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Page R, Jauncey M, Brett J, Wood W, Roxburgh A. The role of on-site drug analysis within supervised injecting facilities: A case presentation of an adverse event highlighting need. Drug Alcohol Rev 2024. [PMID: 39031451 DOI: 10.1111/dar.13909] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2023] [Revised: 05/02/2024] [Accepted: 07/04/2024] [Indexed: 07/22/2024]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION The Sydney Medically Supervised Injecting Centre provides a safe, non-judgemental space where people can inject pre-obtained substances under the supervision of trained staff. This article describes an unusual incident occurring at the Medically Supervised Injecting Centre in January 2023. CASE PRESENTATION Two regular male clients attending the Medically Supervised Injecting Centre injected a substance they believed to be cocaine. Both clients experienced adverse reactions; one was transported to hospital, while the other became extremely distressed and agitated. Paraphernalia sent for testing returned a result of tiletamine (a dissociative used in veterinary medicine) and no cocaine, 30 h after the incident. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS Where substances are novel or unknown, adverse events are often unexpected and may be more difficult to prepare for. Substance-induced acute agitation can be alarming and hazardous for people consuming drugs and those around them and may pose challenges for staff. There is a substantial evidence base for the benefits of on-site drug analysis and drug checking in reducing harms related to drug use, and in enhancing drug market monitoring. This incident was successfully managed by Medically Supervised Injecting Centre and hospital staff, with no major consequence, however clinical management could have been improved using point of care drug testing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert Page
- Drug and Alcohol Services, South Eastern Sydney Local Health District, Sydney, Australia
- Faculty of Medicine, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, Australia
| | - Marianne Jauncey
- Uniting Medically Supervised Injecting Centre, Sydney, Australia
- Discipline of Addiction Medicine, the Central Clinical School, Sydney Medical School, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
- National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, Australia
| | - Jonathan Brett
- Drug Health Service, St Vincent's Hospital Sydney, Sydney, Australia
- St Vincent's Clinical School, Faculty of Medicine, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, Australia
| | - Will Wood
- Uniting Medically Supervised Injecting Centre, Sydney, Australia
| | - Amanda Roxburgh
- Discipline of Addiction Medicine, the Central Clinical School, Sydney Medical School, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
- National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, Australia
- Harm and Risk Reduction, Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Australia
- Monash Addiction Research Centre, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia
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McLeod KE, Buxton JA, Karim ME, Martin RE, Nosyk B, Kurz M, Scow M, Felicella G, Slaunwhite AK. Receipt of Opioid Agonist Treatment in provincial correctional facilities in British Columbia is associated with a reduced hazard of nonfatal overdose in the month following release. PLoS One 2024; 19:e0306075. [PMID: 38985687 PMCID: PMC11236203 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0306075] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2023] [Accepted: 06/11/2024] [Indexed: 07/12/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND In many jurisdictions, policies restrict access to Opioid Agonist Treatment (OAT) in correctional facilities. Receipt of OAT during incarceration is associated with reduced risk of fatal overdose after release but little is known about the effect on nonfatal overdose. This study aimed to examine the association between OAT use during incarceration and nonfatal overdose in the 30 days following release. METHODS AND FINDINGS Using linked administrative healthcare and corrections data for a random sample of 20% of residents of British Columbia, Canada we examined releases from provincial correctional facilities between January 1, 2015 -December 1, 2018, among adults (aged 18 or older at the time of release) with Opioid Use Disorder. We fit Andersen-Gill models to examine the association between receipt of OAT in custody and the hazard of nonfatal following release. We conducted secondary analyses to examine the association among people continuing treatment initiated prior to their arrest and people who initiated a new episode of OAT in custody separately. We also conducted sex-based subgroup analyses. In this study there were 4,738 releases of 1,535 people with Opioid Use Disorder. In adjusted analysis, receipt of OAT in custody was associated with a reduced hazard of nonfatal overdose (aHR 0.55, 95% CI 0.41, 0.74). This was found for prescriptions continued from community (aHR 0.49, 95%CI 0.36, 0.67) and for episodes of OAT initiated in custody (aHR 0.58, 95%CI 0.41, 0.82). The effect was greater among women than men. CONCLUSIONS OAT receipt during incarceration is associated with a reduced hazard of nonfatal overdose after release. Policies to expand access to OAT in correctional facilities, including initiating treatment, may help reduce harms related to nonfatal overdose in the weeks following release. Differences in the effect seen among women and men indicate a need for gender-responsive policies and programming.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katherine E. McLeod
- Department of Family Medicine, McMaster University, Hamilton, Canada
- British Columbia Centre for Disease Control, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Jane A. Buxton
- British Columbia Centre for Disease Control, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
- Faculty of Medicine, School of Population and Public Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Mohammad Ehsanul Karim
- Faculty of Medicine, School of Population and Public Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
- Centre for Health Evaluation and Outcome Sciences (CHÉOS), St. Paul’s Hospital, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Ruth Elwood Martin
- Faculty of Medicine, School of Population and Public Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Bohdan Nosyk
- Health Economic Research Unit, British Columbia Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
- Faculty of Health Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Megan Kurz
- Health Economic Research Unit, British Columbia Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Marnie Scow
- British Columbia Centre for Disease Control, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Guy Felicella
- British Columbia Centre on Substance Use, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Amanda K. Slaunwhite
- British Columbia Centre for Disease Control, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
- Faculty of Medicine, School of Population and Public Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
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Wenger LD, Morris T, Knight KR, Megerian CE, Davidson PJ, Suen LW, Majano V, Lambdin BH, Kral AH. Radical hospitality: Innovative programming to build community and meet the needs of people who use drugs at a government-sanctioned overdose prevention site in San Francisco, California. THE INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF DRUG POLICY 2024; 126:104366. [PMID: 38492432 PMCID: PMC11160962 DOI: 10.1016/j.drugpo.2024.104366] [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: 10/09/2023] [Revised: 02/13/2024] [Accepted: 02/19/2024] [Indexed: 03/18/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The Tenderloin Center (TLC), a multi-service center where people could receive or be connected to basic needs, behavioral health care, housing, and medical services, was open in San Francisco for 46 weeks in 2022. Within a week of operation, services expanded to include an overdose prevention site (OPS), also known as safe consumption site. OPSs have operated internationally for over three decades, but government-sanctioned OPSs have only recently been implemented in the United States. We used ethnographic methods to understand the ways in which a sanctioned OPS, situated in a multi-service center, impacts the lives of people who use drugs (PWUD). METHODS We conducted participant observation and in-depth interviews June-December 2022. Extensive field notes and 39 in-depth interviews with 24 TLC guests and 15 TLC staff were analyzed using an inductive analysis approach. Interviewees were asked detailed questions about their experiences using and working at the TLC. RESULTS TLC guests and staff described an atmosphere where radical hospitality-welcoming guests with extraordinary warmth, generosity, and unconditional acceptance-was central to the culture. We found that the co-location of an OPS within a multi-service agency (1) allowed for the culture of radical hospitality to flourish, (2) yielded a convenient one-stop shop model, (3) created a space for community building, and (4) offered safety and respite to guests. CONCLUSIONS The co-location of an OPS within a multi-service drop-in center is an important example of how such an organization can build positive sociality among PWUD while protecting autonomy and reducing overdose mortality. Overdose response and reversal is an act of relational accountability in which friends, peers, and even strangers intervene to protect and revive one another. This powerful intervention was operationalized as an anti-oppressive, horizontal activity through radical hospitality with a built environment that allowed PWUD to be both social and safe.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lynn D Wenger
- RTI International, 2150 Shattuck Ave., Suite 800, Berkeley, CA 94704, United States.
| | - Terry Morris
- RTI International, 2150 Shattuck Ave., Suite 800, Berkeley, CA 94704, United States
| | - Kelly R Knight
- University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, United States
| | - Cariné E Megerian
- RTI International, 2150 Shattuck Ave., Suite 800, Berkeley, CA 94704, United States
| | - Peter J Davidson
- Univerity of California, San Diego, San Francisco, CA, United States
| | - Leslie W Suen
- University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, United States
| | - Veronica Majano
- RTI International, 2150 Shattuck Ave., Suite 800, Berkeley, CA 94704, United States
| | - Barrot H Lambdin
- RTI International, 2150 Shattuck Ave., Suite 800, Berkeley, CA 94704, United States
| | - Alex H Kral
- RTI International, 2150 Shattuck Ave., Suite 800, Berkeley, CA 94704, United States
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Deo VS, Bhullar MK, Gilson TP, Flannery DJ, Fulton SE. The Need to Rethink Harm Reduction for People Using Drugs Alone to Reduce Overdose Fatalities. Subst Use Misuse 2024; 59:450-458. [PMID: 37964569 DOI: 10.1080/10826084.2023.2280534] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2023]
Abstract
Background: During the ongoing opioid epidemic, Cuyahoga County (second largest in Ohio) reported overdose mortality rates (54/per 100,000) higher than the national average. Prior research demonstrates that people who use drugs often use alone but there is minimal research on people who died of overdose while using alone. The objective of this study is to examine sociodemographic, toxicologic, and injury characteristics, and emergency medical response to overdose decedents who died using drugs alone. Method: Data from the Cuyahoga County Medical Examiner's Office (2016-2020, N = 2944) on unintentional overdose deaths in adults was tabulated including socio-demographic, toxicologic, and injury-related information. Decedents using drugs alone were identified and compared to those not using alone via Chi-square and Fisher's exact tests. We further fit a multivariate logistic regression model to evaluate socio-demographic, toxicologic, and injury-related factors associated with increased odds of using alone. All results are reported with 95% confidence intervals. Result: Among decedents, 75% (n = 2205) were using drugs alone. Decedents using alone were more likely to be using drugs at home (p = 0.001) or be found dead at the scene (p < 0.001) and less likely to receive naloxone (p < 0.001) have other person/bystander, not using, present (p = 0.002). Using drugs at home (aOR = 1.61[1.19-2.20]) was associated with higher odds of using alone; and being married (aOR = 0.57[0.38-0.86]), having history of illicit drug use (aOR = 0.25[0.08-0.81]) and other person present, who was not using (aOR = 0.58[0.42-0.79]) were associated with lower odds of using alone. Conclusion: New harm reduction approaches targeting people using drugs alone are needed to reduce overdose deaths.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vaishali S Deo
- Jack, Joseph and Morton Mandel School of Applied Social Sciences, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
| | | | - Thomas P Gilson
- Cuyahoga County Medical Examiner's Office, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
| | - Daniel J Flannery
- Jack, Joseph and Morton Mandel School of Applied Social Sciences, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
| | - Sarah E Fulton
- Jack, Joseph and Morton Mandel School of Applied Social Sciences, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
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Pennington ML, Dupree J, Hoffman K, Beattie EH, Coe E, Ostiguy W, Kimbrel NA, Meyer EC, Gulliver SB. First Responder Attitudes Regarding Working Near a Supervised Injection Facility: Relationship to Burnout, Secondary Traumatic Stress, and Compassion Satisfaction. Workplace Health Saf 2023; 71:543-550. [PMID: 37530030 DOI: 10.1177/21650799231188364] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/03/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Emergency responders are the most frequent overdose responders, however, little is known about the impact of supervised injection facility (SIF) location on first responders. The purpose of this study was to determine whether firefighter/paramedic attitudes about being stationed near an SIF were related to burnout, secondary traumatic stress, and compassion satisfaction. METHODS Firefighter/paramedics from Vancouver Fire and Rescue Services (n = 54) completed an online survey. General linear models were used to assess differences in burnout, secondary traumatic stress, and compassion satisfaction based on attitudes regarding being stationed near an SIF while controlling for occupational stress. FINDINGS Firefighters with negative attitudes regarding station placement near an SIF experienced more burnout compared with those with neutral/mixed attitudes and less compassion satisfaction compared with those with positive attitudes. There were no differences between those with positive and neutral/mixed attitudes. CONCLUSIONS These findings have implications for education and training of emergency responders stationed near SIFs. They also highlight the need for more research into the effects of and possible clinical opportunities needed to support first responders' work near an SIF. APPLICATION TO PRACTICE While these findings represent early exploratory evidence, increased burnout and reduced compassion satisfaction may be common reactions among first responders who experience negative attitudes toward SIFs. Prevention efforts could incorporate programs to enhance health and well-being of first responders and education regarding substance use and harm reduction, while workforce surveillance for signs of distress or burnout could be implemented to trigger additional mental health services and interventions. while policymakers should remain aware of SIF-related impacts on all stakeholders, including first responders.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Kristy Hoffman
- Baylor Scott & White Research Institute
- Baylor University
| | | | | | | | - Nathan A Kimbrel
- Durham Veterans Affairs (VA) Health Care System
- VA Mid-Atlantic Mental Illness Research, Education, and Clinical Center
- Duke University School of Medicine
| | | | - Suzy B Gulliver
- Baylor Scott & White Research Institute
- Texas A&M University Health Science Center
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Suen LW, Wenger LD, Morris T, Majano V, Davidson PJ, Browne EN, Ray B, Megerian CE, Lambdin BH, Kral AH. Evaluating oxygen monitoring and administration during overdose responses at a sanctioned overdose prevention site in San Francisco, California: A mixed-methods study. THE INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF DRUG POLICY 2023; 121:104165. [PMID: 37652815 DOI: 10.1016/j.drugpo.2023.104165] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2023] [Revised: 08/10/2023] [Accepted: 08/16/2023] [Indexed: 09/02/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Overdose prevention sites (OPSs) are spaces where individuals can use pre-obtained drugs and trained staff can immediately intervene in the event of an overdose. While some OPSs use a combination of naloxone and oxygen to reverse overdoses, little is known about oxygen as a complementary tool to naloxone in OPS settings. We conducted a mixed methods study to assess the role of oxygen provision at a locally sanctioned OPS in San Francisco, California. METHODS We used descriptive statistics to quantify number and type of overdose interventions delivered in 46 weeks of OPS operation in 2022. We used qualitative data from OPS staff interviews to evaluate experiences using oxygen during overdose responses. Interviews were coded and thematically analyzed to identify themes related to oxygen impact on overdose response. RESULTS OPS staff were successful in reversing 100% of overdoses (n = 333) during 46 weeks of operation. Oxygen became available 18 weeks after opening. After oxygen became available (n = 248 overdose incidents), nearly all involved oxygen (91.5%), with more than half involving both oxygen and naloxone (59.3%). Overdoses involving naloxone decreased from 98% to 66%, though average number of overdoses concomitantly increased from 5 to 9 per week. Interviews revealed that oxygen improved overdose response experiences for OPS participants and staff. OPS EMTs were leaders of delivering and refining the overdose response protocol and trained other staff. Challenges included strained relationships with city emergency response systems due to protocol requiring 911 calls after all naloxone administrations, inconsistent supplies, and lack of sufficient staffing causing people to work long shifts. CONCLUSIONS Although the OPS operated temporarily, it offered important insights. Ensuring consistent oxygen supplies, staffing, and removing 911 call requirements after every naloxone administration could improve resource management. These recommendations may enable success for future OPS in San Francisco and elsewhere.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leslie W Suen
- Division of General Internal Medicine at San Francisco General Hospital, Department of Medicine, University of California San Francisco, Box 1364, San Francisco, CA, United States.
