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Dahlem CH, Dwan M, Dobbs B, Rich R, Jaffe K, Shuman CJ. Using RE-AIM Framework to Evaluate Recovery Opioid Overdose Team Plus: A Peer-Led Post-overdose Quick Response Team. Community Ment Health J 2024:10.1007/s10597-024-01319-x. [PMID: 39044057 DOI: 10.1007/s10597-024-01319-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2024] [Accepted: 07/06/2024] [Indexed: 07/25/2024]
Abstract
Peer recovery coaches utilize their lived experiences to support overdose survivors, a role gaining prominence across communities. A convergent mixed methods design, informed by the RE-AIM (Reach, Effectiveness, Adoption, Implementation, Maintenance) framework, was used to evaluate the Recovery Opioid Overdose Team Plus (ROOT +), through an iterative evaluation using web-based surveys and qualitative interviews. Reach: Over 27 months, ROOT + responded to 83% of suspected overdose referrals (n = 607) and engaged with 41% of survivors (n = 217) and 7% of survivors' family/friends (n = 38). Effectiveness: Among those initially engaged with ROOT +, 36% of survivors remained engaged, entered treatment, or were in recovery at 90 days post-overdose (n = 77). Adoption: First responders completed 77% of ROOT + referrals (n = 468). Implementation: Barriers included lack of awareness of ROOT + , working phones, and access to treatment from community partner interviews (n = 15). Maintenance: Adaptations to ROOT + were made to facilitate implementation. Peer-led teams are promising models to engage with overdose survivors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chin Hwa Dahlem
- School of Nursing, University of Michigan, 400 N. Ingalls Rm 3174, Ann Arbor, MI, USA.
| | - Mary Dwan
- School of Nursing, University of Michigan, 400 N. Ingalls Rm 3174, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | | | | | - Kaitlyn Jaffe
- Center for Bioethics and Social Sciences in Medicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
- School of Public Health & Health Sciences, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, MA, USA
| | - Clayton J Shuman
- School of Nursing, University of Michigan, 400 N. Ingalls Rm 3174, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
- Center for the Study of Drugs, Alcohol, Smoking, and Health, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
- Institute for Healthcare Policy and Innovation, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
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Pasman E, Brown S, Agius E, Resko SM. Support for Safe Consumption Sites Among Peer Recovery Coaches. J Behav Health Serv Res 2024; 51:219-231. [PMID: 37430133 DOI: 10.1007/s11414-023-09846-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 06/21/2023] [Indexed: 07/12/2023]
Abstract
Safe consumption sites (SCSs), legally sanctioned facilities where people can use drugs under medical supervision, are an effective strategy to reduce overdose fatalities. Peer recovery coaches (PRCs), substance use service providers with lived experience in recovery, are a key provider group affecting SCS implementation. This study assesses support for SCSs among PRCs and identifies personal and professional characteristics associated with support for these sites. PRCs (N = 260) in Michigan were recruited to complete a web-based survey (July-September 2021), reporting their demographics, lived experience, abstinence orientation, attitudes toward clients, training experiences, and support for legalizing SCSs. Logistic regression was used to identify factors associated with support for SCSs. Half of PRCs (49.0%) expressed support for legalizing SCSs in Michigan. Compared to women, men had greater odds of supporting SCSs (OR = 2.113, p = .014). PRCs who identified as Black (OR = 0.361, p = .014) and other people of color (OR = 0.338, p = .014) had lower odds of supporting SCSs compared to PRCs who identified as white. More stigmatizing attitudes toward clients (OR = 0.921, p = .022) and preference for abstinence-only treatment (OR = 0.452, p = .013) were associated with lower odds of supporting SCSs. Increasing support for SCSs among PRCs is important given their influence on the success of SCS initiatives. Professional training which addresses deeply rooted values and beliefs may help increase support for SCSs. However, policy changes may be necessary to address structural racism affecting SCS acceptability among PRCs of color.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily Pasman
- School of Social Work, Wayne State University, 5447 Woodward Ave, Detroit, MI, 48202, USA.
- School of Nursing, University of Michigan, 426 N Ingalls St, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA.
| | - Suzanne Brown
- School of Social Work, Wayne State University, 5447 Woodward Ave, Detroit, MI, 48202, USA
| | - Elizabeth Agius
- School of Social Work, Wayne State University, 5447 Woodward Ave, Detroit, MI, 48202, USA
| | - Stella M Resko
- School of Social Work, Wayne State University, 5447 Woodward Ave, Detroit, MI, 48202, USA
- Merrill Palmer Skillman Institute, Wayne State University, 71 E Ferry St, Detroit, MI, 48202, USA
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Harris M, Scott J, Hope V, Busza J, Sweeney S, Preston A, Southwell M, Eastwood N, Vuckovic C, McGaff C, Yoon I, Wilkins L, Ram S, Lord C, Bonnet P, Furlong P, Simpson N, Slater H, Platt L. Safe inhalation pipe provision (SIPP): protocol for a mixed-method evaluation of an intervention to improve health outcomes and service engagement among people who use crack cocaine in England. Harm Reduct J 2024; 21:19. [PMID: 38263202 PMCID: PMC10804795 DOI: 10.1186/s12954-024-00938-7] [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: 11/06/2023] [Accepted: 01/15/2024] [Indexed: 01/25/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Over 180,000 people use crack cocaine in England, yet provision of smoking equipment to support safer crack use is prohibited under UK law. Pipes used for crack cocaine smoking are often homemade and/or in short supply, leading to pipe sharing and injuries from use of unsafe materials. This increases risk of viral infection and respiratory harm among a marginalised underserved population. International evaluations suggest crack pipe supply leads to sustained reductions in pipe sharing and use of homemade equipment; increased health risk awareness; improved service access; reduction in injecting and crack-related health problems. In this paper, we introduce the protocol for the NIHR-funded SIPP (Safe inhalation pipe provision) project and discuss implications for impact. METHODS The SIPP study will develop, implement and evaluate a crack smoking equipment and training intervention to be distributed through peer networks and specialist drug services in England. Study components comprise: (1) peer-network capacity building and co-production; (2) a pre- and post-intervention survey at intervention and non-equivalent control sites; (3) a mixed-method process evaluation; and (4) an economic evaluation. Participant eligibility criteria are use of crack within the past 28 days, with a survey sample of ~ 740 for each impact evaluation survey point and ~ 40 for qualitative process evaluation interviews. Our primary outcome measure is pipe sharing within the past 28 days, with secondary outcomes pertaining to use of homemade pipes, service engagement, injecting practice and acute health harms. ANTICIPATED IMPACT SIPP aims to reduce crack use risk practices and associated health harms; including through increasing crack harm reduction awareness among service providers and peers. Implementation has only been possible with local police approvals. Our goal is to generate an evidence base to inform review of the legislation prohibiting crack pipe supply in the UK. This holds potential to transform harm reduction service provision and engagement nationally. CONCLUSION People who smoke crack cocaine in England currently have little reason to engage with harm reduction and drug services. Little is known about this growing population. This study will provide insight into population characteristics, unmet need and the case for legislative reform. TRIAL REGISTRATION ISRCTN12541454 https://doi.org/10.1186/ISRCTN12541454.
