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Hedden-Clayton B, Cochran J, Carroll JJ, Kral AH, Victor G, Comartin E, Ray B. "If everyone knew about this, how many lives could we save?": Do drug suppliers have a role in reducing overdose risk? DRUG AND ALCOHOL DEPENDENCE REPORTS 2024; 12:100250. [PMID: 39055120 PMCID: PMC11269852 DOI: 10.1016/j.dadr.2024.100250] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2024] [Revised: 06/07/2024] [Accepted: 06/21/2024] [Indexed: 07/27/2024]
Abstract
Introduction An unpredictable illicit drug supply is driving high levels of overdose death in North America. Prior research has demonstrated the importance of involving people who use drugs in harm reduction intervention design and implementation. The inclusion of people who supply drugs in these efforts has been scant. We explore this possibility by interviewing persons targeted by a harm reduction educational program designed specifically for people who supply drugs. Methods In-person interviews with people who use drugs were conducted in 2022 in Indianapolis, Indiana. We conducted a thematic analysis of data from six interviews with people who were either primarily or secondarily trained through this harm reduction training for people who supply drugs. Results Participants described a diverse array of harm reduction strategies, some gained through the targeted education program, which they regularly practiced as they consumed and/or supplied drugs to others. People who supply drugs were regularly identified as key actors capable of widely reducing risk across drug networks. Participants described being motivated by a moral imperative to protect community members, tying the previous loss of friends and loved ones to overdose to their commitments to the safety of others. Conclusion This article contributes to the scholarship on the role of people who supply drugs in implementing harm reduction interventions and reducing overdose risk. Better enabling grassroots harm reduction organizations to provide people who supply drugs with harm reduction training and access to harm reduction resources may help to reduce drug-related harms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bethany Hedden-Clayton
- Wayne State University, Center for Behavioral Health and Justice, 5447 Woodward Avenue, Detroit, MI 48202, USA
- Wayne State University, School of Social Work, 5447 Woodward Avenue, Detroit, MI 48202, USA
| | - Jes Cochran
- The Never Alone Project, Indianapolis, IN, USA
| | - Jennifer J. Carroll
- North Carolina State University, Department of Sociology and Anthropology, 10 Current Drive, Suite 334, Raleigh, NC 27606-8017, USA
| | - Alex H. Kral
- RTI International, 2750 Shattuck Avenue, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Grant Victor
- Rutgers University, School of Social Work, New Brunswick, NJ, USA
| | - Erin Comartin
- Wayne State University, School of Social Work, 5447 Woodward Avenue, Detroit, MI 48202, USA
| | - Bradley Ray
- RTI International, 3040 Cornwallis Rd, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709, USA
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Paz E, Mashhouri V, Payton ME, Schwartz BD, Linger RMA. Healthcare providers' knowledge and attitudes about overdose prevention sites in Colorado. Harm Reduct J 2024; 21:155. [PMID: 39182085 PMCID: PMC11344454 DOI: 10.1186/s12954-024-01066-y] [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: 04/15/2024] [Accepted: 07/27/2024] [Indexed: 08/27/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Overdose prevention sites (OPS) are a harm reduction strategy that offer people who use drugs a variety of resources including but not limited to sterile supplies, linkage to healthcare resources, and intervention if an overdose occurs. OPS operate in over 120 countries and evidence has demonstrated they are an effective harm reduction strategy. Despite their success elsewhere, OPS remain federally illegal in the United States and thus there is limited research on their implementation and outcomes in the United States. This study aimed to identify Colorado healthcare providers' knowledge and attitudes about OPS and determine if there is a correlation between healthcare providers with more knowledge about OPS having a more positive attitude about OPS. METHODS An electronic survey was distributed to healthcare providers in Colorado. Responses were collected in early 2022 and recorded on a 5-point Likert scale. Mean scores between 1 and 5 were calculated for each participant and analysis of variance methods were used to determine correlating demographic factors. A p value of ≤ 0.05 was used to determine statistical significance of all findings. RESULTS This study included 698 participants. A Pearson correlation analysis revealed a strong positive relationship (r = 0.76, p < 0.0001) between provider knowledge and attitudes about OPS. Emergency medicine providers scored the highest in mean knowledge and attitude scores in comparison to all other specialties. Respondents affiliated with a harm reduction center exhibited the highest mean knowledge and attitude scores. Mean knowledge and attitude scores generally rose with respondents' increasing encounters with people who inject drugs in a typical workday, except when reaching nine or more encounters, where a sharp decline occurred. CONCLUSIONS Our study highlights the importance of education, exposure to harm reduction strategies, and inter-specialty collaboration in shaping healthcare providers' knowledge and attitudes about OPS. The positive correlation between providers' knowledge and attitudes about OPS suggests that educating healthcare providers on harm reduction strategies, specifically OPS, may lead to reduced stigmatization of OPS among healthcare professionals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily Paz
- College of Osteopathic Medicine, Rocky Vista University, Englewood, CO, USA
| | - Vahid Mashhouri
- College of Osteopathic Medicine, Rocky Vista University, Englewood, CO, USA
| | - Mark E Payton
- Biomedical Sciences Department, Rocky Vista University, Englewood, CO, USA
| | - Brian D Schwartz
- Medical Humanities Department, Rocky Vista University, Englewood, CO, USA
| | - Rachel M A Linger
- Biomedical Sciences Department, Rocky Vista University, Englewood, CO, USA.
