and 3.0 after OCS. The mean number of GIM clinic visits per provider session before OCS was 7.0, 6.8 during, and 7.0 after OCS. In adjusted segmented regression models for bridge clinic visits per provider session, there was a nonsignificant level increase (0.643 P = 0.171) and significant decrease in slope (0.100, P = 0.045) during OCS. After OCS completed, there was a significant level increase (1.442, P = 0.003) and slope increase in visits per provider session (0.141, P = 0.007). There was no significant change in GIM clinic volume during the study period. Conclusions The increased policing during OCS was associated with a significant decrease in bridge clinic visits. Following the completion of OCS, there was a significant increase in clinic visits, suggesting pent-up demand for medications for opioid use disorder, a life-saving treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karrin Weisenthal
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Boston Medical Center, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Simeon D Kimmel
- Division of Infectious Disease, School of Medicine and Boston Medical Center, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA.,Grayken Center for Addiction, Boston Medical Center, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Jessica Kehoe
- Grayken Center for Addiction, Boston Medical Center, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Marc R Larochelle
- Grayken Center for Addiction, Boston Medical Center, Boston, MA, USA.,Section of General Internal Medicine, School of Medicine and Boston Medical Center, Boston University, 801 Massachusetts Avenue, 2nd Floor, #2109, Boston, MA, 02118, USA
| | - Alexander Y Walley
- Grayken Center for Addiction, Boston Medical Center, Boston, MA, USA.,Section of General Internal Medicine, School of Medicine and Boston Medical Center, Boston University, 801 Massachusetts Avenue, 2nd Floor, #2109, Boston, MA, 02118, USA
| | - Jessica L Taylor
- Grayken Center for Addiction, Boston Medical Center, Boston, MA, USA. .,Section of General Internal Medicine, School of Medicine and Boston Medical Center, Boston University, 801 Massachusetts Avenue, 2nd Floor, #2109, Boston, MA, 02118, USA.
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Smiley-McDonald HM, Attaway PR, Richardson NJ, Davidson PJ, Kral AH. Perspectives from law enforcement officers who respond to overdose calls for service and administer naloxone. HEALTH & JUSTICE 2022; 10:9. [PMID: 35212812 PMCID: PMC8874742 DOI: 10.1186/s40352-022-00172-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2021] [Accepted: 02/02/2022] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Many law enforcement agencies across the United States equip their officers with the life-saving drug naloxone to reverse the effects of an opioid overdose. Although officers can be effectively trained to administer naloxone, and hundreds of law enforcement agencies carry naloxone to reverse overdoses, little is known about what happens on scene during an overdose call for service from an officer's perspective, including what officers perceive their duties and responsibilities to be as the incident evolves. METHODS The qualitative study examined officers' experiences with overdose response, their perceived roles, and what happens on scene before, during, and after an overdose incident. In-person interviews were conducted with 17 officers in four diverse law enforcement agencies in the United States between January and May 2020. RESULTS Following an overdose, the officers described that overdose victims are required to go to a hospital or they are taken to jail. Officers also described their duties on scene during and after naloxone administration, including searching the belongings of the person who overdosed and seizing any drug paraphernalia. CONCLUSION These findings point to a pressing need for rethinking standard operating procedures for law enforcement in these situations so that the intentions of Good Samaritan Laws are upheld and people get the assistance they need without being deterred from asking for future help.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hope M Smiley-McDonald
- Division for Applied Justice Research, RTI International, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, USA.