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Bradley Ray
- RTI International, Berkeley, CA, United States
| | | | | | - Alex H Kral
- RTI International, Berkeley, CA, United States
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Turner S, Allen VM, Carson G, Graves L, Tanguay R, Green CR, Cook JL. Guideline No. 443b: Opioid Use Throughout Women's Lifespan: Opioid Use in Pregnancy and Breastfeeding. JOURNAL OF OBSTETRICS AND GYNAECOLOGY CANADA 2023; 45:102144. [PMID: 37977721 DOI: 10.1016/j.jogc.2023.05.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To provide health care providers the best evidence on opioid use and women's health. Areas of focus include pregnancy and postpartum care. TARGET POPULATION The target population includes all women currently using or contemplating using opioids. OUTCOMES Open, evidence-informed dialogue about opioid use will improve patient care. BENEFITS, HARMS, AND COSTS Exploring opioid use through a trauma-informed approach provides the health care provider and patient with an opportunity to build a strong, collaborative, and therapeutic alliance. This alliance empowers women to make informed choices about their own care. It also allows for the diagnosis and possible treatment of opioid use disorders. Opioid use should not be stigmatized, as stigma leads to poor "partnered care" (i.e., the partnership between the patient and care provider). Health care providers need to understand the effect opioids can have on pregnant women and support them to make knowledgeable decisions about their health. EVIDENCE A literature search was designed and carried out in PubMed and the Cochrane Library databases from August 2018 until March 2023 using following MeSH terms and keywords (and variants): opioids, opioid agonist therapy, illicit drugs, fertility, pregnancy, fetal development, neonatal abstinence syndrome, and breastfeeding. VALIDATION METHODS The authors rated the quality of evidence and strength of recommendations using the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) approach. See online Appendix A (Tables A1 for definitions and A2 for interpretations of strong and conditional [weak] recommendations). INTENDED AUDIENCE All health care providers who care for pregnant and/or post-partum women and their newborns. TWEETABLE ABSTRACT Opioid use during pregnancy often co-occurs with mental health issues and is associated with adverse maternal, fetal, and neonatal outcomes; treatment of opioid use disorder with agonist therapy for pregnant women can be safe during pregnancy where the risks outnumber the benefits. SUMMARY STATEMENTS RECOMMENDATIONS.
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Turner S, Allen VM, Carson G, Graves L, Tanguay R, Green CR, Cook JL. Directive clinique n o 443b : Opioïdes aux différentes étapes de la vie des femmes : Grossesse et allaitement. JOURNAL OF OBSTETRICS AND GYNAECOLOGY CANADA 2023; 45:102146. [PMID: 37977719 DOI: 10.1016/j.jogc.2023.05.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIF Présenter aux professionnels de la santé les données probantes concernant l'utilisation des opioïdes et la santé des femmes. Les domaines d'intérêt sont la grossesse et les soins post-partum. POPULATION CIBLE Toutes les femmes qui utilisent des opioïdes. RéSULTATS: Un dialogue ouvert et éclairé sur l'utilisation des opioïdes améliorera les soins aux patientes. BéNéFICES, RISQUES ET COûTS: L'exploration de l'utilisation d'opioïdes par une approche tenant compte des traumatismes antérieurs donne au professionnel de la santé et à la patiente l'occasion de bâtir une alliance solide, collaborative et thérapeutique. Cette alliance permet aux femmes de faire des choix éclairés. Elle favorise le diagnostic et le traitement possible du trouble lié à l'utilisation d'opioïdes. L'utilisation ne doit pas être stigmatisée, puisque la stigmatisation affaiblit le partenariat (le partenariat entre patiente et professionnel de la santé). Les professionnels de la santé ceus-ci doivent comprendre l'effet potentiel des opioïdes sur la santé les femmes enceintes et les aider à prendre des décisions éclairées sur leur santé. DONNéES PROBANTES: Une recherche a été conçue puis effectuée dans les bases de données PubMed et Cochrane Library pour la période d'août 2018 à mars 2023 des termes MeSH et mots clés suivants (et variantes) : opioids, opioid agonist therapy, illicit drugs, fertility, pregnancy, fetal development, neonatal abstinence syndrome et breastfeeding. MéTHODES DE VALIDATION: Les auteurs ont évalué la qualité des données probantes et la force des recommandations en utilisant le cadre méthodologique GRADE (Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluation). Voir l'annexe A en ligne (tableau A1 pour les définitions et tableau A2 pour l'interprétation des recommandations fortes et conditionnelles [faibles]). PROFESSIONNELS CONCERNéS: Tous les professionnels de la santé qui prodiguent des soins aux femmes et aux nouveaux-nés. RéSUMé POUR TWITTER: La consommation d'opioïdes pendant la grossesse coïncide souvent avec des problèmes de santé mentale et est associée à des conséquences néfastes pour la mère, le fœtus et le nouveau-né ; le traitement des troubles liés à la consommation d'opioïdes par agonistes peut être sûr pendant la grossesse lorsque les risques sont plus nombreux que les avantages. DÉCLARATIONS SOMMAIRES: RECOMMANDATIONS.
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Miller NM, Campbell C, Shorter GW. Barriers and facilitators of naloxone and safe injection facility interventions to reduce opioid drug-related deaths: A qualitative analysis. THE INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF DRUG POLICY 2023; 117:104049. [PMID: 37247475 DOI: 10.1016/j.drugpo.2023.104049] [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: 10/25/2022] [Revised: 04/26/2023] [Accepted: 04/27/2023] [Indexed: 05/31/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Opioid drug-related deaths continue to be a significant public health concern in the Republic of Ireland (ROI) and Northern Ireland (NI). While both regions have implemented naloxone to reduce drug related deaths, there remains a gap in the implementation of a supervised injection facility (SIF). This study aimed to identify barriers and facilitators to implementing naloxone and a SIF to reduce opioid drug-related deaths in ROI and NI. METHODS Semi-structured interviews (n=23) were conducted in ROI and NI with experts by experience (n=8), staff from low threshold services (n=9), and individuals involved in policy making (n= 6). Data were analyzed using coding reliability Thematic Analysis and were informed by the Risk Environmental Framework. RESULTS The findings illustrated that stigma within the media, health centers, and the community was a significant barrier to naloxone distribution and SIF implementation. Policing and community intimidation were reported to hinder naloxone carriage in both the ROI and NI, while threats of paramilitary violence towards people who use drugs were unique to NI. Municipal government delays and policy maker apathy were reported to hinder SIF implementation in the ROI. Participants suggested peer-to-peer naloxone delivery and amending legislation to facilitate non-prescription naloxone would increase naloxone uptake. Participants recommended using webinars, Town Halls, and a Citizens' Assembly as tools to advocate for SIF implementation. CONCLUSION Local and regional stigma reduction campaigns are needed in conjunction with policy changes to advance naloxone and a SIF. Tailoring stigma campaigns to incorporate the lived experience of people who use drugs, their family members, and the general community can aid in educating the public and change negative perceptions. This study highlights the need for ongoing efforts to reduce stigma and increase accessibility to evidence-based interventions to address opioid drug-related deaths in the ROI, NI, and internationally.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Gillian W Shorter
- Drug and Alcohol Research Network & Centre for Improving Health Related Quality of Life, School of Psychology, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast, UK
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10
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Perlmutter D, Wettemann C, Fockele CE, Frohe T, Williams W, Holland N, Oliphant-Wells T, Meischke H, van Draanen J. "Another tool in the toolkit"-Perceptions, suggestions, and concerns of emergency service providers about the implementation of a supervised consumption site. THE INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF DRUG POLICY 2023; 115:104005. [PMID: 36972652 PMCID: PMC10164065 DOI: 10.1016/j.drugpo.2023.104005] [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: 09/29/2022] [Revised: 02/17/2023] [Accepted: 03/11/2023] [Indexed: 03/28/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND As Supervised Consumption Sites (SCS) are implemented in the United States, it is important to consider the needs and perceptions of impacted stakeholders. Emergency service providers (ESP) have a central role in responding to the overdose epidemic. This study intended to assess the how ESP perceive the potential implementation of an SCS in their community, as well as solicit program design and implementation-related concerns and suggestions. METHODS In-depth interviews were conducted by videoconference with 22 ESP, including firefighters, paramedics, police, and social workers in King County, Washington, USA. Data were analyzed using a thematic analysis approach. RESULTS Participants expressed the importance of feeling safe while responding to calls where drug use is involved and highlighted how this perception would be linked to ESP response times to calls from an SCS. Suggestions for improving the perceived safety of an SCS included training program staff in de-escalation as well as planning the layout of the SCS to accommodate ESP. The inadequacy of the emergency department as a point of care for PWUD was also identified as a theme, and some participants expressed enthusiasm regarding the prospect of the SCS as an alternative destination for transport. Finally, support for the SCS model was conditional on the appropriate utilization of emergency services and a reduction in call volume. Participants listed clarifying roles and pursuing opportunities for collaboration as ways to ensure appropriate utilization and maintain positive working relationships. CONCLUSION This study builds on literature regarding stakeholder perceptions of SCS by focusing on the perceptions of a critically important stakeholder group. Results enhance understanding of what motivates ESP to support SCS implementation in their community. Other novel insights pertain to ESP thoughts about alternative care delivery models and strategies for emergency department visit diversion.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Perlmutter
- Department of Health Systems and Population Health, School of Public Health, University of Washington, 3980 15th Ave NE, Fourth Floor, 98195 Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Courteney Wettemann
- Research with Expert Advisors on Drug Use, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | | | - Tessa Frohe
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Will Williams
- Research with Expert Advisors on Drug Use, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Nathan Holland
- Research with Expert Advisors on Drug Use, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | | | - Hendrika Meischke
- Department of Health Systems and Population Health, School of Public Health, University of Washington, 3980 15th Ave NE, Fourth Floor, 98195 Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Jenna van Draanen
- Department of Health Systems and Population Health, School of Public Health, University of Washington, 3980 15th Ave NE, Fourth Floor, 98195 Seattle, WA, USA; Department of Child, Family, and Population Health Nursing, School of Nursing, University of Washington, USA.