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Affiliation(s)
- Magdalena Harris
- Department of Public Health, Environments and Society, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, 15-17 Tavistock Place, London, WC1H 9SH, UK.
| | - Jenny Scott
- Centre for Academic Primary Care, Bristol Medical School, University of Bristol, Canynge Hall, Bristol, BS8 2PS, UK
| | - Vivian Hope
- Public Health Institute/School of Public and Allied Health, Liverpool John Moores University, 3rd Floor Exchange Station, Tithebarn Street, Liverpool, L2 2QP, UK
| | - Joanna Busza
- Department of Public Health, Environments and Society, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, 15-17 Tavistock Place, London, WC1H 9SH, UK
| | - Sedona Sweeney
- Department of Global Health and Development, LSHTM, 15-17 Tavistock Place, London, WC1H 9SH, UK
| | - Andrew Preston
- Exchange Supplies, 1 Great Western Industrial Centre, Dorchester, Dorset, DT1 1, UK
| | | | | | - Cedomir Vuckovic
- Department of Public Health, Environments and Society, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, 15-17 Tavistock Place, London, WC1H 9SH, UK
| | - Caitlynne McGaff
- Department of Public Health, Environments and Society, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, 15-17 Tavistock Place, London, WC1H 9SH, UK
| | - Ian Yoon
- Department of Global Health and Development, LSHTM, 15-17 Tavistock Place, London, WC1H 9SH, UK
| | - Louise Wilkins
- The Health Shop, 12 Broad Street, Nottingham, NG1 3AL, UK
| | - Shoba Ram
- The Maples, Verona House, 53 Filwood Rd, Bristol, BS16 3RX, UK
| | - Catherine Lord
- Bristol Drugs Project, 11 Brunswick Square, St Paul's, Bristol, BS2 8PE, UK
| | - Philippe Bonnet
- The Hepatitis C Trust, 72 Weston Street, London, SE1 3QG, UK
| | - Peter Furlong
- Change Grow Live, 34 Albion Place, Leeds, LS1 6JH, UK
| | | | - Holly Slater
- POW Nottingham, 16 Independent Street, Nottingham, NG7 3LN, UK
| | - Lucy Platt
- Department of Public Health, Environments and Society, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, 15-17 Tavistock Place, London, WC1H 9SH, UK
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Tapper A, Ahern C, Graveline-Long Z, Newberger NG, Hughto JMW. The utilization and delivery of safer smoking practices and services: a narrative synthesis of the literature. Harm Reduct J 2023; 20:160. [PMID: 37891658 PMCID: PMC10612300 DOI: 10.1186/s12954-023-00875-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2023] [Accepted: 09/24/2023] [Indexed: 10/29/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Providing sterile drug smoking materials to people who use drugs can prevent the acquisition of infectious diseases and reduce overdose risk. However, there is a lack of understanding of how these practices are being implemented and received by people who use drugs globally. METHODS A systematic review of safer smoking practices was conducted by searching PubMed, PsycInfo, Embase for relevant peer-reviewed, English-language publications from inception or the availability of online manuscripts through December 2022. RESULTS Overall, 32 peer-reviewed papers from six countries were included. 30 studies exclusively included people who use drugs as participants (n = 11 people who use drugs; generally, n = 17 people who smoke drugs, n = 2 people who inject drugs). One study included program staff serving people who use drugs, and one study included staff and people who use drugs. Sharing smoking equipment (e.g., pipes) was reported in 25 studies. People who use drugs in several studies reported that pipe sharing occurred for multiple reasons, including wanting to accumulate crack resin and protect themselves from social harms, such as police harassment. Across studies, smoking drugs, as opposed to injecting drugs, were described as a crucial method to reduce the risk of overdose, disease acquisition, and societal harms such as police violence. Ten studies found that when people who use drugs were provided with safer smoking materials, they engaged in fewer risky drug use behaviors (e.g., pipe sharing, using broken pipes) and showed improved health outcomes. However, participants across 11 studies reported barriers to accessing safer smoking services. Solutions to overcoming safer smoking access barriers were described in 17 studies and included utilizing peer workers and providing safer smoking materials to those who asked. CONCLUSION This global review found that safer smoking practices are essential forms of harm reduction. International policies must be amended to help increase access to these essential tools. Additional research is also needed to evaluate the efficacy of and access to safer smoking services, particularly in the U.S. and other similar countries, where such practices are being implemented but have not been empirically studied in the literature.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Noam G Newberger
- Department of Psychology, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, Rhode Island, USA
| | - Jaclyn M W Hughto
- Department of Behavioral and Social Sciences, Brown University School of Public Health, Providence, RI, 02903, USA
- Department of Epidemiology, Brown University School of Public Health, Providence, RI, 02903, USA
- Center for Health Promotion and Health Equity, Brown University, Providence, RI, 02903, USA
- The Fenway Institute, Fenway Health, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
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Maguet S, Laliberte N, Moore L, Milkovich T, Burmeister C, Scow M, Sproule W, Dove N, Martens S. An evaluation of the Compassion, Inclusion, and Engagement initiative: learning from PWLE and communities across British Columbia. Harm Reduct J 2023; 20:89. [PMID: 37452328 PMCID: PMC10347729 DOI: 10.1186/s12954-023-00819-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2022] [Accepted: 06/27/2023] [Indexed: 07/18/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The Compassion, Inclusion and Engagement initiative (CIE) was a social contact intervention that operated in British Columbia between 2015 and 2021. The primary objective of CIE was to increase the participation of people with lived experience of substance use (PWLE) in the planning, design, implementation, and evaluation of harm reduction supports and services. CASE PRESENTATION CIE used the developmental evaluation methodology outcome mapping to define and measure progress towards its goals. Developmental evaluation emphasizes learning in contrast to other forms of evaluation which are often more focused on determining the value or success of a project or programme based on predetermined criteria. Outcome mapping is a relational practice which acknowledges that change is achieved by an initiative's partners and the role of the initiative is to provide access to resources, ideas and opportunities that can facilitate and support change. CONCLUSIONS Through the implementation and evaluation of CIE, it became clear that directly supporting PWLE facilitated more meaningful and lasting change than solely working to improve the health and social services that supported them. The impacts of the CIE initiative extend far beyond the outcomes of any of the dialogues it facilitated and are largely the result of an increase in social capital. CIE engagements created the opportunity for change by inviting people most affected by the toxic drug supply together with those committed to supporting them, but their ability to bring about systemic change was limited. Both PWLE and service providers noted the lack of support to attend CIE engagements, lack of support for actions that came from those engagements, and lack of PWLE inclusion in decision-making by health authorities as limiting factors for systemic change. The lack of response at a systemic level often resulted in PWLE carrying the burden of responding to toxic drug poisonings, often without resources, support, or compensation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sally Maguet
- Provincial Health Services Authority, Vancouver, Canada.
| | | | - Laura Moore
- BC Centre for Disease Control, Vancouver, Canada
| | | | | | - Marnie Scow
- BC Centre for Disease Control, Vancouver, Canada
| | | | - Naomi Dove
- BC Centre for Disease Control, Vancouver, Canada
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6
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Diak BJ, Miskovic M, Zurba N, Beaumont D. Not all screens are created equal: examination of surface features and other physical properties of commonly used screen materials for smoking drugs. Harm Reduct J 2023; 20:68. [PMID: 37221542 DOI: 10.1186/s12954-023-00794-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2022] [Accepted: 05/11/2023] [Indexed: 05/25/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Brass screens are considered an essential part of the safer drug smoking/inhalation supplies and are widely distributed by harm reduction programs in Canada. However, the use of commercially available steel wools as screens for smoking crack cocaine remains a common practice among people who smoke drugs in Canada. Use of these steel wool materials is associated with different adverse effects on health. This study aims to determine what changes folding and heating have on several filter materials, including brass screens and commercially available steel wool products, and examine the implications of these changes on health of people who smoke drugs. METHODS This study investigated the microscopic differences, studied by optical and scanning electron microscopy, between four screen and four steel wool filter materials used in a simulated drug consumption process. New materials were manipulated, compacted into its own Pyrex® straight stem using a push stick and then heated with a butane lighter simulating a common method in preparing drugs for consumption. The materials were studied in the as-received (new), as-pressed (compressed and inserted into the stem tube but without heating) and as-heated (compressed and inserted into the stem tube and heated with a butane lighter) conditions. RESULTS The steel wool materials with the smallest wire thicknesses were found to be the easiest to prepare for pipe use, but degrade significantly during shaping and heating, making them wholly unsuitable as a safe filter material. In contrast the brass and stainless steel screen materials remain mostly unchanged by the simulated drug consumption process. After the stainless steel pellet screen, the Brass Impact 2.0 screen material had the best characteristics of the materials tested due to its mesh wire diameter, pitch, alloy choice and its pre-strained state. CONCLUSION Commonly used steel wool alternatives degrade during the handling and stem insertion, and heating the screens in the stem. Debris is generated by wool deformation on insertion and after heating that easily separates from the screen and can be inhaled during drug consumption. The brass and stainless steel screen materials are safer to use as they remain mostly stable during the simulated drug consumption process.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bradley J Diak
- Department of Mechanical and Materials Engineering, Queen's University, Nicol Hall, 60 Union Street, Kingston, ON, K7L-3N6, Canada
| | - Miroslav Miskovic
- Ontario Harm Reduction Distribution Program, Kingston Community Health Centres, 115 Barrack St - Suite 200, Kingston, ON, K7K 1G2, Canada.