| | - Peyton R Attaway
- Division for Applied Justice Research, RTI International, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, USA
| | - Nicholas J Richardson
- Division for Applied Justice Research, RTI International, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, USA
| | - Peter J Davidson
- Department of Medicine, Division Global Public Health, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California, USA
| | - Alex H Kral
- Community Health Research Division, RTI International, Berkeley, California, USA
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Green DA, Evans AM. Undue Police Violence Toward African Americans: An Analysis of Professional Counselors' Training and Perceptions. JOURNAL OF COUNSELING AND DEVELOPMENT 2021. [DOI: 10.1002/jcad.12389] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
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10
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Linton SL, Jarlais DCD, Ornstein JT, Kasman M, Hammond R, Kianian B, Smith JC, Wolfe ME, Ross Z, German D, Flynn C, Raymond HF, Klevens RM, Spencer E, Schacht JM, Finlayson T, Paz-Bailey G, Wejnert C, Cooper HLF. An application of agent-based modeling to explore the impact of decreasing incarceration rates and increasing drug treatment access on sero-discordant partnerships among people who inject drugs. THE INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF DRUG POLICY 2021; 94:103194. [PMID: 33812133 PMCID: PMC8608566 DOI: 10.1016/j.drugpo.2021.103194] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2020] [Revised: 02/19/2021] [Accepted: 02/24/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND People who inject drugs (PWID) lag behind other key populations in HIV care continuum outcomes. The impacts of criminal justice reform and increasing drug treatment access on HIV have been underexplored. METHODS We developed agent-based models (ABM) of sexual partnerships among PWID and non-PWID, and injection equipment-sharing partnerships among PWID in five US cities (Baltimore, Boston, Miami, New York City, San Francisco) over 3 years. The first set of ABM projected changes in partnership discordance among PWID as a function of decreasing ZIP code-level incarceration rates. The second set projected discordance as a function of increasing ZIP code-level drug treatment access. ABM were parameterized and validated overall, and by city and PWID race/ethnicity (Black, Latino, White) using National HIV Behavioral Surveillance data, administrative ZIP code-level data, surveillance reports and prior literature. Informed by research on prisoner release and community-level HIV prevalence, reductions in incarceration rates were fixed at 5% and 30% and respectively projected to increase ZIP code-level HIV prevalence by 2% and 12%. Increases in drug treatment access were fixed at 30% and 58%. RESULTS In each city, a 30% reduction in ZIP code-level incarceration rates and 12% increase in ZIP code-level HIV prevalence significantly increased sero-discordance among at least one racial/ethnic group of PWID by 1-3 percentage points. A 5% reduction in incarceration rates, and 30% and 58% increases in drug treatment access, led to isolated significant changes in sero-discordance among Black and White PWID that were less than 1 percentage point. CONCLUSION Reductions in incarceration rates may lead to short-term increases in sero-discordant partnerships among some PWID by increasing community-level HIV prevalence. Efforts to increase HIV testing, engagement in care and community reintegration post release, should be strengthened in the wake of incarceration reform. Additional research should confirm these findings and explore the lack of widespread impacts of drug treatment in this study.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sabriya L Linton
- Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA.
| | - Don C Des Jarlais
- College of Global Public Health, New York University, New York City, NY, USA
| | - Joseph T Ornstein
- School of Public and International Affairs, The University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
| | - Matt Kasman
- Brookings Institution, District of Columbia, USA
| | - Ross Hammond
- Brookings Institution, District of Columbia, USA
| | - Behzad Kianian
- Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Justin C Smith
- Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Mary E Wolfe
- Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Zev Ross
- ZevRoss Spatial Analysis, Ithaca, NY, USA
| | - Danielle German
- Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Colin Flynn
- Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | | | | | - Emma Spencer
- Florida Department of Health, Tallahassee, FL, USA
| | | | | | | | - Cyprian Wejnert
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, 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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Schneider KE, Park JN, Allen ST, Weir BW, Sherman SG. Knowledge of Good Samaritan Laws and Beliefs About Arrests Among Persons Who Inject Drugs a Year After Policy Change in Baltimore, Maryland. Public Health Rep 2020; 135:393-400. [PMID: 32264789 PMCID: PMC7238711 DOI: 10.1177/0033354920915439] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Delivering and receiving prompt medical care during an overdose are imperative to ensure survival. Good Samaritan laws encourage people to call 911 during an overdose by providing immunity from selected drug arrests (eg, low-level possession). However, it is unclear whether persons who inject drugs (PWID) are aware of and understand these laws and their implications. We examined awareness among PWID of the 2015 Good Samaritan law in Maryland and their beliefs about whether they could be arrested for calling 911 or having an overdose. METHODS We surveyed 298 PWID in Baltimore, Maryland. We estimated the proportion who knew what the Good Samaritan law addressed and who believed they could be arrested for calling 911 or overdosing. We used a multivariate model to assess the association between harm-reduction services and knowledge of the Good Samaritan law or beliefs about getting arrested for calling 911 or overdosing. RESULTS Of PWID, 56 of 298 (18.8%) knew what the Good Samaritan law addressed, 43 of 267 (16.1%) believed they could be arrested for calling 911, and 32 of 272 (11.8%) believed they could be arrested for having an overdose. After adjusting for demographic characteristics, accessing the syringe services program was associated with accurate knowledge and the belief that PWID could be arrested for calling 911; however, training in overdose reversal was not associated. CONCLUSIONS Most PWID were unaware of the Good Samaritan law; this lack of awareness is a barrier to preventing overdose deaths. Educating PWID about Good Samaritan laws is essential, and such education should include police to ensure that law enforcement is congruent with Good Samaritan laws and does not perpetuate mistrust between police and PWID.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kristin E. Schneider
- Department of Mental Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of
Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Ju Nyeong Park
- Department of Health, Behavior and Society, Johns Hopkins
Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Sean T. Allen
- Department of Health, Behavior and Society, Johns Hopkins
Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Brian W. Weir
- Department of Health, Behavior and Society, Johns Hopkins
Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Susan G. Sherman
- Department of Health, Behavior and Society, Johns Hopkins
Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA
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