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11
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Giglio RE, Mantha S, Harocopos A, Saha N, Reilly J, Cipriano C, Kennelly M, Landau L, McRae M, Chokshi DA. The Nation's First Publicly Recognized Overdose Prevention Centers: Lessons Learned in New York City. J Urban Health 2023; 100:245-254. [PMID: 37016269 PMCID: PMC10072795 DOI: 10.1007/s11524-023-00717-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 01/13/2023] [Indexed: 04/06/2023]
Abstract
In November of 2021, multiple factors converged to create a window of opportunity to open overdose prevention centers (OPCs) at two existing syringe service programs (SSPs) in New York City (NYC). Political will exists in NYC, particularly toward the end of the de Blasio administration's term, and the NYC Health Department worked to garner additional support from local and state elected officials given the dire need to address the overdose crisis. This coincided with readiness on the part of one of the NYC SSP providers, OnPoint NYC, to open and operate OPC services. Legal risks were assessed by both the city and the provider. This case study outlines the sequence of events that resulted in NYC supporting OnPoint to open the first two publicly recognized OPCs in the nation, including lessons learned to inform other jurisdictions considering offering such services.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca E Giglio
- New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, Queens 42-09 28Th St, New York, NY, 11101, USA.
| | - Shivani Mantha
- New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, Queens 42-09 28Th St, New York, NY, 11101, USA
| | - Alex Harocopos
- New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, Queens 42-09 28Th St, New York, NY, 11101, USA
| | - Nilova Saha
- New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, Queens 42-09 28Th St, New York, NY, 11101, USA
| | - Jacqueline Reilly
- New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, Queens 42-09 28Th St, New York, NY, 11101, USA
| | - Chelsea Cipriano
- New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, Queens 42-09 28Th St, New York, NY, 11101, USA
| | - Maura Kennelly
- New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, Queens 42-09 28Th St, New York, NY, 11101, USA
| | - Lisa Landau
- New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, Queens 42-09 28Th St, New York, NY, 11101, USA
| | - Michael McRae
- New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, Queens 42-09 28Th St, New York, NY, 11101, USA
| | - Dave A Chokshi
- New York Health Foundation, New York, NY, USA
- New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
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12
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Briand Madrid L, Donadille C, Célerier I, Gutowski M, Grelli N, Maradan G, Jauffret-Roustide M, Lalanne L, Auriacombe M, Roux P. [Drug Consumption Rooms : Opinion and willingness among people who inject drugs in Marseille, France]. Rev Epidemiol Sante Publique 2023; 71:101421. [PMID: 36571957 DOI: 10.1016/j.respe.2022.101421] [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: 04/04/2022] [Revised: 12/01/2022] [Accepted: 12/05/2022] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND In France, people who inject drugs (PWID) are still one of the most at risk population for contracting hepatitis C virus (HCV). Drug consumption rooms (DCR) have shown their effectiveness on HCV risk behaviors abroad and in France, where they have been recently evaluated with the COSINUS study. In France, two DCRs opened in 2016, one in Paris and another in Strasbourg. The objective of this sub-analysis was to explore the willingness to use a DCR in PWID living in Marseille, where no DCR is opened. METHODS The COSINUS study is a prospective multicenter cohort that included 665 PWID recruited in Bordeaux, Marseille, Paris and Strasbourg between 2016 and 2019. Investigators administered questionnaires face-to-face at regular intervals at baseline, 3 months, 6 months and 12 months. In Marseille, 199 PWID were recruited. A multivariable logistic regression model was performed to assess factors associated with willingness to use DCR among this population. RESULTS Among 545 observations corresponding to 195 distinct participants selected for analyses, 57% declared they were willing to attend a DCR. The main reason given was "to consume more cleanly". Receiving allowances (OR = 2.38; 95% confidence interval (CI) (95% CI) = 1.17-4.81), not having health insurance (OR = 3.61; 95% CI = 1.49-8.75), injecting daily (OR = 1.97; 95% CI = 1.05-3.70) and in a public space (OR = 2.66; 95% CI = 1.29-5.47) were all positively associated with willingness to use a DCR. CONCLUSIONS DCR are devices that target PWID exposed to high sanitary or social risks, i.e. people living in precarious conditions, who have to inject in public spaces, in deleterious sanitary environments and with rapid gestures in order not to be seen. These analyzes highlight that the people who most want to attend a DCR are aware of the harms associated with their practices and show a desire to seek protection from street-based drug scenes.
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Affiliation(s)
- L Briand Madrid
- Aix Marseille Université, Inserm, IRD, SESSTIM, Sciences économiques & sociales de la santé & traitement de l'information médicale, ISSPAM, Marseille, France.
| | - C Donadille
- Aix Marseille Université, Inserm, IRD, SESSTIM, Sciences économiques & sociales de la santé & traitement de l'information médicale, ISSPAM, Marseille, France
| | | | | | - N Grelli
- Nouvelle Aube, Marseille, France
| | - G Maradan
- ORS PACA, Observatoire régional de la santé Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, Marseille, France
| | - M Jauffret-Roustide
- British Columbia Center on Substance Use (BCCSU), Vancouver, Canada; Baldy Center on Law and Social Policy, Buffalo University, New York, USA; Centre d'étude des mouvements sociaux, Inserm U1276/CNRS UMR 8044/EHESS, Paris, France
| | - L Lalanne
- Inserm 1114, Department of Psychiatry and Addictology, University Hospital of Strasbourg, Fédération de médecine translationnelle de Strasbourg (FMTS), 67000 Strasbourg, France; Department of Addictology, University Hospital of Strasbourg, Fédération de médecine translationnelle de Strasbourg (FMTS), 67000 Strasbourg, France
| | - M Auriacombe
- Bordeaux University, SANPSY, CNRS UMR 6033, Bordeaux, France; Addiction Clinic (Pôle interétablissement d'addictologie), CHU Bordeaux and CH Charles Perrens, Bordeaux, France
| | - P Roux
- Aix Marseille Université, Inserm, IRD, SESSTIM, Sciences économiques & sociales de la santé & traitement de l'information médicale, ISSPAM, Marseille, France
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13
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Chambers LC, Hallowell BD, Zang X, Rind DM, Guzauskas GF, Hansen RN, Fuchs N, Scagos RP, Marshall BDL. The estimated costs and benefits of a hypothetical supervised consumption site in Providence, Rhode Island. THE INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF DRUG POLICY 2022; 108:103820. [PMID: 35973341 PMCID: PMC10131249 DOI: 10.1016/j.drugpo.2022.103820] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2022] [Revised: 07/26/2022] [Accepted: 08/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Overdose deaths have increased dramatically in the United States, including in Rhode Island. In July 2021, the Rhode Island government passed legislation supporting a two-year pilot program authorizing supervised consumption sites (SCSs) in response to this crisis. We estimated the costs and benefits of a hypothetical SCS in Providence, Rhode Island. METHODS We utilized a decision analytic mathematical model to compare costs and outcomes for people who inject drugs under two scenarios: (1) a SCS that includes syringe services provision, and (2) a syringe service program only (i.e., status quo). We assumed 0.95% of injections result in overdose, the SCS would serve 400 clients monthly and have a net cost of $783,899 annually, 46% of overdoses occurring outside of the SCS result in an ambulance run and 43% result in an emergency department (ED) visit, 0.79% of overdoses occurring within the SCS result in an ambulance run and ED visit, and the SCS would lead to a 25.7% reduction in fatal overdoses near the site. The model was developed from a modified societal perspective with a one-year time horizon. RESULTS A hypothetical SCS in Providence would prevent approximately 2 overdose deaths, 261 ambulance runs, 244 ED visits, and 117 inpatient hospitalizations for emergency overdose care annually compared to a scenario that includes a syringe service program only. The SCS would save $1,104,454 annually compared to the syringe service program only, accounting only for facility costs and short-term costs of emergency overdose care and ignoring savings associated with averted deaths. Influential parameters included the percentage of injections resulting in overdose, the total annual injections at the SCS, and the percentage of overdoses outside of the SCS that result in an ED visit. CONCLUSION A SCS in would result in substantial cost savings due to prevention of costly emergency overdose care.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura C Chambers
- Drug Overdose Surveillance Program, Rhode Island Department of Health, Providence, Rhode Island, USA; Division of Infectious Diseases, The Miriam Hospital, Providence, Rhode Island, USA.
| | - Benjamin D Hallowell
- Drug Overdose Surveillance Program, Rhode Island Department of Health, Providence, Rhode Island, USA
| | - Xiao Zang
- Department of Epidemiology, Brown University School of Public Health, Providence, Rhode Island, USA
| | - David M Rind
- Institute for Clinical and Economic Review, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Greg F Guzauskas
- Comparative Health Outcomes, Policy, and Economics Institute, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Ryan N Hansen
- Comparative Health Outcomes, Policy, and Economics Institute, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Nathaniel Fuchs
- Drug Overdose Surveillance Program, Rhode Island Department of Health, Providence, Rhode Island, USA
| | - Rachel P Scagos
- Drug Overdose Surveillance Program, Rhode Island Department of Health, Providence, Rhode Island, USA
| | - Brandon D L Marshall
- Department of Epidemiology, Brown University School of Public Health, Providence, Rhode Island, USA
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14
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Rouhani S, Schneider KE, Weicker N, Whaley S, Morris M, Sherman SG. NIMBYism and Harm Reduction Programs: Results from Baltimore City. J Urban Health 2022; 99:717-722. [PMID: 35641715 PMCID: PMC9154206 DOI: 10.1007/s11524-022-00641-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 03/29/2022] [Indexed: 01/31/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Saba Rouhani
- Department of Health, Behavior and Society, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, 624 N. Broadway, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA.
| | - Kristin E Schneider
- Department of Health, Behavior and Society, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, 624 N. Broadway, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | - Noelle Weicker
- Department of Health, Behavior and Society, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, 624 N. Broadway, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | - Sara Whaley
- Department of Health, Behavior and Society, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, 624 N. Broadway, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | - Miles Morris
- Department of Health, Behavior and Society, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, 624 N. Broadway, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | - Susan G Sherman
- Department of Health, Behavior and Society, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, 624 N. Broadway, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
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15
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Jauffret-Roustide M, Houborg E, Southwell M, Chronopoulou D, Granier JM, Frank VA, Stevens A, Rhodes T. Different Paths and Potentials to Harm Reduction in Different Welfare States: Drug Consumption Rooms in the United Kingdom, Denmark, and France. Am J Public Health 2022; 112:S99-S103. [PMID: 35349322 PMCID: PMC8965185 DOI: 10.2105/ajph.2022.306790] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 02/12/2022] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Marie Jauffret-Roustide
- Marie Jauffret-Roustide is with the Centre d'Étude des Mouvements Sociaux (Inserm U1276/CNRS UMR 8044/EHESS), Paris, France. Esben Houborg and Vibeke Asmussen Frank are with the Center for Alcohol and Drug Research, Aarhus University, Copenhagen, Denmark. Matthew Southwell is with the European Network of People Who Use Drugs, Bath, UK. Daphné Chronopoulou is with the European Network of People Who Use Drugs, Mykonos, Greece. Jean-Maxence Granier is with Auto-Support des Usagers de Drogues/Self-Support for People Who Use Drugs, Paris, France. Alex Stevens is with the School of Social Policy, Sociology and Social Research, University of Kent, Canterbury, UK. Tim Rhodes is with the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK. Marie Jauffret-Roustide is also a Guest Editor of this supplement issue
| | - Esben Houborg
- Marie Jauffret-Roustide is with the Centre d'Étude des Mouvements Sociaux (Inserm U1276/CNRS UMR 8044/EHESS), Paris, France. Esben Houborg and Vibeke Asmussen Frank are with the Center for Alcohol and Drug Research, Aarhus University, Copenhagen, Denmark. Matthew Southwell is with the European Network of People Who Use Drugs, Bath, UK. Daphné Chronopoulou is with the European Network of People Who Use Drugs, Mykonos, Greece. Jean-Maxence Granier is with Auto-Support des Usagers de Drogues/Self-Support for People Who Use Drugs, Paris, France. Alex Stevens is with the School of Social Policy, Sociology and Social Research, University of Kent, Canterbury, UK. Tim Rhodes is with the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK. Marie Jauffret-Roustide is also a Guest Editor of this supplement issue
| | - Matthew Southwell
- Marie Jauffret-Roustide is with the Centre d'Étude des Mouvements Sociaux (Inserm U1276/CNRS UMR 8044/EHESS), Paris, France. Esben Houborg and Vibeke Asmussen Frank are with the Center for Alcohol and Drug Research, Aarhus University, Copenhagen, Denmark. Matthew Southwell is with the European Network of People Who Use Drugs, Bath, UK. Daphné Chronopoulou is with the European Network of People Who Use Drugs, Mykonos, Greece. Jean-Maxence Granier is with Auto-Support des Usagers de Drogues/Self-Support for People Who Use Drugs, Paris, France. Alex Stevens is with the School of Social Policy, Sociology and Social Research, University of Kent, Canterbury, UK. Tim Rhodes is with the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK. Marie Jauffret-Roustide is also a Guest Editor of this supplement issue
| | - Daphné Chronopoulou
- Marie Jauffret-Roustide is with the Centre d'Étude des Mouvements Sociaux (Inserm U1276/CNRS UMR 8044/EHESS), Paris, France. Esben Houborg and Vibeke Asmussen Frank are with the Center for Alcohol and Drug Research, Aarhus University, Copenhagen, Denmark. Matthew Southwell is with the European Network of People Who Use Drugs, Bath, UK. Daphné Chronopoulou is with the European Network of People Who Use Drugs, Mykonos, Greece. Jean-Maxence Granier is with Auto-Support des Usagers de Drogues/Self-Support for People Who Use Drugs, Paris, France. Alex Stevens is with the School of Social Policy, Sociology and Social Research, University of Kent, Canterbury, UK. Tim Rhodes is with the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK. Marie Jauffret-Roustide is also a Guest Editor of this supplement issue
| | - Jean-Maxence Granier
- Marie Jauffret-Roustide is with the Centre d'Étude des Mouvements Sociaux (Inserm U1276/CNRS UMR 8044/EHESS), Paris, France. Esben Houborg and Vibeke Asmussen Frank are with the Center for Alcohol and Drug Research, Aarhus University, Copenhagen, Denmark. Matthew Southwell is with the European Network of People Who Use Drugs, Bath, UK. Daphné Chronopoulou is with the European Network of People Who Use Drugs, Mykonos, Greece. Jean-Maxence Granier is with Auto-Support des Usagers de Drogues/Self-Support for People Who Use Drugs, Paris, France. Alex Stevens is with the School of Social Policy, Sociology and Social Research, University of Kent, Canterbury, UK. Tim Rhodes is with the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK. Marie Jauffret-Roustide is also a Guest Editor of this supplement issue
| | - Vibeke Asmussen Frank