| | - Nadia Zurba
- Ontario Harm Reduction Distribution Program, Kingston Community Health Centres, 115 Barrack St - Suite 200, Kingston, ON, K7K 1G2, Canada
| | - Denise Beaumont
- Ontario Harm Reduction Distribution Program, Kingston Community Health Centres, 115 Barrack St - Suite 200, Kingston, ON, K7K 1G2, Canada
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Core competencies of peer workers who use pulse oximeters to supplement their overdose response in British Columbia. PLoS One 2022; 17:e0273744. [PMID: 36054132 PMCID: PMC9439192 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0273744] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2021] [Accepted: 08/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Introduction
Peer workers (those with lived/living experience of substance use) are at the forefront of overdose response initiatives in British Columbia, Canada. The onset of the coronavirus disease pandemic has significantly compounded the impact of the overdose crisis. Peer workers are integral in supporting people who use substances. However, despite the important work they do, peer workers often lack formalized credibility and do not have the same resources available to them as service providers without lived experience. The peer-led project titled the Peer2Peer Project implemented several support programs for peer workers, including providing pulse oximeters to peer workers to supplement their overdose response procedures.
Materials and methods
This study was a component of a larger evaluation of the pulse oximeter program at two organizations in BC. The study aims to highlight the competencies of peer workers who use pulse oximeters. Telephone interviews were conducted with seven peer workers who were given pulse oximeters. The transcripts were thematically coded using Covert et al.’s framework of core competencies of community health workers to compare our sample with other widely recognized professions.
Findings
We found that peer workers who used pulse oximeters described several core competencies in their work and these were aligned with Covert et al.’s core competencies for community health workers, including assessment, community health practice, communication, diversity and inclusion, professional practice, and disease prevention and management.
Conclusion
By aligning peer workers’ skills to those of community health workers, we create awareness on the competencies of peer workers in using oximeters to supplement overdose response and advocate for them to receive more recognition and respect within the workplace. Further, our findings act as groundwork for future research in identifying the professional proficiencies of peer workers.
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Webb JM, Giles AR, Darroch FE. Absent and Problematic: The Representation of Fathers in the Program Policies of Organizations that Provide Family-Centred Services in Vancouver's Downtown Eastside. JOURNAL OF CHILD AND FAMILY STUDIES 2022; 32:1643-1654. [PMID: 35965633 PMCID: PMC9362642 DOI: 10.1007/s10826-022-02385-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 07/17/2022] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Parenting education interventions and parenting programs are important for health promotion efforts among children and families; however, the majority of parenting programs are directed towards and attended by mothers. This is problematic because research has consistently demonstrated that fathers' active participation in the family can have a positive influence on mothers' well-being, children's self-esteem, success in school, and interpersonal relationships. In this paper, using an intersectional poststructuralist framework, document analysis, and Bacchi and Goodwin's "What's the problem represented to be" approach (WPR), we analyzed the program policies of 12 organizations that provide family-centred services in the Downtown Eastside of Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. We identified the following three discourses: organizations strive to be client-centred and provide choices; organizations want to empower their participants; and women need safe place to raise their families. Our analysis revealed that fathers are absent or represented as problems in program policies, and that this has consequences for not only fathers but also mothers and children.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica M. Webb
- School of Human Kinetics, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON Canada
| | - Audrey R. Giles
- School of Human Kinetics, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON Canada
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Yoon GH, Levengood TW, Davoust MJ, Ogden SN, Kral AH, Cahill SR, Bazzi AR. Implementation and sustainability of safe consumption sites: a qualitative systematic review and thematic synthesis. Harm Reduct J 2022; 19:73. [PMID: 35790994 PMCID: PMC9255520 DOI: 10.1186/s12954-022-00655-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2022] [Accepted: 06/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Safe consumption sites (SCSs) serve diverse populations of people who use drugs (PWUD) and public health objectives. SCS implementation began in the 1980s, and today, there are at least 200 known SCSs operating in over twelve countries. While a growing literature supports their effectiveness as a harm reduction strategy, there is limited information on contextual factors that may support or hinder SCS implementation and sustainability. We aimed to fill this gap in knowledge by reviewing existing qualitative studies on SCSs. METHODS We conducted a systematic review and thematic synthesis of qualitative studies. We identified all peer-reviewed, English-language qualitative studies on SCSs containing original data in PubMed, Web of Science, Google Scholar, and Science Direct as of September 23, 2019. Two authors independently screened, abstracted, and coded content relating to SCS implementation and sustainment aligned with the Exploration, Preparation, Implementation, Sustainment (EPIS) implementation science framework. RESULTS After removing duplicates, we identified 765 unique records, of which ten qualitative studies met inclusion criteria for our synthesis. Across these ten studies, 236 total interviews were conducted. Overall, studies described how SCSs can (1) keep drug use out of public view while fostering a sense of inclusion for participants, (2) support sustainment by enhancing external communities' acceptability of SCSs, and (3) encourage PWUD utilization. Most studies also described how involving PWUD and peer workers (i.e., those with lived experience) in SCS operation supported implementation and sustainability. DISCUSSION Our thematic synthesis of qualitative literature identified engagement of PWUD and additional factors that appear to support SCS planning and operations and are critical to implementation success. However, the existing qualitative literature largely lacked perspectives of SCS staff and other community members who might be able to provide additional insight into factors influencing the implementation and sustainability of this promising public health intervention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Grace H Yoon
- Department of Health, Law, Policy and Management, Boston University School of Public Health, 715 Albany St, Boston, MA, 02118, USA
| | - Timothy W Levengood
- Department of Health, Law, Policy and Management, Boston University School of Public Health, 715 Albany St, Boston, MA, 02118, USA
| | - Melissa J Davoust
- Department of Health, Law, Policy and Management, Boston University School of Public Health, 715 Albany St, Boston, MA, 02118, USA
| | - Shannon N Ogden
- Department of Health, Law, Policy and Management, Boston University School of Public Health, 715 Albany St, Boston, MA, 02118, USA
| | - Alex H Kral
- RTI International, 2150 Shattuck Avenue. Suite 800., Berkeley, CA, 94704, USA
| | - Sean R Cahill
- Fenway Institute and Department of Health, Law, Policy and Management, Boston University School of Public Health, 715 Albany St, Boston, MA, 02118, USA
| | - Angela R Bazzi
- Herbert Wertheim School of Public Health and Human Longevity Science, University of California, 9500 Gilman Dr. La Jolla, San Diego, CA, 92093, USA. .,Department of Community Health Sciences, Boston University School of Public Health, 715 Albany St, Boston, MA, 02118, USA.