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Mars S, Ondocsin J, Koester KA, Mars V, Mars G, Ciccarone D. "I Heard of PrEP-I Didn't Think I Needed it." Understanding the Formation of HIV Risk Perception Among People Who Inject Drugs. Cult Med Psychiatry 2024:10.1007/s11013-024-09870-8. [PMID: 39007986 DOI: 10.1007/s11013-024-09870-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 06/29/2024] [Indexed: 07/16/2024]
Abstract
Uptake of pre-exposure prophylaxis medication (PrEP) to prevent HIV among people who inject drugs (PWID) remains extremely low in the United States. West Virginia's rising HIV incidence and highest drug overdose rate in the nation makes it an important locus for opioid use and HIV risk interaction. In this pilot study we pioneered the use of Cultural Theory among PWID to understand HIV-related risk perception arising from four contrasting modes of social organization. Carried out during an HIV outbreak, we explored PrEP uptake qualitatively as a window onto risk perception. Of the 26 interviewees, 18 were HIV- and despite the medication's free availability from the health center where recruitment took place, none had taken PrEP, half considering they were not at risk. Intimate couples who showed characteristics of 'enclaves' considered the boundary around themselves protective against HIV, creating a safe space or 'invisible risk group'. Higher HIV risk was perceived among those who were housed compared to those living homeless. Beliefs about the causation of the local HIV outbreak and the validity of scientific research corresponded with characteristics of the contrasting modes of social organization and the approach is promising for informing public health interventions among PWID.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah Mars
- Department of Family and Community Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, 490 Illinois Street, San Francisco, CA, 94158, USA.
| | - Jeff Ondocsin
- Department of Family and Community Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, 490 Illinois Street, San Francisco, CA, 94158, USA
| | - Kimberly A Koester
- Center for AIDS Prevention Studies, University of California, San Francisco, 550 16th St, San Francisco, CA, 94158, USA
| | - Valerie Mars
- Department of Anthropology (Honorary), University College London, Gower St, London, WC1E 6BT, UK
| | - Gerald Mars
- Department of Anthropology (Honorary), University College London, Gower St, London, WC1E 6BT, UK
| | - Daniel Ciccarone
- Department of Family and Community Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, 490 Illinois Street, San Francisco, CA, 94158, USA
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Sibley AL, Klein E, Cooper HLF, Livingston MD, Baker R, Walters SM, Gicquelais RE, Ruderman SA, Friedmann PD, Jenkins WD, Go VF, Miller WC, Westergaard RP, Crane HM. The relationship between felt stigma and non-fatal overdose among rural people who use drugs. Harm Reduct J 2024; 21:77. [PMID: 38582851 PMCID: PMC10998326 DOI: 10.1186/s12954-024-00988-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2023] [Accepted: 03/19/2024] [Indexed: 04/08/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Drug overdose deaths in the United States exceeded 100,000 in 2021 and 2022. Substance use stigma is a major barrier to treatment and harm reduction utilization and is a priority target in ending the overdose epidemic. However, little is known about the relationship between stigma and overdose, especially in rural areas. We aimed to characterize the association between felt stigma and non-fatal overdose in a multi-state sample of rural-dwelling people who use drugs. METHODS Between January 2018 and March 2020, 2,608 people reporting past 30-day opioid use were recruited via modified chain-referral sampling in rural areas across 10 states. Participants completed a computer-assisted survey of substance use and substance-related attitudes, behaviors, and experiences. We used multivariable logistic regression with generalized estimating equations to test the association between felt stigma and recent non-fatal overdose. RESULTS 6.6% of participants (n = 173) reported an overdose in the past 30 days. Recent non-fatal overdose was significantly associated with felt stigma after adjusting for demographic and substance use-related covariates (aOR: 1.47, 95% CI: 1.20-1.81). The association remained significant in sensitivity analyses on component fear of enacted stigma items (aOR: 1.48, 95% CI: 1.20-1.83) and an internalized stigma item (aOR: 1.51, 95% CI: 1.07-2.14). CONCLUSIONS Felt stigma related to substance use is associated with higher risk of non-fatal overdose in rural-dwelling people who use drugs. Stigma reduction interventions and tailored services for those experiencing high stigma are underutilized approaches that may mitigate overdose risk.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adams L Sibley
- Department of Health Behavior, UNC Gillings School of Global Public Health, 170 Rosenau Hall CB #7400, 135 Dauer Dr, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA.