- Marie Jauffret-Roustide is with the Centre d'Étude des Mouvements Sociaux (Inserm U1276/CNRS UMR 8044/EHESS), Paris, France. Esben Houborg and Vibeke Asmussen Frank are with the Center for Alcohol and Drug Research, Aarhus University, Copenhagen, Denmark. Matthew Southwell is with the European Network of People Who Use Drugs, Bath, UK. Daphné Chronopoulou is with the European Network of People Who Use Drugs, Mykonos, Greece. Jean-Maxence Granier is with Auto-Support des Usagers de Drogues/Self-Support for People Who Use Drugs, Paris, France. Alex Stevens is with the School of Social Policy, Sociology and Social Research, University of Kent, Canterbury, UK. Tim Rhodes is with the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK. Marie Jauffret-Roustide is also a Guest Editor of this supplement issue
| | - Alex Stevens
- Marie Jauffret-Roustide is with the Centre d'Étude des Mouvements Sociaux (Inserm U1276/CNRS UMR 8044/EHESS), Paris, France. Esben Houborg and Vibeke Asmussen Frank are with the Center for Alcohol and Drug Research, Aarhus University, Copenhagen, Denmark. Matthew Southwell is with the European Network of People Who Use Drugs, Bath, UK. Daphné Chronopoulou is with the European Network of People Who Use Drugs, Mykonos, Greece. Jean-Maxence Granier is with Auto-Support des Usagers de Drogues/Self-Support for People Who Use Drugs, Paris, France. Alex Stevens is with the School of Social Policy, Sociology and Social Research, University of Kent, Canterbury, UK. Tim Rhodes is with the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK. Marie Jauffret-Roustide is also a Guest Editor of this supplement issue
| | - Tim Rhodes
- Marie Jauffret-Roustide is with the Centre d'Étude des Mouvements Sociaux (Inserm U1276/CNRS UMR 8044/EHESS), Paris, France. Esben Houborg and Vibeke Asmussen Frank are with the Center for Alcohol and Drug Research, Aarhus University, Copenhagen, Denmark. Matthew Southwell is with the European Network of People Who Use Drugs, Bath, UK. Daphné Chronopoulou is with the European Network of People Who Use Drugs, Mykonos, Greece. Jean-Maxence Granier is with Auto-Support des Usagers de Drogues/Self-Support for People Who Use Drugs, Paris, France. Alex Stevens is with the School of Social Policy, Sociology and Social Research, University of Kent, Canterbury, UK. Tim Rhodes is with the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK. Marie Jauffret-Roustide is also a Guest Editor of this supplement issue
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16
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Affiliation(s)
- Hannan M. Braun
- Department of Medicine, The Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI USA
- Division of General Internal Medicine, Rhode Island Hospital, Providence, RI USA
| | - Josiah D. Rich
- Department of Medicine, The Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI USA
- The Center for Health and Justice Transformation, The Miriam Hospital, 164 Summit Avenue, Providence, RI 02906 USA
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17
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Houborg E, Jauffret-Roustide M. Drug Consumption Rooms: Welfare State and Diversity in Social Acceptance in Denmark and in France. Am J Public Health 2022; 112:S159-S165. [PMID: 35349316 PMCID: PMC8965187 DOI: 10.2105/ajph.2022.306808] [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: 02/12/2022] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
Abstract
Drug consumption rooms (DCRs) have the potential to have a positive impact on the opioid overdose crisis. DCRs could also potentially change the political environment for public health because they can affect the distribution of responsibility for harm reduction between the individual and society by collectivizing responsibility for harm reduction through welfare regimes. The methodology is based on 2 case studies-1 in Copenhagen, Denmark, and 1 in Paris, France-about residents, people who inject drugs (PWID), and politicians' experiences of DCRs involving semidirective interviews. Denmark has a long history of harm-reduction policy, and the implementation of DCRs in Copenhagen has happened through close collaboration between local authorities and the local community. France is far more centralized and paternalistic in terms of the distribution of authority and decision-making in welfare and drug policy. Difficulties in cohabitation between local residents and PWID happened in both countries and can sometimes make public authorities hesitate to implement DCRs because of the NIMBY ("not in my backyard") phenomenon. However, the Danish and French case studies show that DCRs have the potential to become an instrument for civic cohabitation as well as to contribute to the destigmatization and health of PWID. (Am J Public Health. 2022;112(S2):S159-S165. https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2022.306808).
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Affiliation(s)
- Esben Houborg
- Esben Houborg is with the Center for Drug and Alcohol Research, Aarhus University, Copenhagen, Denmark. Marie Jauffret-Roustide is with the Centre d'Étude des Mouvements Sociaux (Inserm U1276/CNRS UMR 8044/EHESS), Paris, France; the Baldy Center for Law and Social Policy, Buffalo University, Buffalo, NY; and the British Columbia Center on Substance Use, Vancouver, BC, Canada. Marie Jauffret-Roustide is also a Guest Editor of this supplement issue
| | - Marie Jauffret-Roustide
- Esben Houborg is with the Center for Drug and Alcohol Research, Aarhus University, Copenhagen, Denmark. Marie Jauffret-Roustide is with the Centre d'Étude des Mouvements Sociaux (Inserm U1276/CNRS UMR 8044/EHESS), Paris, France; the Baldy Center for Law and Social Policy, Buffalo University, Buffalo, NY; and the British Columbia Center on Substance Use, Vancouver, BC, Canada. Marie Jauffret-Roustide is also a Guest Editor of this supplement issue
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Delaney SR, Tacker DH, Snozek CLH. The North American opioid epidemic: opportunities and challenges for clinical laboratories. Crit Rev Clin Lab Sci 2022; 59:309-331. [PMID: 35166639 DOI: 10.1080/10408363.2022.2037122] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
Abstract
Since 1999, the opioid epidemic in North America has resulted in over 1 million deaths, and it continues to escalate despite numerous efforts in various arenas to combat the upward trend. Clinical laboratories provide drug testing to support practices such as emergency medicine, substance use disorder treatment, and pain management; increasingly, these laboratories are collaborating in novel partnerships including drug-checking services (DCS) and multidisciplinary treatment teams. This review examines drug testing related to management of licit and illicit opioid use, new technologies and test strategies employed by clinical laboratories, barriers hindering laboratory response to the opioid epidemic, and areas for improvement and standardization within drug testing. Literature search terms included combinations of "opioid," "opiate," "fentanyl," "laboratory," "epidemic," "crisis," "mass spectrometry," "immunoassay," "drug screen," "drug test," "guidelines," plus review of PubMed "similar articles" and references within publications. While immunoassay (IA) and point-of-care (POC) test options for synthetic opioids are increasingly available, mass spectrometry (MS) platforms offer the greatest flexibility and sensitivity for detecting novel, potent opioids. Previously reserved as a second-tier application in most drug test algorithms, MS assays are gaining a larger role in initial screening for specific patients and DCS. However, there are substantial differences among laboratories in terms of updating test menus, algorithms, and technologies to meet changing clinical needs. While some clinical laboratories lack the resources and expertise to implement MS, many are also slow to adopt available IA and POC tests for newer opioids such as fentanyl. MS-based testing also presents challenges, including gaps in available guidance for assay validation and ongoing performance assessment that contribute to a dramatic lack of standardization among laboratories. We identify opportunities for improvement in laboratory operations, reporting, and interpretation of drug test results, including laboratorian and provider education and laboratory-focused guidelines. We also highlight the need for collaboration with providers, assay and instrument manufacturers, and national organizations to increase the effectiveness of clinical laboratory and provider efforts in preventing morbidity and mortality associated with opioid use and misuse.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah R Delaney
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, St. Michael's Hospital, Unity Health Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.,Department of Laboratory Medicine & Pathobiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Danyel H Tacker
- Department of Pathology, Anatomy, and Laboratory Medicine, West Virginia University School of Medicine, Morgantown, WV, USA
| | - Christine L H Snozek
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, Mayo Clinic Arizona, Phoenix, AZ, USA
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Harding RW, Wagner KT, Fiuty P, Smith KP, Page K, Wagner KD. "It's called overamping": experiences of overdose among people who use methamphetamine. Harm Reduct J 2022; 19:4. [PMID: 35034643 PMCID: PMC8762891 DOI: 10.1186/s12954-022-00588-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2021] [Accepted: 01/10/2022] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The USA is experiencing increases in methamphetamine use and methamphetamine-related or attributed deaths. In the current study, we explore qualitative narratives of methamphetamine overdose and strategies used by people who use drugs to reduce the undesirable effects associated with methamphetamine use. METHODS We conducted 21 qualitative interviews with people over the age of 18 who reported using methamphetamine in the previous 3 months in Nevada and New Mexico. Interviews were recorded, transcribed, and analyzed using qualitative thematic analysis. RESULTS Respondents described a constellation of psychological and physical symptoms that they characterized as "overamping," experienced on a continuum from less to more severe. Reports of acute, fatal methamphetamine overdose were rare. Few reported seeking medical attention for undesirable effects (usually related to psychological effects). General self-care strategies such as sleeping and staying hydrated were discussed. CONCLUSIONS When asked directly, our respondents claimed that acute, fatal methamphetamine overdose is rare or even impossible. However, they described a number of undesirable symptoms associated with overconsumption of methamphetamine and had few clinical or harm reduction strategies at their disposal. Addressing this current wave of drug-related deaths will require attention to the multiple factors that structure experiences of methamphetamine "overdose," and a collaborative effort with PWUDs to devise effective harm reduction and treatment strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert W. Harding
- grid.266818.30000 0004 1936 914XSchool of Public Health, University of Nevada, Reno, 1664 N. Virginia St. MC 0274, Reno, NV 89509 USA
| | - Katherine T. Wagner
- grid.266832.b0000 0001 2188 8502University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, NM USA
| | - Phillip Fiuty
- The Mountain Center Harm Reduction Center, Santa Fe, NM USA
| | - Krysti P. Smith
- grid.266818.30000 0004 1936 914XSchool of Public Health, University of Nevada, Reno, 1664 N. Virginia St. MC 0274, Reno, NV 89509 USA
| | - Kimberly Page
- grid.266832.b0000 0001 2188 8502University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, NM USA
| | - Karla D. Wagner
- grid.266818.30000 0004 1936 914XSchool of Public Health, University of Nevada, Reno, 1664 N. Virginia St. MC 0274, Reno, NV 89509 USA
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Andraka-Christou B, Nguyen T, Harris S, Atkins DN, Totaram R, Golan O, Koval A, Madeira J. Harm Reduction Policy Support among Students at Two U.S. Universities. Subst Use Misuse 2022; 57:1185-1195. [PMID: 35491710 DOI: 10.1080/10826084.2022.2069265] [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] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
Background: The U.S. is undergoing an opioid overdose crisis. Harm reduction (HR) policies are associated with decreased overdose deaths and incidence of communicable diseases, yet legality of HR policies differs across U.S. jurisdictions. College student perceptions of HR policies are underexplored, even though their voting behavior has increased in recent years. We sought to compare their support of different HR policies and to explore relationships between demographic characteristics and support for HR policies. Methods: We collected cross-sectional, convenience sample survey data from undergraduate students at two large public universities, one in the Midwest and one in the Southeast, during Fall 2018/Spring 2019. We analyzed data using descriptive statistics and logistic regressions. Results: The final sample included 1,263 respondents. Good Samaritan laws (n = 833, 66%) and naloxone distribution (n = 476, 37.7%) were most commonly supported, while heroin maintenance treatment (n = 232, 18.4%) and heroin decriminalization (n = 208, 16.5%) were least supported. Democrat/liberal or less religious/spiritual respondents supported HR policies more than their Republican/conservative or religious/spiritual counterparts. Midwestern students were more likely to support syringe services programs. Conclusion: HR education initiatives could target religious and/or Republican/conservative students, as they have lower HR support. Among HR policies, Good Samaritan policies may be easiest to pass in college communities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Barbara Andraka-Christou
- School of Global Health Management & Informatics, University of Central Florida, Orlando, Florida, USA.,Department of Internal Medicine, University of Central Florida (Secondary Joint Appointment), Orlando, Florida, USA
| | - Thuy Nguyen
- School of Public Health, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
| | - Shana Harris
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of Central Florida (Secondary Joint Appointment), Orlando, Florida, USA.,Department of Anthropology, University of Central Florida, Orlando, Florida, USA
| | - Danielle N Atkins
- School of Global Health Management & Informatics, University of Central Florida, Orlando, Florida, USA
| | - Rachel Totaram
- School of Global Health Management & Informatics, University of Central Florida, Orlando, Florida, USA
| | - Olivia Golan
- School of Public Health, Georgia State University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Andriy Koval
- School of Global Health Management & Informatics, University of Central Florida, Orlando, Florida, USA
| | - Jody Madeira
- Maurer School of Law, Indiana University-Bloomington, Bloomington, Indiana, USA
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McLeod KE, Karim ME, Buxton JA, Martin RE, Scow M, Felicella G, Slaunwhite AK. Use of community healthcare and overdose in the 30 days following release from provincial correctional facilities in British Columbia. Drug Alcohol Depend 2021; 229:109113. [PMID: 34823082 DOI: 10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2021.109113] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/13/2021] [Revised: 09/24/2021] [Accepted: 09/26/2021] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Interruptions in healthcare services contribute to an elevated risk of overdose in the weeks following release from incarceration. This study examined the association of use of community healthcare with nonfatal and fatal overdose in the 30 days following release. METHODS We conducted a retrospective cohort study using linked administrative data from a random sample of 20% of the population of British Columbia. We examined releases from provincial correctional facilities between January 1, 2015-December 1, 2018. We fit multivariate Andersen-Gill models to examine nonfatal overdoses after release from incarceration and applied Standard Cox regression for analyses of fatal overdoses. RESULTS There were a combined 16,809 releases of 6721 people in this study. At least one overdose occurred in 2.8% of releases. A community healthcare visit preceded the first nonfatal overdose in 86.4% of releases with a nonfatal overdose event. Only 48.4% of people who had a fatal overdose used community healthcare. In adjusted analysis, people who had used community healthcare had a higher hazard of healthcare-attended nonfatal overdose (aHR 2.83 95% CI 2.13, 3.78) and lower hazard of fatal overdose (aHR 0.58, 95%CI 0.28, 1.19). CONCLUSIONS Community healthcare visits after release from custody may be an important opportunity to provide overdose prevention and harm reduction supports. Policies and resourcing are needed to facilitate better connection to primary healthcare during the transition to community. Providers in community should be equipped to offer care to people who have recently experienced incarceration in a way that is accessible, acceptable and trauma-informed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katherine E McLeod