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10
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Jozaghi E, Vandu, Maynard R, Khoshnoudian Y, Brondani MA. Access to oral care is a human rights issue: a community action report from the Downtown Eastside of Vancouver, Canada. Harm Reduct J 2022; 19:42. [PMID: 35501857 PMCID: PMC9059447 DOI: 10.1186/s12954-022-00626-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2021] [Accepted: 04/20/2022] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
To offer a critical reflection on an impoverished neighborhood in Vancouver, Canada, and their access to oral health care. A review of how a lack of publicly funded oral health care affects the most vulnerable, uninsured, and underserved citizens is performed. Personal and professional accounts on how entrepreneurial innovations of not-for-profit organizations can help to close the gap in access to oral health care are offered using the Vancouver Area Network of drug users (VANDU) and the PHS Community Services Society as case studies in British Columbia. Despite the efforts put forward by not-for-profit organizations such as the VANDU and the PHS Community Services Society, a national oral health care plan is warranted though still not a political imperative. Underserved citizens have a right to oral health care that is compassionate, collaborative, accessible, and affordable.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ehsan Jozaghi
- Faculty of Dentistry, 116/2199 Wesbrook Mall, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z3, Canada.
| | - Vandu
- Vancouver Area Network of Drug Users (VANDU), 380 East Hastings St, Vancouver, BC, V6A 1P4, Canada
| | - Russ Maynard
- PHS Community Services Society, 9 E Hastings St, Vancouver, BC, V6A 1M9, Canada
| | - Yasaman Khoshnoudian
- Faculty of Dentistry, 116/2199 Wesbrook Mall, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z3, Canada
| | - Mario A Brondani
- Faculty of Dentistry, 116/2199 Wesbrook Mall, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z3, Canada
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11
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Gehring ND, Speed KA, Launier K, O'Brien D, Campbell S, Hyshka E. The state of science on including inhalation within supervised consumption services: A scoping review of academic and grey literature. THE INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF DRUG POLICY 2022; 102:103589. [DOI: 10.1016/j.drugpo.2022.103589] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2021] [Revised: 01/04/2022] [Accepted: 01/10/2022] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
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12
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Stack E, Hildebran C, Leichtling G, Waddell EN, Leahy JM, Martin E, Korthuis PT. Peer Recovery Support Services Across the Continuum: In Community, Hospital, Corrections, and Treatment and Recovery Agency Settings - A Narrative Review. J Addict Med 2022; 16:93-100. [PMID: 33560695 PMCID: PMC8339174 DOI: 10.1097/adm.0000000000000810] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
In this narrative review, we outline the literature describing the history, training, certification, and role of peer recovery support specialists working with people with substance use disorders at different stages of active use and recovery. We explore the impact of peer recovery support specialists serving people in various settings, including the community, hospitals and emergency departments, jails and prisons, and treatment and recovery agencies; and describes considerations for future expansion of peer recovery support services, including supervision needs, compassion fatigue and burnout, and scope of practice. Finally, we make recommendations to support the broad implementation of peer recovery support services as a sustainable, cohesive, and replicable component of harm reduction and addiction services. We also make recommendations for research to continue to evaluate peer recovery support specialist interventions across settings and outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erin Stack
- Comagine Health, Portland, OR (ES, CH, GL); Oregon Health & Science University-Portland State University School of Public Health, Portland, OR (ENW, PTK); Oregon Health Authority, Public Health Division, Portland, OR (JML); Mental Health and Addiction Certification Board of Oregon, Portland, OR (EM); Oregon Health & Science University School of Medicine, Section of Addiction Medicine, Portland, OR (ENW, PTK)
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13
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Greer A, Buxton JA, Pauly B, Bungay V. Organizational support for frontline harm reduction and systems navigation work among workers with living and lived experience: qualitative findings from British Columbia, Canada. Harm Reduct J 2021; 18:60. [PMID: 34090473 PMCID: PMC8179702 DOI: 10.1186/s12954-021-00507-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2020] [Accepted: 05/24/2021] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The inclusion of people with lived and living experience of substance use is essential to effective and client-centered harm reduction services and strategies. The aim of this study is to critically examine and characterize peer worker roles and the definition, recognition, and support for these roles within harm reduction organizations. METHODS Fifteen interviews were conducted with peer workers-people with lived and living experience of substance use engaged in harm reduction service delivery-in British Columbia, Canada. An interpretive descriptive approach to data analysis was used to generate themes that best illustrated the roles of peer workers. FINDINGS Two interrelated and overarching themes are presented: (1) peer work in practice; (2) organizational support. Our findings illustrate that peer work is incredibly complex and demanding, requiring peers to be at the forefront of support within their communities while simultaneously navigating the oppressive structures within which they work. While peer workers found a high degree of purpose and meaning in their day-to-day work, their roles lacked definition within organizations, which produced feelings of ineffectiveness and being undervalued. A lack of organizational understanding and recognition of their roles was evident from unclear "peer" role titles, a lack of role communication and expectations, the representation of experiential knowledge, and a lack of role support and training. CONCLUSIONS These findings may help harm reduction organizations understand peer work and worker roles which may inform and promote equity in future harm reduction initiatives that include people with living and lived experience of substance use.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Greer
- School of Criminology, Simon Fraser University, 8888 University Drive, Burnaby, BC, V5A 1S6, Canada.
| | - J A Buxton
- School of Population and Public Health, University of British Columbia, 2206 East Mall, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z3, Canada
| | - B Pauly
- School of Nursing, University of Victoria, PO Box 1700 STN CSC, Victoria, BC, V8W 2Y2, Canada
| | - V Bungay
- School of Nursing, University of British Columbia, T201-2211 Wesbrook Mall, Vancouver, BC, V6T 2B5, Canada
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14
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Clapp L, Conner S, Fonseca D, Jones C, Williams M, Buer LM. Appreciating contributions more than celebrating resilience: Reflections on the disclosure of substance use in Appalachia. THE INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF DRUG POLICY 2021; 98:103277. [PMID: 34053825 DOI: 10.1016/j.drugpo.2021.103277] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2020] [Revised: 03/15/2021] [Accepted: 04/16/2021] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Disclosure of personal substance use often places people who use drugs (PWUD) at risk, both personally and professionally. Yet disclosure can positively influence governmental and organizational policies as well as improve programs meant to serve PWUD. Through numerous autobiographical conversations, six researchers and professionals in their thirties and forties who live in the Appalachian region of the United States examined what it meant for us to discuss our illicit substance use publicly. We examined the limitations of the term "lived experience" and detailed our non-problematic use. Most of us have, at times, experienced negative consequences of substance use, but these consequences are as tied to society's negative responses to substance use as to use itself. When disclosing use, we have often found that others are keen to portray PWUD as resilient, but are less willing to highlight the contributions of PWUD while they are using. We agree that making disclosure more acceptable as well as acknowledging the positive aspects of drug use would alter societal responses to use to be more effective at preventing harm. We conclude by highlighting societal and institutional policy changes that will increase the ability of PWUD to openly disclose use.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lindy Clapp
- Choice Health Network Harm Reduction, 1925 Ailor Avenue, Knoxville, TN 37921, United States.