| | - Emma Klein
- Department of Behavioral, Social, and Health Education Sciences, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, 1518 Clifton Road NE, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA
| | - Hannah L F Cooper
- Department of Behavioral, Social, and Health Education Sciences, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, 1518 Clifton Road NE, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA
| | - Melvin D Livingston
- Department of Behavioral, Social, and Health Education Sciences, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, 1518 Clifton Road NE, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA
| | - Robin Baker
- OHSU-PSU School of Public Health, Oregon Health & Science University, 1810 SW 5th Ave, Suite 510, Portland, OR, 97201, USA
| | - Suzan M Walters
- Division of Epidemiology, Department of Population Health, New York University School of Medicine, 180 Madison, New York, NY, 10016, USA
| | - Rachel E Gicquelais
- School of Nursing, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 4257 Signe Skott Cooper Hall, 701 Highland Avenue, Madison, WI, 53705, USA
| | - Stephanie A Ruderman
- Department of Medicine, University of Washington, Harborview Medical Center, 325 9th Ave, Box 359931, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Peter D Friedmann
- University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School-Baystate and Baystate Health, 3601 Main St, Springfield, MA, 01199, USA
| | - Wiley D Jenkins
- Southern Illinois University School of Medicine, 201 E Madison Street, Springfield, IL, 62702, USA
| | - Vivian F Go
- Department of Health Behavior, UNC Gillings School of Global Public Health, 170 Rosenau Hall CB #7400, 135 Dauer Dr, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA
| | - William C Miller
- Department of Epidemiology, UNC Gillings School of Global Public Health, CB#8050, 3rd Floor Carolina Square, Chapel Hill, NC, 27516, USA
| | - Ryan P Westergaard
- University of Wisconsin-Madison, 1685 Highland Avenue, 5th Floor, Madison, WI, 53705-2281, USA
| | - Heidi M Crane
- Department of Medicine, University of Washington, Mail Stop 359931, Seattle, WA, 98104, USA
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Mars S, Ondocsin J, Holm N, Ciccarone D. The influence of transformations in supply on methamphetamine initiation among people injecting opioids in the United States. Harm Reduct J 2024; 21:57. [PMID: 38443903 PMCID: PMC10913463 DOI: 10.1186/s12954-024-00976-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2023] [Accepted: 02/27/2024] [Indexed: 03/07/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Co-use of methamphetamine (MA) and opioids (pharmaceutical pills, heroin and fentanyls) has increased in the United States and is represented in rising mortality. Although coinciding with the import of low cost, high potency and purity methamphetamine, the relationship between supply and demand in propelling this polydrug use is not well understood. We consider the influence of macro changes in supply on the uptake of opioid and methamphetamine co-use by injection at the level of individual drug and injection initiation in West Virginia, a state which leads the US in drug overdose mortality. METHOD We recruited n = 30 people for semi-structured interviews who self-reported injecting heroin/fentanyl and using methamphetamine by any route at a West Virginia syringe service program and through snowball sampling. Interviews were recorded and transcripts analyzed using a thematic approach. Ethnographic observation was also conducted and recorded in fieldnotes. Sequence of substance and mode of use initiation and use trajectories for opioids and stimulants were charted for each participant. RESULTS A clear pattern of individual drug initiation emerged that matched each successive supply wave of the US overdose epidemic: 25 participants had initiated opioid use with pills, followed by heroin, often mixed with/replaced by fentanyl, and subsequently added methamphetamine use. For participants, the supply and consumption of opioid analgesics had set in motion a series of steps leading to the addition of stimulant injection to existing opioid injecting repertoires. Unlike other studies that have found a birth cohort effect in patterns of initiation, participants showed the same sequence across age groups. Considerations of economy, availability, dependence, tolerance and the erosion of taboos that marked transitions from opioid pills to heroin injection influenced these subsequent trajectories in novel ways. The form, timing and extent of opioid and stimulant consumption was influenced by four stages of the changing drug supply, which in turn reflected back on demand. CONCLUSION Transformations in the social meaning and supply of methamphetamine enabled these transitions while other desired, non-injectable drugs were difficult to obtain. We discuss policy implications of injectable drugs' market dominance at this location and possible interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah Mars
- University of California, San Francisco, USA.