- School of Population and Public Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
| | - Mohammad Ehsanul Karim
- School of Population and Public Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada; Centre for Health Evaluation and Outcome Sciences (CHÉOS), St. Paul's Hospital, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Jane A Buxton
- School of Population and Public Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada; British Columbia Centre for Disease Control, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Ruth Elwood Martin
- School of Population and Public Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Marnie Scow
- British Columbia Centre for Disease Control, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Guy Felicella
- British Columbia Centre on Substance Use, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Amanda K Slaunwhite
- School of Population and Public Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada; British Columbia Centre for Disease Control, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
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22
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Wares JR, Dong J, Gevertz JL, Radunskaya A, Vine K, Wiebe D, Solomon S. Predicting the impact of placing an overdose prevention site in Philadelphia: a mathematical modeling approach. Harm Reduct J 2021; 18:110. [PMID: 34717657 PMCID: PMC8556858 DOI: 10.1186/s12954-021-00559-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2021] [Accepted: 10/14/2021] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Fatal overdoses from opioid use and substance disorders are increasing at an alarming rate. One proposed harm reduction strategy for reducing overdose fatalities is to place overdose prevention sites—commonly known as safe injection facilities—in proximity of locations with the highest rates of overdose. As urban centers in the USA are tackling legal hurdles and community skepticism around the introduction and location of these sites, it becomes increasingly important to assess the magnitude of the effect that these services might have on public health. Methods We developed a mathematical model to describe the movement of people who used opioids to an overdose prevention site in order to understand the impact that the facility would have on overdoses, fatalities, and user education and treatment/recovery. The discrete-time, stochastic model is able to describe a range of user behaviors, including the effects from how far they need to travel to the site. We calibrated the model to overdose data from Philadelphia and ran simulations to describe the effect of placing a site in the Kensington neighborhood. Results In Philadelphia, which has a non-uniform racial population distribution, choice of site placement can determine which demographic groups are most helped. In our simulations, placement of the site in the Kensington neighborhood resulted in White opioid users being more likely to benefit from the site’s services. Overdoses that occur onsite can be reversed. Our results predict that for every 30 stations in the overdose prevention site, 6 per year of these would have resulted in fatalities if they had occurred outside of the overdose prevention site. Additionally, we estimate that fatalities will decrease further when referrals from the OPS to treatment are considered. Conclusions Mathematical modeling was used to predict the impact of placing an overdose prevention site in the Kensington neighborhood of Philadelphia. To fully understand the impact of site placement, both direct and indirect effects must be included in the analysis. Introducing more than one site and distributing sites equally across neighborhoods with different racial and demographic characteristics would have the broadest public health impact. Cities and locales can use mathematical modeling to help quantify the predicted impact of placing an overdose prevention site in a particular location.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joanna R Wares
- Department of Mathematics and Computer Science, University of Richmond, 204 Jepson Hall, 221 Richmond Way, Richmond, VA, 23173, USA.
| | - Jing Dong
- Department of Mathematics and Computer Science, University of Richmond, 204 Jepson Hall, 221 Richmond Way, Richmond, VA, 23173, USA
| | - Jana L Gevertz
- Department of Mathematics and Statistics, The College of New Jersey, Ewing, NJ, 08628, USA
| | - Ami Radunskaya
- Department of Mathematics and Statistics, Pomona College, Claremont, CA, 91711, USA
| | - Kendra Vine
- Division of Substance Use Prevention and Harm Reduction, Department of Public Health, Philadelphia, PA, 19109, USA
| | - Doug Wiebe
- Penn Injury Science Center, Department of Biostatistics, Informatics and Epidemiology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
| | - Sara Solomon
- Penn Injury Science Center, Department of Biostatistics, Informatics and Epidemiology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
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Brooks-Russell A, Brandspigel S, Franco CY, Alishahi ML, Lee-Winn AE. Perceptions of Syringe Service Programs and Supervised Use Sites Among a Sample of Registered Voters in a US State. JOURNAL OF PUBLIC HEALTH MANAGEMENT AND PRACTICE 2021; 27:361-368. [PMID: 32956293 DOI: 10.1097/phh.0000000000001261] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
CONTEXT The decision to initiate a syringe service program or expand to a supervised use site is often influenced by local public support or opposition. OBJECTIVE The purpose of this study was to better understand public attitudes to local syringe service programs to inform the possibility of expanding services. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS We surveyed a sample of registered voters (n = 690) in the 8 counties in the state of Colorado with existing syringe service programs. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Respondents were asked about their awareness of and attitudes toward syringe service programs and supervised use sites. RESULTS More than three-fourths of respondents reported they were familiar with syringe service programs, but only a quarter knew they were legal, despite all survey respondents living near an operating program. Nearly one in 3 respondents thought a syringe service program or a supervised use site makes a community better, and a majority (57%) thought supervised use sites should be legal in their state. There were significant differences in attitudes toward the benefits and risks of syringe service programs by political party affiliation. CONCLUSION Understanding the level of community knowledge and support for syringe service programs, as well as the reasons for opposition, can be helpful in addressing community concerns when seeking to initiate or expand services.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ashley Brooks-Russell
- Departments of Community and Behavioral Health (Dr Brooks-Russell), Epidemiology (Dr Lee-Winn and Ms Alishahi), and Health Policy and Management (Ms Brandspigel), Colorado School of Public Health, and Prevention Research Center for Family and Child Health, Department of Pediatrics (Ms Franco), University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado
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Thakarar K, Nenninger K, Agmas W. Harm Reduction Services to Prevent and Treat Infectious Diseases in People Who Use Drugs. Infect Dis Clin North Am 2021; 34:605-620. [PMID: 32782104 DOI: 10.1016/j.idc.2020.06.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/20/2023]
Abstract
This article reviews the principles of harm reduction, evidence-based harm reduction strategies such as syringe service programs and supervised injection facilities, and provides approaches to integrating a harm reduction approach into clinical practice. As providers strive to increase capacity to treat underlying substance use disorder, we must also recognize that some people may continue to use drugs. In this setting, providers can still deliver nonjudgmental, individualized care, and advocate for the health and safety of people who inject drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kinna Thakarar
- Infectious Disease and Addiction Medicine, Maine Medical Center/Tufts University School of Medicine, 50 Foden Road, South Portland, ME 04106, USA.
| | - Katherine Nenninger
- Preventive Medicine, Maine Medical Center/Tufts University School of Medicine, 22 Bramhall Street, Portland, ME 04102, USA
| | - Wollelaw Agmas
- Infectious Disease, Maine Medical Center/Tufts University School of Medicine, 22 Bramhall Street, Portland, ME 04102, USA
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Prevalence and correlates of multiple non-fatal opioid overdoses among people who inject drugs who utilise needle syringe programs in Australia. THE INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF DRUG POLICY 2021; 96:103245. [PMID: 33840562 DOI: 10.1016/j.drugpo.2021.103245] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2020] [Revised: 03/15/2021] [Accepted: 03/21/2021] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Non-fatal overdose (NFOD) is a major cause of morbidity among people who inject drugs (PWID) and multiple NFOD is associated with increased risk of fatal overdose. Despite this, few studies have examined the prevalence and correlates of drug-specific multiple NFOD. The current study aimed to determine the prevalence and correlates of recent multiple non-fatal opioid overdose (NFOOD) among PWID who access needle syringe programs (NSPs) in Australia. METHODS The Australian Needle and Syringe Program Survey is conducted annually and was conducted at 46 sites across Australia in 2019. Participation involves completion of a self-administered questionnaire and a capillary dried blood spot for HIV and hepatitis C virus testing. In 2019, respondents who reported a minimum of one NFOOD in the previous 12 months (recent NFOOD) were asked to complete supplementary questions regarding their last NFOOD. Bivariate and multivariate logistic regression were used to determine factors independently associated with multiple recent NFOOD. RESULTS A total of 222 respondents reported recent NFOOD. Respondents were predominantly male (59%), one third (39%) were aged less than 39 years and 73% reported last injecting heroin at their last NFOOD. One in two respondents (48%, n = 107) reported multiple opioid overdoses (median 3, interquartile range 2-5). The odds of reporting multiple NFOOD were higher among respondents who reported injecting in a public location at their last NFOOD (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] 2.10, 95% CI 1.14-3.90, p = 0.018) and benzodiazepine use in the 12 h prior to NFOOD (AOR 2.74, 95% CI 1.50-4.99, p = 0.001). CONCLUSIONS Multiple NFOOD was prevalent among PWID who utilised NSPs who reported recent NFOOD. Public injecting and benzodiazepine use were associated with increased risk of multiple NFOOD, and there is a need for interventions specifically targeting PWID who report these high risk injecting practices.
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26
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Pennington ML, Dupree J, Coe E, Ostiguy W, Kimbrel NA, Meyer EC, Gulliver SB. Working near a supervised injection facility: A qualitative study of perspectives of firefighter-emergency medical responders. Am J Ind Med 2021; 64:296-300. [PMID: 33522641 DOI: 10.1002/ajim.23224] [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: 09/14/2020] [Revised: 01/05/2021] [Accepted: 01/07/2021] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND While firefighter-emergency medical responders (FF-EMR) are important stakeholders in cities considering the implementation of a supervised injection facility (SIF), there is little information on perspectives of first responders who serve these communities. The aim of the present study was to identify FF-EMR perspectives on working near a SIF. METHODS FF-EMRs from Vancouver Fire and Rescue Services completed an online survey that queried participant perspectives on working near a SIF. RESULTS Four main themes were identified: positive effects, negative effects, duration of assignment, and sense of duty. Similar percentages of first responders reported positive (22.2%) and negative aspects (25.9%) of working near the SIF, while some (18.5%) indicated preference for a short-term assignment to the SIF area. FF-EMRs most commonly described a sense of duty (35.2%). CONCLUSIONS To our knowledge, our study is the first to identify FF-EMR perspectives related to work near a SIF. Perspectives and concerns of first responders should be considered in policy debates about implementation of new SIFs to guarantee an adequately-prepared first responder workforce.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michelle L. Pennington
- Warriors Research Institute Baylor Scott & White Research Institute Waco Texas USA
- Department of Public Health Baylor University Waco Texas USA
| | - Jessica Dupree
- Warriors Research Institute Baylor Scott & White Research Institute Waco Texas USA
| | - Elizabeth Coe
- Warriors Research Institute Baylor Scott & White Research Institute Waco Texas USA
| | | | - Nathan A. Kimbrel
- Durham Veterans Affairs (VA) Health Care System Durham North Carolina USA
- VA Mid‐Atlantic Mental Illness Research, Education, and Clinical Center Durham North Carolina USA
- Department of Psychiatry Duke University School of Medicine Durham North Carolina USA
| | - Eric C. Meyer
- Warriors Research Institute Baylor Scott & White Research Institute Waco Texas USA
- College of Medicine Texas A&M University Health Science Center Bryan Texas USA
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience Baylor University Waco Texas USA
- Department of Rehabilitation Science and Technology University of Pittsburgh Pittsburgh Pennsylvania USA
| | - Suzy B. Gulliver
- Warriors Research Institute Baylor Scott & White Research Institute Waco Texas USA
- College of Medicine Texas A&M University Health Science Center Bryan Texas USA
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Davidson PJ, Lambdin BH, Browne EN, Wenger LD, Kral AH. Impact of an unsanctioned safe consumption site on criminal activity, 2010-2019. Drug Alcohol Depend 2021; 220:108521. [PMID: 33485010 DOI: 10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2021.108521] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2020] [Revised: 12/22/2020] [Accepted: 12/26/2020] [Indexed: 01/24/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Health and social impacts of safe consumption sites (SCS) are well described in multiple countries. One argument used by those opposed to SCS in the US is that findings from other countries are not relevant to the US context. We examined whether an unsanctioned SCS operating in the US affected local crime rates. METHODS Controlled interrupted time series (ITS) analysis of police incident reports for five years before and five years after SCS opening, comparing one intervention and two control areas in one city. RESULTS Narcotic/drug incidents declined across the pre- and post-intervention periods in the intervention area and remained constant in both control areas, preventing an ITS analysis but suggesting no negative impact. On average, incident reports relating to assault, burglary, larceny theft, and robbery in the post-intervention period steadily decreased at a similar rate within both the Intervention area and Control area 1. However the change in rate of decline post-intervention was statistically significantly greater in the Intervention area compared to Control area 1 (difference in slope -0.007 SDs, 95 % CI: -0.013, -0.002; p = 0.01). The Intervention area had a statistically significant decline in crime over the post-intervention period compared to Control area 2 (difference in slope -0.023 SDs, 95 % CI: -0.03, -0.01; p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS Documented criminal activity decreased rather than increased in the area around an unsanctioned SCS located in the US in the five years following SCS opening.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter J Davidson
- University of California, Department of Medicine, 9500 Gilman Dr La Jolla, San Diego, CA, 92093-0507, United States.