| | - Samuel Conner
- Choice Health Network Harm Reduction, 1925 Ailor Avenue, Knoxville, TN 37921, United States
| | - David Fonseca
- Choice Health Network Harm Reduction, 1925 Ailor Avenue, Knoxville, TN 37921, United States
| | - Carrie Jones
- Choice Health Network Harm Reduction, 1925 Ailor Avenue, Knoxville, TN 37921, United States
| | - Meghan Williams
- Choice Health Network Harm Reduction, 1925 Ailor Avenue, Knoxville, TN 37921, United States
| | - Lesly-Marie Buer
- Choice Health Network Harm Reduction, 1925 Ailor Avenue, Knoxville, TN 37921, United States
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15
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Mamdani Z, McKenzie S, Pauly B, Cameron F, Conway-Brown J, Edwards D, Howell A, Scott T, Seguin R, Woodrow P, Buxton JA. "Running myself ragged": stressors faced by peer workers in overdose response settings. Harm Reduct J 2021; 18:18. [PMID: 33573661 PMCID: PMC7877312 DOI: 10.1186/s12954-020-00449-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2020] [Accepted: 12/02/2020] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Peer workers or “peers” (workers with past or present drug use experience) are at the forefront of overdose response initiatives, and their role is essential in creating safe spaces for people who use drugs (PWUD). Working in overdose response settings has benefits for peer workers but is also stressful, with lasting emotional and mental health effects. Yet, little is known about the stressors peer workers face and what interventions can be implemented to support them in their roles. Methods This project used a community-based sequential mixed-methods research design. Eight peer researcher-led focus groups (n = 31) were conducted between November 2018 and March 2019 to assess needs of peer workers. The transcripts were thematically coded and analysed using interpretative description. These results informed a survey, which was conducted (n = 50) in September 2019 to acquire quantitative data on peer workers’ perception of health, quality of life, working conditions and stressors. Frequency distributions were used to describe characteristics of participants. X2 distribution values with Yates correction were conducted to check for association between variables. Results Five themes emerged from the focus groups that point to stressors felt by peer workers: (1) financial insecurity; (2) lack of respect and recognition at work; (3) housing challenges; (4) inability to access and/or refer individuals to resources; and (5) constant exposure to death and trauma. Consistent with this, the factors that survey participants picked as one of their “top three stressors” included financial situation, work situation, and housing challenges. Conclusion Peer workers are faced with a diversity of stressors in their lives which often reflect societal stigmatization of drug use. Recognition of these systemic stressors is critical in designing interventions to ease the emotional, physical and financial burden faced by peer workers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zahra Mamdani
- BC Centre for Disease Control, 655 West 12th Avenue, Vancouver, BC, V5Z 4R4, Canada
| | - Sophie McKenzie
- BC Centre for Disease Control, 655 West 12th Avenue, Vancouver, BC, V5Z 4R4, Canada
| | - Bernadette Pauly
- Canadian Institute for Substance Use Research, STN CSC, University of Victoria, Box 1700, Victoria, BC, Canada
| | - Fred Cameron
- SOLID Outreach Society, 1056 N Park St, Victoria, BC, V8T 1C6, Canada
| | | | - Denice Edwards
- RainCity Housing, 616 Powell St, Vancouver, BC, V6A 1H4, Canada
| | - Amy Howell
- SOLID Outreach Society, 1056 N Park St, Victoria, BC, V8T 1C6, Canada
| | - Tracy Scott
- RainCity Housing, 616 Powell St, Vancouver, BC, V6A 1H4, Canada
| | - Ryan Seguin
- SOLID Outreach Society, 1056 N Park St, Victoria, BC, V8T 1C6, Canada
| | - Peter Woodrow
- RainCity Housing, 616 Powell St, Vancouver, BC, V6A 1H4, Canada
| | - Jane A Buxton
- BC Centre for Disease Control, 655 West 12th Avenue, Vancouver, BC, V5Z 4R4, Canada. .,School of Population and Public Health, University of British Columbia, 2329 West Mall, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z4, Canada.
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16
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“It's an emotional roller coaster… But sometimes it's fucking awesome”: Meaning and motivation of work for peers in overdose response environments in British Columbia. THE INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF DRUG POLICY 2021; 88:103015. [DOI: 10.1016/j.drugpo.2020.103015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2020] [Revised: 09/14/2020] [Accepted: 10/13/2020] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
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17
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Speed KA, Gehring ND, Launier K, O'Brien D, Campbell S, Hyshka E. To what extent do supervised drug consumption services incorporate non-injection routes of administration? A systematic scoping review documenting existing facilities. Harm Reduct J 2020; 17:72. [PMID: 33028363 PMCID: PMC7539556 DOI: 10.1186/s12954-020-00414-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2020] [Accepted: 09/16/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Most of the existing research on supervised consumption services (SCS) is focused on injection drug use. Less is known about the applicability of SCS for people who consume drugs orally, intranasally, or through inhalation. This is problematic because people who use drugs through modes other than injection are also at risk of overdose death and other harm, and experience barriers accessing health and social services. We aimed to describe existing SCS models that accommodate these alternate routes of drug consumption, and synthesize available information on characteristics of program participants. METHODS We conducted a systematic scoping review of 9 peer-reviewed and 13 grey literature databases on SCS that incorporate non-injection routes of consumption. We screened 22,882 titles, and excluded 22,843 (99.8%) articles. We ultimately included 39 (0.2%) full-text articles; 28 (72%) of these articles explicitly identified SCS that permit alternate routes of consumption and 21 (54%) discussed characteristics of participants who consume drugs through non-injection routes. Data on study characteristics, terms and definitions, and site and program participant characteristics were extracted and double-coded. Extracted data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and narrative synthesis. RESULTS Included articles describe 48 SCS that permit non-injection routes of consumption, most of which were located in Germany. The majority of these SCS were legally sanctioned and had models of care that were largely comparable to supervised injection services. Notable differences included physical infrastructure such as ventilated rooms or outdoor areas to accommodate inhalation, and shorter time limits on non-injection drug consumption episodes. Program participants engaging in non-injection forms of consumption were typically men over the age of 30 and structurally vulnerable (e.g., experiencing homelessness or unstable housing). CONCLUSIONS Extant academic and grey literature indicates that site characteristics and demographics of program participants of SCS that permit non-injection routes of consumption largely reflect those of supervised injection services. Further research on the range of existing SCS that incorporate non-injection routes of consumption is needed to ensure high quality service provision, and improved health outcomes for people who consume drugs via oral, intranasal, and inhalation routes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kelsey A Speed
- School of Public Health, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
- Inner City Health and Wellness Program, Royal Alexandra Hospital, Edmonton, AB, Canada
| | - Nicole D Gehring
- School of Public Health, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
- Inner City Health and Wellness Program, Royal Alexandra Hospital, Edmonton, AB, Canada
| | - Katherine Launier
- Inner City Health and Wellness Program, Royal Alexandra Hospital, Edmonton, AB, Canada
| | - Daniel O'Brien
- School of Public Health, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
- Inner City Health and Wellness Program, Royal Alexandra Hospital, Edmonton, AB, Canada
| | - Sandy Campbell
- John W. Scott Health Sciences Library, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
| | - Elaine Hyshka
- School of Public Health, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada.
- Inner City Health and Wellness Program, Royal Alexandra Hospital, Edmonton, AB, Canada.