| | | | - Nicole Holm
- University of California, San Francisco, USA
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Egan KL, Gurka K, Macmadu A, Linn H. Changes in Perceptions of First Responders After Witnessing a Drug Overdose: Individual and Contextual Variations Among People Who Use Opioids in West Virginia. JOURNAL OF APPALACHIAN HEALTH 2023; 5:22-37. [PMID: 38784147 PMCID: PMC11110897 DOI: 10.13023/jah.0503.03] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/25/2024]
Abstract
Introduction Success of opioid overdose interventions involving first responders is dependent on the comfort level that bystanders have with first responders and their willingness to call for assistance. Positive or negative experiences with first responders following witnessing an overdose may influence a person's willingness to call a first responder for assistance in the future. Purpose The objective of this study was to examine changes in bystanders' perceptions of first responders following witnessing an overdose attended by emergency medical services or a law enforcement official. It specifically explored perception changes among a sample of individuals residing in Appalachia who use prescription opioids nonmedically. Methods Individuals from West Virginia who used prescription opioids nonmedically were interviewed to examine changes in perceptions of first responders following witnessing an overdose. The analytic sample (N = 50) consisted of participants who witnessed an overdose for which 911 was called and stayed until a first responder arrived. Chi-square contingency tables and ANOVA were conducted to assess relationships between individual and contextual characteristics with changes in perceptions. Results Findings indicate that the majority (63%) had improved perceptions of first responders, 6% had diminished perceptions, and 24% were unchanged. Changes in perceptions varied by income, presence during substance use, and prior concerns about first responders. Implications Individuals who reported experiencing a positive interaction with first a responder after witnessing an overdose may be more likely to call 911 during an overdose and support other interventions by first responders (e.g., referral to syringe service programs or treatment with medications for opioid use disorder).
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Seo DC, Satterfield N, Alba-Lopez L, Lee SH, Crabtree C, Cochran N. "That's why we're speaking up today": exploring barriers to overdose fatality prevention in Indianapolis' Black community with semi-structured interviews. Harm Reduct J 2023; 20:159. [PMID: 37891632 PMCID: PMC10612233 DOI: 10.1186/s12954-023-00894-8] [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: 09/09/2023] [Accepted: 10/18/2023] [Indexed: 10/29/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Opioid overdose deaths are of great concern to public health, with over one million lives lost since 1999. While many efforts have been made to mitigate these, Black communities continue to experience a greater burden of fatalities than their white counterparts. This study aims to explore why by working with Black community members in Indianapolis through semi-structured interviews. METHODS Semi-structured one-on-one in-depth interviews were conducted in spring and summer of 2023 with Black residents (N = 23) of zip codes 46202, 46205, 46208, and 46218 in Indianapolis. Ten interview questions were used to facilitate conversations about opioid overdoses, recovery, fatality prevention tools such as calling 911 and naloxone, law enforcement, and racism. Data were analyzed using grounded theory and thematic analysis. RESULTS Interviews revealed access barriers and intervention opportunities. Racism was present in both. Mental access barriers such as stigma, fear, and mistrust contributed to practical barriers such as knowledge of how to administer naloxone. Racism exacerbated mental barriers by adding the risk of race-based mistreatment to consequences related to association with substance use. Participants discussed the double stigma of substance use and being Black, fear of being searched in law enforcement encounters and what would happen if law enforcement found naloxone on them, and mistrust of law enforcement and institutions that provide medical intervention. Participants had favorable views of interventions that incorporated mutual aid and discussed ideas for future interventions that included this framework. CONCLUSIONS Racism exacerbates Blacks' mental access barriers (i.e., help-seeking barriers), which, in turn, contribute to practical barriers, such as calling 911 and administering naloxone. Information and resources coming from people within marginalized communities tend to be trusted. Leveraging inter-community relationships may increase engagement in opioid overdose fatality prevention. Interventions and resources directed toward addressing opioid overdose fatalities in Black communities should use mutual aid frameworks to increase the utilization of the tools they provide.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dong-Chul Seo
- School of Public Health, Indiana University Bloomington, IN, 1025 E 7th St., Bloomington, IN, 47405, USA.