| | - Barrot H Lambdin
- RTI International, 2150 Shattuck Avenue Suite 800, Berkeley, CA, 94704, United States
| | - Erica N Browne
- RTI International, 2150 Shattuck Avenue Suite 800, Berkeley, CA, 94704, United States
| | - Lynn D Wenger
- RTI International, 2150 Shattuck Avenue Suite 800, Berkeley, CA, 94704, United States
| | - Alex H Kral
- RTI International, 2150 Shattuck Avenue Suite 800, Berkeley, CA, 94704, United States
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28
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Macias-Konstantopoulos W, Heins A, Sachs CJ, Whiteman PJ, Wingkun NJG, Riviello RJ. Between Emergency Department Visits: The Role of Harm Reduction Programs in Mitigating the Harms Associated With Injection Drug Use. Ann Emerg Med 2021; 77:479-492. [PMID: 33579588 DOI: 10.1016/j.annemergmed.2020.11.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2019] [Revised: 10/05/2020] [Accepted: 11/12/2020] [Indexed: 01/29/2023]
Abstract
Injection drug use is a major public health problem in the United States. Cocaine, heroin, and methamphetamine are the most commonly injected illicit drugs, whereas opioids are responsible for the majority of overdose fatalities. Although recent emergency department (ED) efforts have focused on expanding capacity for buprenorphine induction for opioid use disorder treatment, the injection of illicit drugs carries specific health risks that require acknowledgment and management, particularly for patients who decline substance use treatment. Harm reduction is a public health approach that aims to reduce the harms associated with a health risk behavior, short of eliminating the behavior itself. Harm-reduction strategies fundamental to emergency medicine include naloxone distribution for opioid overdose. This clinical Review Article examines the specific health complications of injection drug use and reviews the evidence base for 2 interventions effective in reducing morbidity and mortality related to drug injection, irrespective of the specific drug used, that are less well known and infrequently leveraged by emergency medicine clinicians: syringe service programs and supervised injection facilities. In accordance with the recommendations of health authorities such as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, emergency clinicians can promote the use of harm-reduction programs in the community to reduce viral transmission and other risks of injection drug use by providing patients with information about and referrals to these programs after injection drug use-related ED visits.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Alan Heins
- Department of Emergency Medicine, University of South Alabama College of Medicine, Mobile, AL
| | - Carolyn J Sachs
- David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California-Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA
| | - Paula J Whiteman
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA
| | - Neil-Jeremy G Wingkun
- Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center and Houston Methodist Hospital, Houston, TX
| | - Ralph J Riviello
- Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Texas Health Science Center San Antonio, San Antonio, TX
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Aghbash PS, Eslami N, Shamekh A, Entezari-Maleki T, Baghi HB. SARS-CoV-2 infection: The role of PD-1/PD-L1 and CTLA-4 axis. Life Sci 2021; 270:119124. [PMID: 33508291 PMCID: PMC7838580 DOI: 10.1016/j.lfs.2021.119124] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2020] [Revised: 01/06/2021] [Accepted: 01/16/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
The outbreak of SARS-CoV-2 in Wuhan of China in December 2019 and its worldwide spread has turned into the COVID-19 pandemic. Respiratory disorders, lymphopenia, cytokine cascades, and the immune responses provoked by this virus play a major and fundamental role in the severity of the symptoms and the immunogenicity which it causes. Owing to the decrease in the inflammatory responses' regulation in the immune system and the sudden increase in the secretion of cytokines, it seems that an investigation of inhibitory immune checkpoints can influence theories regarding this disease's treatment methods. Acquired cell-mediated immune defense's T-cells have a key major contribution in clearing viral infections thus reducing the severity of COVID-19's symptoms. The most important diagnostic feature in individuals with COVID-19 is lymphocyte depletion, most importantly, T-cells. Due to the induction of interferon-γ (INF-γ) production by neutrophils and monocytes, which are abundantly present in the peripheral blood of the individuals with COVID-19, the expression of inhibitory immune checkpoints including, PD-1 (programmed death), PD-L1 and CTLA4 on the T-cells' surface is enhanced. The purpose of this review is to discuss the functions of these checkpoints and their effects on the dysfunction and exhaustion of T-cells, making them almost ineffective in individuals with COVID-19, especially in the cases with extreme symptoms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Parisa Shiri Aghbash
- Immunology Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran; Infectious and Tropical Diseases Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
| | - Narges Eslami
- Infectious and Tropical Diseases Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran; Drug Applied Research Centre, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
| | - Ali Shamekh
- Drug Applied Research Centre, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran; Student Research Committee, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
| | - Taher Entezari-Maleki
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran; Cardiovascular Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
| | - Hossein Bannazadeh Baghi
- Immunology Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran; Infectious and Tropical Diseases Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran; Department of Virology, Faculty of Medicine, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran.
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Xavier J, Rudzinski K, Guta A, Carusone SC, Strike C. Rules and Eligibility Criteria for Supervised Consumption Services Feasibility Studies - A Scoping Review. THE INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF DRUG POLICY 2020; 88:103040. [PMID: 33220597 DOI: 10.1016/j.drugpo.2020.103040] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2020] [Revised: 10/29/2020] [Accepted: 11/01/2020] [Indexed: 01/29/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Supervised consumption services (SCS) reduce HIV risks and overdose for people who use drugs (PWUD) and are known to have wide-ranging public health benefits. Feasibility studies are often conducted as part of program/implementation development. We conducted a scoping review of SCS feasibility/pre-implementation studies to answer: what is known about stakeholders' opinions of SCS rules and eligibility criteria? METHODS Using the PRISMA-ScR guidelines, we searched Medline, PsychINFO, Embase, CINAHL, and SCOPUS databases for: (a) empirical research, (b) reported in English, (c) focused on SCS, (d) pre-implementation feasibility studies (research conducted prior to implementation of SCS in a given context), (e) examining SCS operational rules and eligibility criteria. Abstracts were reviewed to verify appropriateness; full articles/reports were retrieved; data were extracted and charted. RESULTS Of the 1,268 data sources identified/reviewed, 19 sources, were included. Manuscripts showed the following criteria that might be considered when determining who can and cannot use SCS: age, pregnancy status, and opioid substitution treatment status. To govern behaviours at SCS, manuscripts focused on: acceptable modes of drug consumption, assisted injections, sharing drugs on-site, pill injecting, and mandatory hand washing, etc. Stakeholders generally agreed that; eligibility restrictions and site rules should be minimal to establish low-barrier services. SCS are often forced to contend with the tension between adhering to a medical or public health model and creating low-barrier services. SCS rules are at the center of this intersection because rules and eligibility criteria implemented to mirror other health services may not align with the needs of PWUD. CONCLUSION Given the public health significance of SCS, establishing best practices for service delivery is critical for increasing access and addressing implementation issues. Future research should examine other operational elements of SCS, such as design elements, staffing models, and ancillary services. Additional research should also focus on supervised smoking services.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica Xavier
- Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, 155 College St., Toronto, ON, M5T 3M7, Canada
| | - Katherine Rudzinski
- Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, 155 College St., Toronto, ON, M5T 3M7, Canada
| | - Adrian Guta
- School of Social Work, University of Windsor, 167 Ferry Street, Windsor, ON, N9A 0C5, Canada
| | - Soo Chan Carusone
- Casey House, 119 Isabella St, Toronto, ON, M4Y 1P2, Canada; Department of Health Research Methodology, Evidence, and Impact, McMaster University, 1280 Main Street West 2C Area, Hamilton, ON, L8S 4K, Canada
| | - Carol Strike
- Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, 155 College St., Toronto, ON, M5T 3M7, Canada; Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute, St. Michael's Hospital, 209 Victoria St, Toronto, ON M5B 1T8, Canada.
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Kral AH, Lambdin BH, Wenger LD, Davidson PJ. Evaluation of an Unsanctioned Safe Consumption Site in the United States. N Engl J Med 2020; 383:589-590. [PMID: 32640126 DOI: 10.1056/nejmc2015435] [Citation(s) in RCA: 63] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
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Rouhani S, White RH, Park JN, Sherman SG. High willingness to use overdose prevention sites among female sex workers in Baltimore, Maryland. Drug Alcohol Depend 2020; 212:108042. [PMID: 32416474 PMCID: PMC9426862 DOI: 10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2020.108042] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2020] [Revised: 04/13/2020] [Accepted: 04/15/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Overdose Prevention Sites (OPS) operate worldwide as spaces where people can consume previously purchased drugs under supervision, and are linked to reductions in HIV/HCV transmission and fatal overdoses. As the United States weighs their merits and legality, research is needed to estimate acceptability and use among populations at high risk for overdose. We examine willingness to use OPS among street-based female sex workers (FSW) with prevalent drug use and associated morbidities. METHODS We describe self-reported willingness, barriers and conditions around use of a hypothetical OPS among 141 FSW engaged in active drug use in Baltimore City, and describe trends using Pearson's χ2 and Fisher's exact tests. RESULTS Most women had history of overdose (55 %) and were likely to use OPS (77 %). Willingness was higher among women who: were sexual minorities (97 %;P=0.002),experienced homelessness (82 %;P=0.019), injected drugs (82 %;P=0.013), shared syringes (82 %;P=0.007), experienced sexual violence (92 %;P=0.045) or reported heroin use (83 %;P=0.039) in the past 3 months. Common anticipated barriers included transportation (45 %) and fear of arrest (41 %). CONCLUSIONS This study highlights a population of uniquely high-risk women who would benefit from an OPS integrated with other services. Conditions and barriers discussed are informative for planning and implementation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Saba Rouhani
- Department of Health, Behavior and Society, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland 21205, United States; Department of Mental Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland 21205, United States.
| | - Rebecca Hamilton White
- Department of Health, Behavior and Society, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland 21205
| | - Ju Nyeong Park
- Department of Health, Behavior and Society, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland 21205
| | - Susan G. Sherman
- Department of Health, Behavior and Society, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland 21205
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Klein KS, Glick SN, Mauro PM. Anticipated use of a supervised drug consumption site among syringe services program clients in King County, Washington: Assessing the role of opioid overdose and injection behavior. Drug Alcohol Depend 2020; 213:108121. [PMID: 32585421 DOI: 10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2020.108121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2019] [Revised: 06/02/2020] [Accepted: 06/02/2020] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND US jurisdictions are considering implementing supervised drug consumption sites (SCSs) to combat the overdose epidemic. No sanctioned SCS exists in the US, but King County, Washington has proposed Community Health Engagement Locations (CHELs), which would include supervised drug consumption. We assessed characteristics of people engaged in syringe services programs (SSPs) who anticipated SCS use. METHODS We estimated prevalence of anticipated SCS use in a 2017 cross-sectional sample of King County SSP participants (N = 377). We used Poisson regression with robust standard errors to estimate likelihood of anticipated SCS use by overdose history (experienced, witnessed only, neither), public injection frequency (always, some/most times, never), drug use behaviors, and sociodemographic characteristics. RESULTS The sample was primarily male (66.8 %), white (69.5 %), and averaged 37 years old. Almost two-thirds of participants witnessed or experienced an overdose in the past year (43.2 % witnessed only; 19.6 % experienced overdose). Four in five SSP participants (83.0 %) anticipated any SCS use. Anticipated SCS use was higher among participants who experienced an overdose (risk ratio [RR] = 1.14, 95 % CI = 1.04, 1.24) than those with no overdose experience. In multivariable analyses, anticipated SCS use was higher among people reporting injecting publicly (e.g., always vs. never: aRR = 1.26, 95 % CI = 1.11, 1.43), and lower among people primarily using methamphetamine (aRR = 0.80, 95 % CI = 0.67, 0.96) compared to people primarily using opioids. CONCLUSIONS In King County, SCS services would be used by people at high risk of overdose, including SSP participants reporting injecting in public. SCSs could be an important step to promote health and safety across communities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kathryn S Klein
- Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, Department of Epidemiology, 722 West 168th St., New York, NY, 10032, United States.
| | - Sara N Glick
- University of Washington School of Medicine, Division of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, 325 9th Ave., Box 359777, Seattle, WA, 98104, United States; Public Health--Seattle & King County, HIV/STD Program, 401 5th Ave., Seattle, WA, 98104, United States
| | - Pia M Mauro
- Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, Department of Epidemiology, 722 West 168th St., New York, NY, 10032, United States
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Abstract
Opioid use disorder (OUD) is a chronic relapsing disorder that, whilst initially driven by activation of brain reward neurocircuits, increasingly engages anti-reward neurocircuits that drive adverse emotional states and relapse. However, successful recovery is possible with appropriate treatment, although with a persisting propensity to relapse. The individual and public health burdens of OUD are immense; 26.8 million people were estimated to be living with OUD globally in 2016, with >100,000 opioid overdose deaths annually, including >47,000 in the USA in 2017. Well-conducted trials have demonstrated that long-term opioid agonist therapy with methadone and buprenorphine have great efficacy for OUD treatment and can save lives. New forms of the opioid receptor antagonist naltrexone are also being studied. Some frequently used approaches have less scientifically robust evidence but are nevertheless considered important, including community preventive strategies, harm reduction interventions to reduce adverse sequelae from ongoing use and mutual aid groups. Other commonly used approaches, such as detoxification alone, lack scientific evidence. Delivery of effective prevention and treatment responses is often complicated by coexisting comorbidities and inadequate support, as well as by conflicting public and political opinions. Science has a crucial role to play in informing public attitudes and developing fuller evidence to understand OUD and its associated harms, as well as in obtaining the evidence today that will improve the prevention and treatment interventions of tomorrow.