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18
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Calleja Panero JL, Lens García S, Fernández Bermejo M, Crespo J. Definition of the profiles of hepatitis C virus patients based on the identification of risky practices in Spain. REVISTA ESPANOLA DE ENFERMEDADES DIGESTIVAS 2020; 111:731-737. [PMID: 31526012 DOI: 10.17235/reed.2019.6169/2019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
The absolute number of patients infected with the hepatitis C virus and its prevalence in Spain according to risk practices are not precise. The objective of the study was to estimate the current direct-action antiviral candidates, according to risky practices. The exposed population was determined according to each risky practice and age, based on the data obtained in two epidemiological studies and other bibliographic sources. The overall prevalence of positive serology for the Hepatitis C virus according to the analyzed data was 1.1% (41% with an active infection). The most at-risk group are intravenous drug users (60,368-82,454). It is estimated that between 37,387 to 51,065 patients would be infected via sexual transmission, between 55,505 and 75,812 patients following a blood transfusion and around 18,528 to 25,307 patients by socio-family transmission. According to these data, more than half (55-79%) of the subjects with risky practices would have significant fibrosis (≥ F2). It is estimated that more than half a million people have a positive serology for the Hepatitis C virus and 144,191 to 227,773 antiviral treatments are expected in the coming years. The identification of people with risky practices is key to increase the percentage of diagnosed cases.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Javier Crespo
- Servicio de Aparato Digestivo, Hospital Universitario Marqués de Valdecilla, Santander., España
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19
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Jozaghi E. The Opioid Epidemic: Task-Shifting in Health Care and the Case for Access to Harm Reduction for People Who Use Drugs. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF HEALTH SERVICES 2020; 52:261-268. [PMID: 32268811 DOI: 10.1177/0020731420914820] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
We are sadly experiencing unprecedented levels of overdose mortalities attributed to the increased availability of synthetic opioids in illegal markets. While the majority of attention in North America has focused on preventing drug overdose cases through the distribution and administration of naloxone, in addition to stricter regulations of opioid prescriptions and greater law enforcement in illegal markets, little attention has been given to other alternative models and treatments for people who use drugs that are tailored specifically to the health care needs of this marginalized population. Through this analysis, the implications of task-shifting in health care via the distribution of naloxone for an already marginalized population are discussed. Alternatively, the role of pioneering harm-reduction programs - such as supervised injection/consumption sites, a variety of opioids maintenance therapies, and social-structural interventions - are highlighted as crucial interventions in the current ongoing opioid crisis. Moreover, people with lived experiences of illegal drug use are discussed as having a pivotal role but being ultimately overshadowed by public health partners.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ehsan Jozaghi
- The School of Population and Public Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
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20
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Jozaghi E, Yake K. Two decades of activism, social justice, and public health civil disobedience: VANDU. CANADIAN JOURNAL OF PUBLIC HEALTH = REVUE CANADIENNE DE SANTE PUBLIQUE 2020; 111:143-144. [PMID: 31939084 PMCID: PMC7046830 DOI: 10.17269/s41997-019-00287-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2019] [Accepted: 12/11/2019] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Ehsan Jozaghi
- The BC Centre for Disease Control, 655 W 12th Ave., Vancouver, BC, V5Z 4R4, Canada.
- School of Population and Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia, 2206 East Mall, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z3, Canada.
| | - Kevin Yake
- Vancouver Area Network of Drug Users, 380 E Hastings St., Vancouver, BC, V6A 1P4, Canada
- The Western Aboriginal Harm Reduction Society, 380 E Hastings St., Vancouver, BC, V6A 1P4, Canada
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21
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Rigoni R, Woods S, Breeksema JJ. From opiates to methamphetamine: building new harm reduction responses in Jakarta, Indonesia. Harm Reduct J 2019; 16:67. [PMID: 31829253 PMCID: PMC6907268 DOI: 10.1186/s12954-019-0341-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2019] [Accepted: 11/14/2019] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Despite the rise of stimulant use, most harm reduction programs still focus on people who inject opioids, leaving many people who use methamphetamine (PWUM) underserviced. In Asia, especially, where methamphetamine prevalence has overtaken opioids prevalence, harm reduction programs assisting PWUM are rare. The few existing innovative practices focusing on methamphetamine use lie underreported. Understanding how these programs moved their focus from opiates to methamphetamine could help inspire new harm reduction responses. Hence, this paper analyzes a newly implemented outreach program assisting methamphetamine users in Jakarta, Indonesia. It addresses the program's critical learning points when making the transition to respond to stimulant use. METHODS This case study is part of a more extensive research on good practices of harm reduction for stimulant use. For this case study, data was collected through Indonesian contextual documents and documents from the program, structured questionnaire, in-depth interviews with service staff and service users, a focus group discussion with service users, and in-loco observations of activities. For this paper, data was reinterpreted to focus on the key topics that needed to be addressed when the program transitioned from working with people who use opioids to PWUM. RESULTS Four key topics were found: (1) getting in touch with different types of PWUM and building trust relationships; (2) adapting safer smoking kits to local circumstances; (3) reframing partnerships while finding ways to address mental health issues; and (4) responding to local law enforcement practices. CONCLUSIONS The meaningful involvement of PWUM was essential in the development and evaluation of outreach work, the planning, and the adaptation of safer smoking kits to local circumstances. Also, it helped to gain understanding of the broader needs of PWUM, including mental health care and their difficulties related to law enforcement activities. Operating under a broad harm reduction definition and addressing a broad spectrum of individual and social needs are preferable to focusing solely on specific interventions and supplies for safer drug use. Since many PWUM smoke rather than inject, securing funding for harm reduction focused on people who do not inject drugs and/or who do not use opioids is fundamental in keeping programs sustainable.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rafaela Rigoni
- Mainline Foundation, Amsterdam, Netherlands.
- Department of History and Art History, Utrecht University, Utrecht, Netherlands.
| | - Sara Woods
- Mainline Foundation, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Joost J Breeksema
- University Center of Psychiatry, University Medical Center of Groningen, Groningen, Netherlands
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22
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Brown G, Crawford S, Perry GE, Byrne J, Dunne J, Reeders D, Corry A, Dicka J, Morgan H, Jones S. Achieving meaningful participation of people who use drugs and their peer organizations in a strategic research partnership. Harm Reduct J 2019; 16:37. [PMID: 31182099 PMCID: PMC6558880 DOI: 10.1186/s12954-019-0306-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2019] [Accepted: 05/15/2019] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Peer-led programs with people who use drugs (PWUD) have been a key characteristic of the harm reduction in many countries, including their involvement in research. However, peer involvement in research is often limited to recruitment, consultation, and reporting back, rather than a genuine collaboration in the priority setting, design, and conduct of research. PWUD peer organizations face ongoing challenges to demonstrate the depth of their knowledge of current and emerging issues within drug-using networks and the value of their peer insights for effective research and policy. The identification of benefits, barriers, and enablers for meaningful participation of PWUD in research has often been limited to methodological rather than system level factors. Methods This paper draws on the experiences and findings of the What Works and Why (W3) Project, a 5-year collaborative study with peer organizations. The study drew on systems thinking methods to develop a framework to demonstrate the role of peer organizations within their community and policy systems. The study required peer staff and researchers to undertake the simultaneous role of drivers, participants, and analysts in the research. To identify the learnings in relation to meaningful participation of PWUD peer organizations in research, we drew together the insights and experiences of peer staff and researchers across the 5 years of the study Results The W3 Project provided insights into the nuances of community-engaged research practice and the ongoing benefits, barriers, and enablers to the meaningful participation of PWUD and their peer organizations. These included system-level barriers and enablers beyond individual research projects or methodology. The capacity of research and peer organizations to maintain meaningful peer participation in research can be restricted or enhanced by the systems in which they are embedded. Conclusions Recognizing peer organizations as active participants and drivers within community and policy systems can help clarify their unique and critical role in research. Achieving meaningful collaboration with PWUD peer organizations requires looking beyond good practice methods to the system-level factors with attention to the system-level benefits, barriers, and enablers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Graham Brown
- Australian Research Centre in Sex, Health and Society, La Trobe University, Bundoora, VIC, 3086, Australia.