| | - Naomi Satterfield
- School of Public Health, Indiana University Bloomington, IN, 1025 E 7th St., Bloomington, IN, 47405, USA
| | - Leonardo Alba-Lopez
- School of Education, Indiana University Bloomington, IN, 201 N Rose Ave., Bloomington, IN, 47405, USA
| | - Shin Hyung Lee
- School of Public Health, Indiana University Bloomington, IN, 1025 E 7th St., Bloomington, IN, 47405, USA
| | - Charlotte Crabtree
- Overdose Lifeline, Inc., Indianapolis, IN, 1100 W 42Nd St., Suite 385, Indianapolis, IN, 46208, USA
| | - Nicki Cochran
- Overdose Lifeline, Inc., Indianapolis, IN, 1100 W 42Nd St., Suite 385, Indianapolis, IN, 46208, USA
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Umer A, Garrow J, Nesbitt M, Lilly C, Lefeber C, Breyel J, John C. Prenatal substance use in the rural and Appalachian state: Project WATCH study 2020-2022. J Rural Health 2023; 39:804-815. [PMID: 36823403 DOI: 10.1111/jrh.12752] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/25/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE To examine the prevalence, patterns, and correlates of prenatal substance use in the rural Appalachian state of West Virginia (WV). METHODS Population-based cohort (Project WATCH) of all women (N = 34,309) who gave birth between February 2020 and June 2022. A composite substance use variable included 9 categories: "no substance use," "opioids," "cannabis," "sedatives/hypnotics," "stimulants," "opioids and cannabis," "opioids and stimulants," "cannabis and stimulants," and "opioids, cannabis, and stimulants." These data were gathered through self-report, medical records, and/or positive drug screen at labor and delivery. FINDINGS 12.4% of women used one or more substances (opioids, cannabis, stimulants, and sedatives/hypnotics) during their current pregnancy. The mean age of women using cannabis was 25.34 (SD = 5.31), stimulants was 28.88 (SD = 5.62), and opioid was 30.19 (SD = 4.78). White women were more likely to use opioids (aOR = 2.19, 95% CI 1.46, 3.28) and less likely to use cannabis (aOR = 0.39, 95% CI 0.34, 0.44) compared to minority racial groups. Women with cannabis use were more likely to live in urban versus rural regions (aOR = 1.47, 95% CI 1.33, 1.62). The odds of using any type of substance(s) were significantly higher in women who smoked (aOR range 4.17-30.85), had Medicaid (aOR range 1.52-7.65), and those receiving inadequate prenatal care (aOR range 1.96-16.83). CONCLUSIONS In this rural Appalachian state, 1 in 8 women used 1 or more substances (opioids, cannabis, stimulants, and/or sedatives/hypnotics) during pregnancy and the type of substance used varied by sociodemographic and health-related factors. These factors should inform state-level strategies and initiatives to address the substance use crisis for this population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amna Umer
- Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, West Virginia University, Morgantown, West Virginia, USA
| | - Jana Garrow
- School of Medicine, West Virginia University, Morgantown, West Virginia, USA
| | - Makena Nesbitt
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, West Virginia University, Morgantown, West Virginia, USA
| | - Christa Lilly
- Department of Biostatistics, School of Public Health, West Virginia University, Morgantown, West Virginia, USA
| | - Candice Lefeber
- Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, West Virginia University, Morgantown, West Virginia, USA
| | - Janine Breyel
- West Virginia Perinatal Partnership, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, School of Medicine, West Virginia University, Morgantown, West Virginia, USA
| | - Collin John
- Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, West Virginia University, Morgantown, West Virginia, 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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10
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Ondocsin J, Holm N, Mars SG, Ciccarone D. The motives and methods of methamphetamine and 'heroin' co-use in West Virginia. Harm Reduct J 2023; 20:88. [PMID: 37438812 PMCID: PMC10339587 DOI: 10.1186/s12954-023-00816-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2023] [Accepted: 06/22/2023] [Indexed: 07/14/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Opioid and methamphetamine co-use is increasing across the USA with overdoses involving these drugs also rising. West Virginia (WV) has led the US in opioid overdose death rates since at least 2013 and rising co-use of methamphetamine with opioids has played a greater role in deaths over the last 5 years. METHODS This study used rapid ethnography to examine methods and motivations behind opioids and methamphetamine co-use from the viewpoint of their consumers. Participants (n = 30) were people who injected heroin/fentanyl also using methamphetamine who participated in semi-structured interviews. RESULTS We found multiple methods of co-using opioids and methamphetamine, whether alternately or simultaneously and in varying order. Most prioritized opioids, with motives for using methamphetamine forming three thematic categories: 'intrinsic use', encompassing both inherent pleasure of combined use greater than using both drugs separately or for self-medication of particular conditions; 'opioid assisting use' in which methamphetamine helped people manage their existing heroin/fentanyl use; and 'reluctant or indifferent use' for social participation, reflecting methamphetamine's low cost and easy availability. CONCLUSIONS Methamphetamine serves multiple functions among people using opioids in WV. Beliefs persist that methamphetamine can play a role in preventing and reversing opioid overdose, including some arguments for sequential use being protective of overdose. 'Reluctant' uptake attests to methamphetamine's social use and the influence of supply. The impact on overdose risk of the many varied co-use patterns needs further investigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeff Ondocsin
- Department of Family and Community Medicine, University of California, 500 Parnassus Avenue, MU3E, San Francisco, CA, 94143, USA.