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Caulkins JP, Pardo B, Kilmer B. Supervised consumption sites: a nuanced assessment of the causal evidence. Addiction 2019; 114:2109-2115. [PMID: 31309637 DOI: 10.1111/add.14747] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2019] [Revised: 05/24/2019] [Accepted: 07/05/2019] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIMS Supervised consumption sites (SCS) operate in more than 10 countries. SCS have mostly emerged as a bottom-up response to crises, first to HIV/AIDS and now overdose deaths, in ways that make rigorous evaluation difficult. Opinions vary about how much favorable evidence must accumulate before implementation. Our aim was to assess the nature and quality of evidence on the consequences of implementing SCS. METHODS We reviewed the higher-quality SCS literature, focusing on articles evaluating natural experiments and mathematical modeling studies that estimate costs and benefits. We discuss the evidence through the lens of three types of decision-makers and from three intellectual perspectives. RESULTS Millions of drug use episodes have been supervised at SCS with no reported overdose deaths; however, uncertainties remain concerning the magnitude of the population-level effects. The published literature on SCS is large and almost unanimous in its support, but limited in nature and the number of sites evaluated. It can also overlook four key distinctions: (1) between outcomes that occur within the facility and possible spillover effects on behavior outside the SCS; (2) between effects of supervising consumption and the effects of other services offered, such as syringe or naloxone distribution; (3) between association and causation; and (4) between effectiveness and the cost-effectiveness of SCS compared to other interventions. CONCLUSIONS The causal evidence for favorable outcomes of supervised consumption sites is minimal, but there appears to be little basis for concern about adverse effects. This raises the question of how context and priors can affect how high the bar is set when deciding whether to endorse supervised consumption sites. The literature also understates distinctions and nuances that need to be appreciated to gain a rich understanding of how a range of stakeholders should interpret and apply that evidence to a variety of decisions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonathan P Caulkins
- RAND Drug Policy Research Center, RAND, Santa Monica, CA, USA.,Heinz College, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Bryce Pardo
- RAND Drug Policy Research Center, RAND, Santa Monica, CA, USA
| | - Beau Kilmer
- RAND Drug Policy Research Center, RAND, Santa Monica, CA, USA
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Supervised injection facility use and all-cause mortality among people who inject drugs in Vancouver, Canada: A cohort study. PLoS Med 2019; 16:e1002964. [PMID: 31770391 PMCID: PMC6879115 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pmed.1002964] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2019] [Accepted: 10/18/2019] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND People who inject drugs (PWID) experience elevated rates of premature mortality. Although previous studies have demonstrated the role of supervised injection facilities (SIFs) in reducing various harms associated with injection drug use, including accidental overdose death, the possible impact of SIF use on all-cause mortality is unknown. Therefore, we examined the relationship between frequent SIF use and all-cause mortality among PWID in Vancouver, Canada. METHODS AND FINDINGS Data were derived from 2 prospective cohort studies of PWID in Vancouver, Canada, between December 2006 and June 2017. Every 6 months, participants completed questionnaires that elicited information regarding sociodemographic characteristics, substance use patterns, social-structural exposures, and use of health services including SIFs. These data were confidentially linked to the provincial vital statistics database to ascertain mortality rates and causes of death. We used multivariable extended Cox regression analyses to estimate the independent association between frequent (i.e., at least weekly) SIF use and all-cause mortality. Of 811 participants, 278 (34.3%) were women, and the median age was 39 years (IQR 33-46) at baseline. In total, 432 (53.3%) participants reported frequent SIF use at baseline, and 379 (46.7%) did not. At baseline, frequent SIF users were on average younger than nonfrequent users, and a higher proportion of frequent SIF users than nonfrequent users were unstably housed, resided in the Downtown Eastside neighbourhood, injected in public, had a recent non-fatal overdose, used prescription opioids at least daily, injected heroin at least daily, injected cocaine at least daily, and injected crystal methamphetamine at least daily. A lower proportion of frequent SIF users than nonfrequent users were HIV positive and enrolled in addiction treatment at baseline. The median duration of follow-up among study participants was 72 months (IQR 24-123). In total, 112 participants (13.8%) died during the study period, yielding a crude mortality rate of 22.7 (95% CI 18.7-27.4) deaths per 1,000 person-years. The median years of potential life lost per death was 34 (IQR 27-42) years. In a time-updated multivariable model, frequent SIF use was inversely associated with risk of all-cause mortality after adjusting for potential confounders, including age, sex, HIV seropositivity, unstable housing, at least daily cocaine injection, public injection, incarceration, enrolment in addiction treatment, and calendar year of interview (adjusted hazard ratio 0.46, 95% CI 0.26-0.80, p = 0.006). The main study limitations are the limited generalizability of findings due to non-random sampling, the potential for reporting biases due to reliance on some self-reported information, and the possibility that residual confounding influenced findings. CONCLUSIONS We observed a high burden of premature mortality among a community-recruited cohort of PWID. Frequent SIF use was associated with a lower risk of death, independent of relevant confounders. These findings support efforts to enhance access to SIFs as a strategy to reduce mortality among PWID. Further analyses of individual-level data are needed to determine estimates of, and potential causal pathways underlying, associations between SIF use and specific causes of death.
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O'Rourke A, White RH, Park JN, Rodriguez K, Kilkenny ME, Sherman SG, Allen ST. Acceptability of safe drug consumption spaces among people who inject drugs in rural West Virginia. Harm Reduct J 2019; 16:51. [PMID: 31470864 PMCID: PMC6717345 DOI: 10.1186/s12954-019-0320-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2019] [Accepted: 07/30/2019] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Aim Safe consumption spaces (SCS) are indoor environments in which people can use drugs with trained personnel on site to provide overdose reversal and risk reduction services. SCS have been shown to reduce fatal overdoses, decrease public syringe disposal, and reduce public drug consumption. Existing SCS research in the USA has explored acceptability for the hypothetical use of SCS, but primarily among urban populations of people who inject drugs (PWID). Given the disproportionate impact of the opioid crisis in rural communities, this research examines hypothetical SCS acceptability among a rural sample of PWID in West Virginia. Methods Data were drawn from a 2018 cross-sectional survey of PWID (n = 373) who reported injection drug use in the previous 6 months and residence in Cabell County, West Virginia. Participants were asked about their hypothetical use of a SCS with responses dichotomized into two groups, likely and unlikely SCS users. Chi-square and t tests were conducted to identify differences between likely and unlikely SCS users across demographic, substance use, and health measures. Results Survey participants were 59.5% male, 83.4% non-Hispanic White, and 79.1% reported likely hypothetical SCS use. Hypothetical SCS users were significantly (p < .05) more likely to have recently (past 6 months) injected cocaine (38.3% vs. 25.7%), speedball (41.0% vs. 24.3%), and to report preferring drugs containing fentanyl (32.5% vs. 20.3%). Additionally, likely SCS users were significantly more likely to have recently experienced an overdose (46.8% vs. 32.4%), witnessed an overdose (78.3% vs. 60.8%), and received naloxone (51.2% vs. 37.8%). Likely SCS users were less likely to have borrowed a syringe from a friend (34.6% vs. 48.7%). Conclusions Rural PWID engaging in high-risk behaviors perceive SCS as an acceptable harm reduction strategy. SCS may be a viable option to reduce overdose fatalities in rural communities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Allison O'Rourke
- DC Center for AIDS Research, Department of Psychology, George Washington University, 2125 G St. NW, Washington, DC, 20052, USA.
| | - Rebecca Hamilton White
- Department of Health, Behavior and Society, Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health, 624 N. Broadway, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | - Ju Nyeong Park
- Department of Health, Behavior and Society, Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health, 624 N. Broadway, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | - Kayla Rodriguez
- Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine, Marshall University, 1249 15th Street, Huntington, WV, 25701, USA
| | - Michael E Kilkenny
- Cabell-Huntington Health Department, 703 7th Ave, Huntington, WV, 25701, USA
| | - Susan G Sherman
- Department of Health, Behavior and Society, Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health, 624 N. Broadway, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | - Sean T Allen
- Department of Health, Behavior and Society, Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health, 624 N. Broadway, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
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Goldman JE, Krieger MS, Buxton JA, Lysyshyn M, Sherman SG, Green TC, Bernstein E, Hadland SE, Marshall BDL. Suspected involvement of fentanyl in prior overdoses and engagement in harm reduction practices among young adults who use drugs. Subst Abus 2019; 40:519-526. [PMID: 31206354 DOI: 10.1080/08897077.2019.1616245] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Background: From 2011 to 2016, the United States has experienced a 55% increase in overall overdose deaths and a 260% increase in fatal fentanyl-related overdoses. Increasing engagement in harm reduction practices is essential to reducing the rate of fentanyl-related overdoses. This study sought to examine the uptake of harm reduction practices among young adults who reported recent drug use and who were recruited for a study to assess the utility and acceptability of rapid fentanyl test strips. Methods: Between May and October 2017, 93 young adults who reported drug use in the past 30 days were recruited through word of mouth, Internet advertising, and public canvasing. Participants completed an interviewer-administered survey that assessed participants' sociodemographic and behavioral characteristics, suspected fentanyl exposure, and overdose history. We assessed harm reduction practices and other correlates associated with experiencing a suspected fentanyl-related overdose. Results: Of 93 eligible participants, 36% (n = 34) reported ever having experienced an overdose, among whom 53% (n = 18) suspected having experienced a fentanyl-related overdose. Participants who had ever experienced a fentanyl-related overdose were more likely to keep naloxone nearby when using drugs compared with those who had never experienced an overdose and those who had experienced an overdose that they did not suspect was related to fentanyl (P < .001). Additionally, experiencing a suspected fentanyl-related overdose was associated with having previously administered naloxone to someone else experiencing an overdose (P < .001). Conclusion: Those who had experienced a suspected fentanyl-related overdose were more likely to carry and administer naloxone. Future overdose prevention interventions should involve persons who have experienced a suspected fentanyl overdose and/or responded to an overdose in order to develop harm reduction programs that meet the needs of those at risk of an overdose.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jacqueline E Goldman
- Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island, USA
| | - Maxwell S Krieger
- Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island, USA
| | - Jane A Buxton
- School of Population and Public Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.,British Columbia Centre for Disease Control, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Mark Lysyshyn
- School of Population and Public Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.,Vancouver Coastal Health, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Susan G Sherman
- Department of Health, Behavior and Society, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Traci C Green
- Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island, USA.,Department of Emergency Medicine, Grayken Center for Addiction, School of Medicine, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.,Department of Pediatrics, Grayken Center for Addiction, Boston Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.,Department of Emergency Medicine, Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island, USA
| | - Edward Bernstein
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Grayken Center for Addiction, School of Medicine, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.,Department of Pediatrics, Grayken Center for Addiction, Boston Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Scott E Hadland
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Grayken Center for Addiction, School of Medicine, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.,Department of Pediatrics, Grayken Center for Addiction, Boston Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Brandon D L Marshall
- Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island, USA
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Belackova V, Salmon AM, Day CA, Ritter A, Shanahan M, Hedrich D, Kerr T, Jauncey M. Drug consumption rooms: A systematic review of evaluation methodologies. Drug Alcohol Rev 2019; 38:406-422. [PMID: 30938025 DOI: 10.1111/dar.12919] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/13/2018] [Revised: 01/16/2019] [Accepted: 02/12/2019] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
Abstract
ISSUES Drug consumptions rooms (DCR) and supervised injecting facilities (SIF) are expanding internationally. Previous reviews have not systematically addressed evaluation methodologies. APPROACH Results from systematic searches of scientific databases in English until June 2017 were coded for paper type, country and year of publication. For evaluation papers, study outcome, methodology/study design and main indicators of DCR/SIF 'exposure' were recorded. KEY FINDINGS Two hundred and nineteen eligible peer-reviewed papers were published since 1999: the majority from Canada (n = 117 papers), Europe (n = 36) and Australia (n = 32). Fifty-six papers reported evaluation outcomes. Ecological study designs (n = 10) were used to assess the impact on overdose, public nuisance and crime; modelling techniques (n = 6) estimated impact on blood-borne diseases, overdose deaths and costs. Papers using individual-level data included four prospective cohorts (n = 28), cross-sectional surveys (n = 7) and service records (n = 5). Individual-level data were used to assess safer injecting practice, uptake into health and social services and all the other above outcomes except for impact on crime and costs. Four different indicators of DCR/SIF attendance were used to measure service 'exposure'. IMPLICATIONS Research around DCRs/SIFs has used ecological, modelling, cross-sectional and cohort study designs. Further research could involve systematic inclusion of a control group of people who are eligible but do not access SIFs, validation of self-reported proportion of injections at SIFs or a stepped-wedge or a cluster trial comparing localities. CONCLUSIONS Methodologies appropriate for DCR/SIF evaluation have been established and can be readily replicated from the existing literature. Research on operational aspects, implementation and transferability is also warranted.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Allison M Salmon
- Uniting Medically Supervised Injecting Centre, Sydney, Australia
| | - Carolyn A Day
- Central Clinical School, Addiction Medicine, University of Sydney, Royal Prince Albert Hospital, Sydney, Australia
| | - Alison Ritter
- Drug Policy Modelling Program, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, Australia
| | - Marian Shanahan
- National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, Australia
| | - Dagmar Hedrich
- European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Thomas Kerr
- British Columbia Centre on Substance Use, Vancouver, Canada
| | - Marianne Jauncey
- Uniting Medically Supervised Injecting Centre, Sydney, Australia.,National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, Australia
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Abstract
The US is facing dual public health crises related to opioid overdose deaths and HIV. Injection drug use is fueling both of these epidemics. The War on Drugs has failed to stem injection drug use and has contributed to mass incarceration, poverty, and racial disparities. Harm reduction is an alternative approach that seeks to decrease direct and indirect harms associated with drug use without necessarily decreasing drug consumption. Although overwhelming evidence demonstrates that harm reduction is effective in mitigating harms associated with drug use and is cost-effective in providing these benefits, harm reduction remains controversial and the ethical implications of harm reduction modalities have not been well explored. This paper analyzes harm reduction for injection drug use using the core principles of autonomy, nonmaleficence, beneficence, and justice from both clinical ethics and public health ethics perspectives. This framework is applied to harm reduction modalities currently in use in the US, including opioid maintenance therapy, needle and syringe exchange programs, and opioid overdose education and naloxone distribution. Harm reduction interventions employed outside of the US, including safer injection facilities, heroin-assisted treatment, and decriminalization/legalization are then discussed. This analysis concludes that harm reduction is ethically sound and should be an integral aspect of our nation's healthcare system for combating the opioid crisis. From a clinical ethics perspective, harm reduction promotes the autonomy of, prevents harms to, advances the well-being of, and upholds justice for persons who use drugs. From a public health ethics perspective, harm reduction advances health equity, addresses racial disparities, and serves vulnerable, disadvantaged populations in a cost-effective manner.