| | - Sione Crawford
- Harm Reduction Victoria, PO Box 12720, A'Beckett Street, Melbourne, 8006, Australia
| | - Gari-Emma Perry
- Peer-Based Harm Reduction WA, PO Box 8003, Perth, WA, 6849, Australia
| | - Jude Byrne
- Australian Injecting & Illicit Drug Users League, GPO Box 1555, ACT, Canberra, 2601, Australia
| | - James Dunne
- Australian Research Centre in Sex, Health and Society, La Trobe University, Bundoora, VIC, 3086, Australia
| | - Daniel Reeders
- School of Regulation and Global Governance, Australian National University, ACT, Canberra, 2600, Australia
| | - Angela Corry
- Peer-Based Harm Reduction WA, PO Box 8003, Perth, WA, 6849, Australia
| | - Jane Dicka
- Harm Reduction Victoria, PO Box 12720, A'Beckett Street, Melbourne, 8006, Australia
| | - Hunter Morgan
- Harm Reduction Victoria, PO Box 12720, A'Beckett Street, Melbourne, 8006, Australia
| | - Sam Jones
- Harm Reduction Victoria, PO Box 12720, A'Beckett Street, Melbourne, 8006, Australia
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Bourque S, Pijl EM, Mason E, Manning J, Motz T. Supervised inhalation is an important part of supervised consumption services. Canadian Journal of Public Health 2019; 110:210-215. [PMID: 30725386 DOI: 10.17269/s41997-019-00180-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2018] [Accepted: 01/16/2019] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
SETTING The first regulated supervised inhalation site (safer smoking room) in North America has opened in Lethbridge, Alberta, as part of a supervised consumption site addressing all routes of consumption. When designing the service, we felt it was important to accommodate not just injection drug use but also inhalation because (1) it is not the method of drug use that kills but the drug itself, (2) all people who use drugs deserve service regardless of their mode of use, and (3) people who use drugs should have the opportunity to use the method with the lowest risk. INTERVENTION We received approval from Health Canada to offer supervised inhalation services in addition to supervised injection services. Based on a European model, we worked with a local commercial heating, cooling, and ventilation (HVAC) company to create rooms with ventilation systems that complied with Canadian health and safety regulations. OUTCOME People who use drugs by inhalation have repeatedly told us that they want to use indoors and will do so given the option. Since opening the supervised consumption service at the end of February 2018, the response has been overwhelming and both of the inhalation rooms are constantly in use. IMPLICATIONS Supervised inhalation services provide an alternative to public drug use and an opportunity for people who use drugs to engage with harm reduction services. Other supervised consumption services in Canada may also wish to pursue exemptions for this service.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stacey Bourque
- ARCHES, 1016 1 Avenue S, Lethbridge, AB, T1J 0B1, Canada.
| | - Em M Pijl
- Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Lethbridge, 4401 University Drive, Lethbridge, AB, T1K 3M4, Canada
| | - Erin Mason
- ARCHES, 1016 1 Avenue S, Lethbridge, AB, T1J 0B1, Canada
| | - Jill Manning
- ARCHES, 1016 1 Avenue S, Lethbridge, AB, T1J 0B1, Canada
| | - Takara Motz
- ARCHES, 1016 1 Avenue S, Lethbridge, AB, T1J 0B1, Canada
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24
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Jozaghi E, Greer AM, Lampkin H, Buxton JA. Activism and scientific research: 20 years of community action by the Vancouver area network of drug users. SUBSTANCE ABUSE TREATMENT PREVENTION AND POLICY 2018; 13:18. [PMID: 29788975 PMCID: PMC5964704 DOI: 10.1186/s13011-018-0158-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2018] [Accepted: 05/17/2018] [Indexed: 01/20/2023]
Abstract
Background Over the past several decades, there have been numerous peer-reviewed articles written about people who use drugs (PWUDs) from the Downtown Eastside neighborhood of Vancouver, Canada. While individual researchers have engaged and acknowledged this population as participants and community partners in their work, there has been comparatively little attention given to the role of PWUDs and drug user organizations in directing, influencing, and shaping research agendas. Methods In this community-driven research, we examine 20 years of peer-reviewed studies, university theses, books, and reports that have been directed, influenced, and shaped by members of the activist organization the Vancouver Area Network of Drug Users (VANDU). In this paper, we have summarized VANDU’s work based on different themes from each article. Results After applying the inclusion criteria to over 400 articles, 59 items containing peer-reviewed studies, books, and reports were included and three themes of topics researched or discussed were identified. Theme 1: ‘health needs’ of marginalized groups was found in 39% of articles, Theme 2: ‘evaluation of projects’ related to harm reduction in 19%, and Theme 3: ‘activism’ related work in 42%. Ninety-four percent of co-authors were from British Columbia and 44% of research was qualitative. Works that have been co-authored by VANDU’s members or acknowledged their participations created 628 citations. Moreover, their work has been accessed more than 149,600 times. Conclusions Peer-based, democratic harm reduction organizations are important partners in facilitating groundbreaking health and social research, and through research can advocate for the improved health and wellbeing of PWUDs and other marginalized groups in their community. This article also recommends that PWUDs should be more respectfully engaged and given appropriate credit for their contributions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ehsan Jozaghi
- The British Columbia Centre for Disease Control, 655 W 12th Ave, Vancouver, BC, V5Z 4R4, Canada. .,The School of Population and Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia, 2206 East Mall, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z3, Canada.
| | - Alissa M Greer
- The British Columbia Centre for Disease Control, 655 W 12th Ave, Vancouver, BC, V5Z 4R4, Canada.,The School of Population and Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia, 2206 East Mall, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z3, Canada
| | - Hugh Lampkin
- Vancouver Area Network of Drug Users, 380 E Hastings St, Vancouver, BC, V6A 1P4, Canada
| | - Jane A Buxton
- The British Columbia Centre for Disease Control, 655 W 12th Ave, Vancouver, BC, V5Z 4R4, Canada.,The School of Population and Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia, 2206 East Mall, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z3, Canada
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25
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Jozaghi E, Maynard R, Dadakhah-Chimeh Z, Yake K, Blyth S. The synthetic opioid epidemic and the need for mental health support for first responders who intervene in overdose cases. Canadian Journal of Public Health 2018; 109:231-232. [PMID: 29981029 DOI: 10.17269/s41997-018-0044-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2018] [Accepted: 02/22/2018] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Ehsan Jozaghi
- The BC Centre for Disease Control, 655 W 12th Ave, Vancouver, BC, V5Z 4R4, Canada. .,The School of Population and Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia, 2206 East Mall, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z3, Canada.
| | - Russ Maynard
- PHS Community Services Society, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Zahra Dadakhah-Chimeh
- Faculty of Health Sciences, The Psychiatrist Nursing Program, Douglas College, 1250 Pinetree Way, Coquitlam, BC, V3B 7X3, Canada
| | - Kevin Yake
- Vancouver Area Network of Drug Users, 380 E Hastings St, Vancouver, BC, V6A 1P4, Canada.,The Western Aboriginal Harm Reduction Society, 380 E Hastings St, Vancouver, BC, V6A 1P4, Canada
| | - Sarah Blyth
- Overdose Prevention Society, Vancouver, BC, Canada.,Downtown Eastside Street Market Society, Vancouver, BC, Canada
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26
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Stengel CM, Mane F, Guise A, Pouye M, Sigrist M, Rhodes T. "They accept me, because I was one of them": formative qualitative research supporting the feasibility of peer-led outreach for people who use drugs in Dakar, Senegal. Harm Reduct J 2018; 15:9. [PMID: 29486774 PMCID: PMC5830063 DOI: 10.1186/s12954-018-0214-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2017] [Accepted: 02/18/2018] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Peer outreach harm reduction initiatives are being developed with and for people who use drugs in Dakar, Senegal. This is in response to growing injecting drug use across the West Africa region and linked emerging epidemics of HIV and hepatitis C. We undertook formative qualitative research to explore the feasibility and potential of peer outreach in this context and in particular how outreach could be linked to fostering community-level processes of change. METHODS We undertook a total of 44 semi-structured qualitative interviews. Thirty-four interviews were with people who used drugs (comprised of 25 participants who had injected at least once in their life) and included 11 peer educators who delivered "awareness-raising" harm reduction activities. We also interviewed 10 service providers involved in the planning and monitoring of peer outreach initiatives. We used thematic analysis to identify key characteristics of how peer-led outreach is being delivered, beneficiary need, and the nature of the social networks in which the awareness-raising activities operate. RESULTS Through interviews with peer educators, people who use drugs, and service providers, four main overlapping themes are identified as follows: peer educators as a bridge to responsibilization through awareness-raising activities, awareness-raising activities as an enactment of recovery, awareness raising through social network diffusion, and the contexts and constraints of peer outreach engagement through awareness-raising activities. CONCLUSIONS The study results suggest that peer education is on a trajectory to develop into a central role for harm reduction interventions in Dakar, Senegal. This research shows how peer education is bound in processes of responsibilization and self-change, which link to varying possibilities for risk reduction or recovery. For peer education to achieve a range of significant goals, broader structural and system changes should be implemented in the region. We caution that without such changes, awareness-raising activities and the role of peer educators may instead become part of state- and agency-sponsored processes of seeking to responsibilize individuals for health and harm reduction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Camille May Stengel
- University of Greenwich, Old Royal Naval College, Park Row, London, SE10 9LS, UK.