| | - Nicole Holm
- Department of Family and Community Medicine, University of California, 500 Parnassus Avenue, MU3E, San Francisco, CA, 94143, USA
| | - Sarah G Mars
- Department of Family and Community Medicine, University of California, 500 Parnassus Avenue, MU3E, San Francisco, CA, 94143, USA
| | - Daniel Ciccarone
- Department of Family and Community Medicine, University of California, 500 Parnassus Avenue, MU3E, San Francisco, CA, 94143, USA
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Mars SG, Koester KA, Ondocsin J, Mars V, Mars G, Ciccarone D. 'The High Five Club': Social Relations and Perspectives on HIV-Related Stigma During an HIV Outbreak in West Virginia. Cult Med Psychiatry 2023; 47:329-349. [PMID: 35199277 PMCID: PMC8865492 DOI: 10.1007/s11013-022-09769-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 01/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
In the United States, HIV outbreaks are occurring in areas most affected by the opioid epidemic, including West Virginia (WV). Cultural Theory contends that multiple cultures co-exist within societies distinguished by their differing intensities of rules or norms of behavior ('grid') or degree of group allegiance/individual autonomy ('group'). Accordingly, we would expect that perceptions about HIV, including stigma, correspond with individuals' grid/group attributes. To explore this, we conducted qualitative interviews with people who inject drugs (PWID) recruited from a WV syringe service program. This paper focuses on our unexpected findings on stigma during a coinciding HIV outbreak. PWID living homeless identified as belonging to a 'street family'. Its members were mutually distrustful and constrained by poverty and drug dependence but despite their conflicts, reported openness between each other about HIV + status. Interviewees living with HIV perceived little enacted stigma from peers since the local outbreak. Contrasting stigmatizing attitudes were attributed to the town's mainstream society. The 'High Five' (Hi-V) Club, expressing defiance towards stigmatizing behavior outside the street family, epitomized the tensions between a desire for solidary and mutual support and a fatalistic tendency towards division and distrust. Fatalism may hinder cooperation, solidarity and HIV prevention but may explain perceived reductions in stigma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah G Mars
- Department of Family and Community Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, 500 Parnassus Avenue, MU3E, San Francisco, CA, 94143, USA.
| | - Kimberly A Koester
- Center for AIDS Prevention Studies, University of California, San Francisco, 550 16th St, San Francisco, CA, 94158, USA
| | - Jeff Ondocsin
- Department of Family and Community Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, 500 Parnassus Avenue, MU3E, San Francisco, CA, 94143, USA
| | - Valerie Mars
- Department of Anthropology (Honorary), University College London, Gower St, London, WC1E 6BT, UK
| | - Gerald Mars
- Department of Anthropology (Honorary), University College London, Gower St, London, WC1E 6BT, UK
| | - Daniel Ciccarone
- Department of Family and Community Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, 500 Parnassus Avenue, MU3E, San Francisco, CA, 94143, USA
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Abstract
This paper is the forty-third consecutive installment of the annual anthological review of research concerning the endogenous opioid system, summarizing articles published during 2020 that studied the behavioral effects of molecular, pharmacological and genetic manipulation of opioid peptides and receptors as well as effects of opioid/opiate agonists and antagonists. The review is subdivided into the following specific topics: molecular-biochemical effects and neurochemical localization studies of endogenous opioids and their receptors (1), the roles of these opioid peptides and receptors in pain and analgesia in animals (2) and humans (3), opioid-sensitive and opioid-insensitive effects of nonopioid analgesics (4), opioid peptide and receptor involvement in tolerance and dependence (5), stress and social status (6), learning and memory (7), eating and drinking (8), drug abuse and alcohol (9), sexual activity and hormones, pregnancy, development and endocrinology (10), mental illness and mood (11), seizures and neurologic disorders (12), electrical-related activity and neurophysiology (13), general activity and locomotion (14), gastrointestinal, renal and hepatic functions (15), cardiovascular responses (16), respiration and thermoregulation (17), and immunological responses (18).
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Affiliation(s)
- Richard J Bodnar
- Department of Psychology and Neuropsychology Doctoral Sub-Program, Queens College, City University of New York, Flushing, NY, 11367, United States.