| | - Famara Mane
- Alliance Nationale des Communautés pour la Santé, Cité Keur Gorgui Villa 41, 10297, Dakar, Senegal
| | - Andrew Guise
- Addison House, Guy's Hospital, King's College London, London, SE1 9RT, UK
| | - Magath Pouye
- Alliance Nationale des Communautés pour la Santé, Cité Keur Gorgui Villa 41, 10297, Dakar, Senegal
| | - Monika Sigrist
- International HIV/AIDS Alliance, Preece House, 91-101 Davigdor Rd, Brighton, BN3 1RE, UK
| | - Tim Rhodes
- London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, 15-17 Tavistock Place, London, WC1H 9SH, UK
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27
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Thomson E, Lampkin H, Maynard R, Karamouzian M, Jozaghi E. The lessons learned from the fentanyl overdose crises in British Columbia, Canada. Addiction 2017; 112:2068-2070. [PMID: 28901045 DOI: 10.1111/add.13961] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2017] [Revised: 06/21/2017] [Accepted: 08/01/2017] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Erica Thomson
- University of the Fraser Valley, Abbotsford, BC, Canada.,SARA for Women, Abbotsford, BC, Canada
| | - Hugh Lampkin
- Vancouver Area Network of Drug Users, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Russ Maynard
- PHS Community Services Society, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Mohammad Karamouzian
- The BC Centre on Substance Use, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada.,School of Population and Public Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada.,UBC Youth Sexual Health Team, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada.,HIV/STI Surveillance Research Center, and WHO Collaborating Center for HIV Surveillance, Institute for Future Studies in Health, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran
| | - Ehsan Jozaghi
- The BC Centre for Disease Control, Vancouver, BC, Canada.,School of Population and Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
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28
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Public Health and Public Order Outcomes Associated with Supervised Drug Consumption Facilities: a Systematic Review. Curr HIV/AIDS Rep 2017; 14:161-183. [DOI: 10.1007/s11904-017-0363-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 94] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
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29
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Conroy AA, McKenna SA, Leddy A, Johnson MO, Ngubane T, Darbes LA, van Rooyen H. "If She is Drunk, I Don't Want Her to Take it": Partner Beliefs and Influence on Use of Alcohol and Antiretroviral Therapy in South African Couples. AIDS Behav 2017; 21:1885-1891. [PMID: 28150121 PMCID: PMC5493498 DOI: 10.1007/s10461-017-1697-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
Alcohol consumption and beliefs about mixing alcohol and ART are associated with decreased adherence to antiretroviral therapy (ART). In this study, we examined how romantic partners influence alcohol and ART use. We conducted semi-structured interviews with 24 HIV-positive individuals and their primary partners (48 individuals) in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. Almost 17% of participants spontaneously expressed beliefs that alcohol and ART should not be mixed. Participants who held these beliefs influenced their partners' behaviors by either discouraging the mixing of alcohol and ART, which sometimes resulted in missed pills when drinking, or by helping partners manage their medications when drinking. Other participants encouraged partners to take ART no matter what. Messages on alcohol and ART may need to be refined for ART patients who cannot abstain from alcohol. Primary partners should be included in these education efforts and their influence could be leveraged to help reduce alcohol consumption and maintain adherence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amy A Conroy
- Department of Medicine, Center for AIDS Prevention Studies, University of California San Francisco, 550 16th Street 3rd Floor, San Francisco, CA, USA.
| | | | - Anna Leddy
- Department of Health, Behavior and Society, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MI, USA
| | - Mallory O Johnson
- Department of Medicine, Center for AIDS Prevention Studies, University of California San Francisco, 550 16th Street 3rd Floor, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Thulani Ngubane
- Human Sciences Research Council, Human and Social Development Programme, Durban, South Africa
| | - Lynae A Darbes
- Department of Medicine, Center for AIDS Prevention Studies, University of California San Francisco, 550 16th Street 3rd Floor, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Department of Health Behavior and Biological Sciences, and Center for Sexuality and Health Disparities, School of Nursing, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Heidi van Rooyen
- Human Sciences Research Council, Human and Social Development Programme, Durban, South Africa
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30
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Irwin A, Jozaghi E, Weir BW, Allen ST, Lindsay A, Sherman SG. Mitigating the heroin crisis in Baltimore, MD, USA: a cost-benefit analysis of a hypothetical supervised injection facility. Harm Reduct J 2017; 14:29. [PMID: 28532488 PMCID: PMC5441005 DOI: 10.1186/s12954-017-0153-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2017] [Accepted: 05/05/2017] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Background In Baltimore, MD, as in many cities throughout the USA, overdose rates are on the rise due to both the increase of prescription opioid abuse and that of fentanyl and other synthetic opioids in the drug market. Supervised injection facilities (SIFs) are a widely implemented public health intervention throughout the world, with 97 existing in 11 countries worldwide. Research has documented the public health, social, and economic benefits of SIFs, yet none exist in the USA. The purpose of this study is to model the health and financial costs and benefits of a hypothetical SIF in Baltimore. Methods We estimate the benefits by utilizing local health data and data on the impact of existing SIFs in models for six outcomes: prevented human immunodeficiency virus transmission, Hepatitis C virus transmission, skin and soft-tissue infection, overdose mortality, and overdose-related medical care and increased medication-assisted treatment for opioid dependence. Results We predict that for an annual cost of $1.8 million, a single SIF would generate $7.8 million in savings, preventing 3.7 HIV infections, 21 Hepatitis C infections, 374 days in the hospital for skin and soft-tissue infection, 5.9 overdose deaths, 108 overdose-related ambulance calls, 78 emergency room visits, and 27 hospitalizations, while bringing 121 additional people into treatment. Conclusions We conclude that a SIF would be both extremely cost-effective and a significant public health and economic benefit to Baltimore City.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amos Irwin
- Law Enforcement Action Partnership, Silver Spring, MD, USA. .,Criminal Justice Policy Foundation, Silver Spring, MD, USA.
| | - Ehsan Jozaghi
- British Columbia Centre for Disease Control, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada.,School of Population and Public Health, University of British Columbia, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Brian W Weir
- Department of Health, Behavior, and Society, Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Sean T Allen
- Department of Health, Behavior, and Society, Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Andrew Lindsay
- Department of Health, Behavior, and Society, Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Susan G Sherman
- Criminal Justice Policy Foundation, Amherst College, Silver Spring, MD, USA
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