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13
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Al-Astal AEY, Sodhi K, Lakhani HV. Optimization of Prescription Drug Monitoring Program to Overcome Opioid Epidemic in West Virginia. Cureus 2022; 14:e22434. [PMID: 35371719 PMCID: PMC8941824 DOI: 10.7759/cureus.22434] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 02/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
The development of the Prescription Drug Monitoring Program (PDMP) led to an innovation in the healthcare organization system (HCOs). The PDMP system has been utilized in different states at various organizational levels in an effort to achieve improved health outcomes, reduce the number of prescription drug overdoses, and lighten the economic burden that follows. However, during the implementation of PDMP, there were several barriers and limitations that were discovered. Those barriers impeded the process of utilization of PDMP, such as the complex user interface and lack of training for healthcare providers. The purpose of this paper was to examine the advances and limitations in the utilization and implementation of PDMP in the US healthcare industry and develop strategies for effective use of PDMP in West Virginia. The qualitative part of this paper was a literature review. The paper referred to several peer-reviewed studies and research articles from several reliable resources, which were reached by databases or Google Scholar. A total of 44 articles were reviewed for this study. The implementation of the PDMP was influenced by benefits and barriers. This article reviewed several studies in general that demonstrated positive outcomes from the implementation of PDMP, including a reduced number of prescription drug overdoses, coordinated care for patients, and improved health outcomes. However, the barriers and limitations were not neglected, which mainly include integration of PDMP into the electronic health record (EHR) system, lack of training for the providers, and lack of basic standards for the use of PDMP. Although the new health reforms encouraged the adaption of PDMP among providers, data reporting and data interpretation still remain major concerns for assessing the health outcomes of PDMP implementation.
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14
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Metcalf SA, Saunders EC, Moore SK, Walsh O, Meier A, Auty S, Bessen SY, Marsch LA. Compassion, stigma, and professionalism among emergency personnel responding to the opioid crisis: An exploratory study in New Hampshire, USA. J Am Coll Emerg Physicians Open 2022; 3:e12641. [PMID: 35059691 PMCID: PMC8758975 DOI: 10.1002/emp2.12641] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2021] [Revised: 11/21/2021] [Accepted: 12/06/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Drug overdoses are the leading cause of death in the United States for those under 50 years of age, and New Hampshire has been disproportionately affected, resulting in increased encounters with the emergency response system. The ensuing impact on emergency personnel has received little attention. The present study aimed to explore the experiences and perspectives of emergency personnel responding to the opioid crisis in NH, with a focus on their views toward people who use opioids. METHODS Thirty-six emergency personnel (emergency department clinicians, n = 18; emergency medical service providers, n = 6; firefighters, n = 6; and police officers, n = 6) in 6 New Hampshire counties were interviewed about their experiences responding to overdoses and their perspectives on individuals who use opioids. Directed content analysis was used to identify themes in the transcribed, semistructured interviews. The results were reviewed for consensus. RESULTS Several categories of themes were identified among emergency personnel's accounts of their overdose response experiences and perspectives, including varied degrees of compassion and stigma toward people who use opioids; associations between compassion or stigma and policy- and practice-related themes, such as prehospital emergency care and the role of emergency departments (EDs); and primarily among personnel expressing compassion, a sense of professional responsibility that outweighed personal biases. CONCLUSIONS Despite the magnitude of the ongoing opioid crisis, some emergency personnel in New Hampshire have sustained or increased their compassion for people who use opioids. Others' perspectives remain or have become increasingly stigmatizing. The associations of compassion and stigma with various policy- and practice-related themes warrant further investigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephen A. Metcalf
- Center for Technology and Behavioral HealthGeisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth CollegeLebanonNew HampshireUSA
- Department of Public Health and Primary CareUniversity of CambridgeCambridgeUK
| | - Elizabeth C. Saunders
- Center for Technology and Behavioral HealthGeisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth CollegeLebanonNew HampshireUSA
| | - Sarah K. Moore
- Center for Technology and Behavioral HealthGeisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth CollegeLebanonNew HampshireUSA
| | - Olivia Walsh
- Center for Technology and Behavioral HealthGeisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth CollegeLebanonNew HampshireUSA
- Mandel School of Applied Social SciencesCase Western Reserve UniversityClevelandOhioUSA
| | - Andrea Meier
- Center for Technology and Behavioral HealthGeisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth CollegeLebanonNew HampshireUSA
| | - Samantha Auty
- Center for Technology and Behavioral HealthGeisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth CollegeLebanonNew HampshireUSA
- Boston University School of Public HealthBostonMassachusettsUSA
| | - Sarah Y. Bessen
- Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth CollegeHanoverNew HampshireUSA
- Johns Hopkins University School of MedicineBaltimoreMarylandUSA
| | - Lisa A. Marsch
- Center for Technology and Behavioral HealthGeisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth CollegeLebanonNew HampshireUSA
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15
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Watson M, Thomasson E, Adkins E, Batdorf S, Kilkenny M, Diaz SS, Pegram L, Rinderle JK, LaFlam M, Wingard R, McClung RP, Oster AM, Stryker J. Communicating During an HIV Outbreak Among People Who Inject Drugs-West Virginia 2019. AIDS Behav 2022; 26:165-170. [PMID: 35028793 PMCID: PMC10999832 DOI: 10.1007/s10461-021-03538-9] [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] [Accepted: 11/13/2021] [Indexed: 11/01/2022]
Abstract
In 2019, the West Virginia Bureau for Public Health (WV BPH), Cabell-Huntington Health Department (CHHD), and CDC collaborated to respond to an HIV outbreak among people who inject drugs (PWID). CDC, WV BPH, and CHHD formed a cross-agency communications team to establish situational awareness, identify knowledge gaps, and establish key audiences for messages, including the general population, PWID, and clinical and social service providers. The team disseminated up-to-date information about the outbreak, and prioritized messages addressing stigma related to drug use, syringe services programs, and HIV. Messages were continually updated to address the evolving situation and to resonate with local values. Messages were disseminated via advertisements, local news media, and directly to PWID, people experiencing homelessness, and providers. The response supplemented CHHD's assets, including strong relationships and community knowledge, with staff capacity and expertise from state and federal agencies. This collaborative approach is a useful model to address communication needs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meg Watson
- Division of HIV Prevention, National Center for HIV/AIDS, Viral Hepatitis, STD and TB Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, USA.
| | - Erica Thomasson
- West Virginia Bureau for Public Health, Charleston, WV, USA
- Division of State and Local Readiness, Center for Preparedness and Response, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | | | | | | | - Shelly Sikes Diaz
- Division of HIV Prevention, National Center for HIV/AIDS, Viral Hepatitis, STD and TB Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Laura Pegram
- National Alliance of State and Territorial AIDS Directors (NASTAD), Washington, DC, USA
| | - Jeffrey Kemp Rinderle
- Division of HIV Prevention, National Center for HIV/AIDS, Viral Hepatitis, STD and TB Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Michael LaFlam
- Division of HIV Prevention, National Center for HIV/AIDS, Viral Hepatitis, STD and TB Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Rachel Wingard
- Division of HIV Prevention, National Center for HIV/AIDS, Viral Hepatitis, STD and TB Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - R Paul McClung
- Division of HIV Prevention, National Center for HIV/AIDS, Viral Hepatitis, STD and TB Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, USA
- U.S. Public Health Service, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Alexandra M Oster
- Division of HIV Prevention, National Center for HIV/AIDS, Viral Hepatitis, STD and TB Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, USA
- U.S. Public Health Service, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Jo Stryker
- Division of HIV Prevention, National Center for HIV/AIDS, Viral Hepatitis, STD and TB Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, USA
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16
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Jenkins RA. The fourth wave of the US opioid epidemic and its implications for the rural US: A federal perspective. Prev Med 2021; 152:106541. [PMID: 34482994 DOI: 10.1016/j.ypmed.2021.106541] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2021] [Revised: 03/29/2021] [Accepted: 03/30/2021] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
The current opioid epidemic in the United States has been characterized as having three waves: prescription opioid use, followed by heroin use, and then use of synthetic opioids (e.g., fentanyl), with early waves affecting a population that was younger, less predominantly male, and more likely to be Caucasian and rural than in past opioid epidemics. A variety of recent data suggest that we have entered a fourth wave which can be characterized as a stimulant/opioid epidemic, with mental illness co-morbidities being more evident than in the past. Stimulant use has introduced new complexities in terms of behavioral consequences (e.g., neurological deficits, suicidal ideation, psychosis, hostility, violence), available treatments, and engagement into services. These compound existing issues in addressing the opioid epidemic in rural areas, including the low density of populations and the scarcity of behavioral health resources (e.g., fewer credentialed behavioral health professionals, particularly those able to prescribe Buprenorphine). Considerations for addressing this new wave are discussed, along with the drawbacks of a wave perspective and persistent concerns in confronting drug abuse such as stigma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Richard A Jenkins
- National Institute on Drug Abuse, Bethesda, MD, United States of America.
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17
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Ondocsin J, Mars SG, Howe M, Ciccarone D. Correction to: Hostility, compassion and role reversal in West Virginia's long opioid overdose emergency. Harm Reduct J 2021; 18:94. [PMID: 34461915 PMCID: PMC8406612 DOI: 10.1186/s12954-021-00542-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Jeff Ondocsin
- Heroin in Transition Study, Department of Family and Community Medicine, UCSF, University of California, 500 Parnassus Avenue, Milberry Union East, 3rd Floor, San Francisco, CA, 94143, USA
| | - Sarah G Mars
- Heroin in Transition Study, Department of Family and Community Medicine, UCSF, University of California, 500 Parnassus Avenue, Milberry Union East, 3rd Floor, San Francisco, CA, 94143, USA
| | - Mary Howe
- Homeless Youth Alliance, PO Box 170427, San Francisco, CA, 94117, USA
| | - Daniel Ciccarone
- Heroin in Transition Study, Department of Family and Community Medicine, UCSF, University of California, 500 Parnassus Avenue, Milberry Union East, 3rd Floor, San Francisco, CA, 94143, USA.
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