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Cipriano LE, Zaric GS. Cost-effectiveness of naloxone kits in secondary schools. Drug Alcohol Depend 2018; 192:352-361. [PMID: 30321745 DOI: 10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2018.08.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2018] [Revised: 08/02/2018] [Accepted: 08/04/2018] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND We seek to identify conditions under which a plan by the Toronto District School Board (TDSB) to equip high schools with naloxone kits would be cost-effective. METHODS We developed a decision-analytic model to evaluate the costs, benefits, and cost-effectiveness of a school-based naloxone program. We estimated model inputs from the medical literature and used Toronto-specific sources whenever available. We present our results varying both the expected total number of opioid overdoses per year across all 112 TDSB high schools and the effectiveness of a school-based naloxone program in reducing mortality. RESULTS A school naloxone program likely costs less than CAD$50,000 per quality-adjusted life-year gained if the overdose frequency is at least once each year and it reduces opioid poisoning mortality by at least 40% (from 10% to <6.0%) or if the overdose frequency is at least two per year and the program reduces mortality by at least 20% (from 10% to <8.0%). The results are sensitive to the intensity and cost of staff training, the lifetime costs and life-expectancy of overdose survivors, and the probability of an overdose being fatal in the absence of a school naloxone program. CONCLUSIONS School naloxone programs are relatively inexpensive, but that does not ensure that they are a cost-effective use of resources. While potentially cost-effective, if the risk of an overdose in a Toronto high school is low, then other programs aimed at improving the health and wellbeing of students may be better use of limited resources.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lauren E Cipriano
- Ivey Business School, Western University, London, ON, N6G 0N1, Canada; Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, Western University, London, ON, N6A 5C1, Canada.
| | - Gregory S Zaric
- Ivey Business School, Western University, London, ON, N6G 0N1, Canada; Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, Western University, London, ON, N6A 5C1, Canada
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May T, Bennett T, Holloway K. RETRACTED: The impact of medically supervised injection centres on drug-related harms: a meta-analysis. THE INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF DRUG POLICY 2018; 59:98-107. [PMID: 30077946 DOI: 10.1016/j.drugpo.2018.06.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2017] [Revised: 02/22/2018] [Accepted: 06/15/2018] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Tom May
- Centre for Criminology, University of South Wales, Pontypridd, CF37 1DL, United Kingdom
| | - Trevor Bennett
- Centre for Criminology, University of South Wales, Pontypridd, CF37 1DL, United Kingdom
| | - Katy Holloway
- Centre for Criminology, University of South Wales, Pontypridd, CF37 1DL, United Kingdom
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Patterson T, Bharmal A, Padhi S, Buchner C, Gibson E, Lee V. Opening Canada's first Health Canada-approved supervised consumption sites. Canadian Journal of Public Health 2018; 109:581-584. [PMID: 30039262 DOI: 10.17269/s41997-018-0107-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2018] [Accepted: 06/27/2018] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
SETTING In response to the opioid overdose crisis, a Public Health Emergency was declared in British Columbia (BC) in April 2016. There were 1448 deaths in BC in 2017 (30.1 deaths per 100,000 individuals). INTERVENTION Approximately one third of all overdose deaths in BC in 2016 (333/993) and 2017 (482/1448) occurred within the region served by Fraser Health Authority (FH). We identified a need for a supervised drug use site in Surrey, the city with FH's highest number of overdose deaths in 2016 (n = 122). In order to ensure low-barrier services, FH underwent an internal assessment for a supervised drug use site and determined that a supervised injection site was unlikely to meet the needs of individuals who consumed their drugs using other routes, choosing instead to apply for an exemption to the Controlled Drug and Substances Act in order to open a Supervised Consumption Site (SCS). OUTCOMES In assessing population needs, injection was identified as the mode of drug administration in only 32.8% of overdose deaths in FH from 2011 to 2016. Other routes of drug (co-) administration included oral (30.6%); smoking (28.8%); intranasal (24.2%); and unknown/other (17.1%). Interviews with potential service users confirmed drug (co-) administration behaviours and identified other aspects of service delivery, such as hours and co-located services that would help align the services better with client needs. With Health Canada's approval, SafePoint in Surrey opened for supervised injection on June 8, 2017 and received an exemption to allow oral and intranasal consumption on June 26, 2017. IMPLICATIONS By assessing drug use practices, the evolving needs of people who use substances, and tailoring services to local context, we can potentially engage with individuals earlier in their substance use trajectory to improve the utility of services and prevent more overdoses and overdose deaths.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tobie Patterson
- Population and Public Health, Fraser Health Authority, Suite 400, Central City Tower, 13450 - 102nd Avenue, Surrey, BC, V3T 0H1, Canada
| | - Aamir Bharmal
- Population and Public Health, Fraser Health Authority, Suite 400, Central City Tower, 13450 - 102nd Avenue, Surrey, BC, V3T 0H1, Canada
| | - Shovita Padhi
- Population and Public Health, Fraser Health Authority, Suite 400, Central City Tower, 13450 - 102nd Avenue, Surrey, BC, V3T 0H1, Canada
| | - Chris Buchner
- Population and Public Health, Fraser Health Authority, Suite 400, Central City Tower, 13450 - 102nd Avenue, Surrey, BC, V3T 0H1, Canada
| | - Erin Gibson
- Population and Public Health, Fraser Health Authority, Suite 400, Central City Tower, 13450 - 102nd Avenue, Surrey, BC, V3T 0H1, Canada
| | - Victoria Lee
- Population and Public Health, Fraser Health Authority, Suite 400, Central City Tower, 13450 - 102nd Avenue, Surrey, BC, V3T 0H1, Canada.
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Høj SB, Minoyan N, Artenie AA, Grebely J, Bruneau J. The role of prevention strategies in achieving HCV elimination in Canada: what are the remaining challenges? CANADIAN LIVER JOURNAL 2018; 1:4-13. [PMID: 35990720 PMCID: PMC9202798 DOI: 10.3138/canlivj.1.2.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2018] [Accepted: 03/14/2018] [Indexed: 07/28/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The worldwide economic, health, and social consequences of drug use disorders are devastating. Injection drug use is now a major factor contributing to hepatitis C virus (HCV) transmission globally, and it is an important public health concern. METHODS This article presents a narrative review of scientific evidence on public health strategies for HCV prevention among people who inject drugs (PWID) in Canada. RESULTS A combination of public health strategies including timely HCV detection and harm reduction (mostly needle and syringe programmes and opioid substitution therapy) have helped to reduce HCV transmission among PWID. The rising prevalence of pharmaceutical opioid and methamphetamine use and associated HCV risk in several Canadian settings has prompted further innovation in harm reduction, including supervised injection facilities and low-threshold opioid substitution therapies. Further significant decreases in HCV incidence and prevalence, and in corresponding disease burden, can only be accomplished by reducing transmission among high-risk persons and enhancing access to HCV treatment for those at the greatest risk of disease progression or viral transmission. Highly effective and tolerable direct-acting antiviral therapies have transformed the landscape for HCV-infected patients and are a valuable addition to the prevention toolkit. Curing HCV-infected persons, and thus eliminating new infections, is now a real possibility. CONCLUSIONS Prevention strategies have not yet ended HCV transmission, and sharing of injecting equipment among PWID continues to challenge the World Health Organization goal of eliminating HCV as a global public health threat by 2030. Future needs for research, intervention implementation, and uptake in Canada are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stine Bordier Høj
- Research Centre of the Centre Hospitalier de l’Université de Montréal (CRCHUM), Montréal, Québec, Canada
- Department of Family and Emergency Medicine, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Québec, Canada
| | - Nanor Minoyan
- Research Centre of the Centre Hospitalier de l’Université de Montréal (CRCHUM), Montréal, Québec, Canada
- Department of Social and Preventive Medicine, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Québec, Canada
| | - Andreea Adelina Artenie
- Research Centre of the Centre Hospitalier de l’Université de Montréal (CRCHUM), Montréal, Québec, Canada
- Department of Social and Preventive Medicine, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Québec, Canada
| | - Jason Grebely
- The Kirby Institute, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Julie Bruneau
- Research Centre of the Centre Hospitalier de l’Université de Montréal (CRCHUM), Montréal, Québec, Canada
- Department of Family and Emergency Medicine, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Québec, Canada
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Harm reduction in a Norwegian housing first project: a qualitative study of the treatment providers’ practice. ADVANCES IN DUAL DIAGNOSIS 2018. [DOI: 10.1108/add-08-2017-0015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Purpose
Little is known about how harm reduction is practiced in Norwegian housing first (HF) projects. The purpose of this paper is to explore, describe, and interpret how providers apply a harm reduction approach within a housing project focused on individuals who are homeless with co-morbid substance use and mental health problems.
Design/methodology/approach
This qualitative study was part of a larger evaluation study of a three-year HF project in a Norwegian municipality. Data were collected using four multi-stage focus groups with five providers working in the HF project. Focus group interviews were transcribed verbatim and analyzed using thematic analysis.
Findings
Analysis resulted in three main themes: “Letting the service user sit in the driver’s seat,” “We don’t follow service provision contracts, we do everything,” and “Collaborating with the local community.”
Research limitations/implications
There is a need to develop increased knowledge about service users’ experiences within the harm reduction approach.
Practical implications
To practice effective harm reduction, treatment providers must have open authorizations and the opportunity to exercise professional judgment. Harm reduction practice must also focus on social, political, and economic factors influencing users’ everyday lives.
Originality/value
The paper contributes to the knowledge base on harm reduction within HF practice that differs from a traditional model wherein clients are expected to abstain from substance use. It highlights important preconditions for challenges practitioners might encounter at both individual and service system levels.
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Abstract
Although most people who inject drugs (PWID) report receiving assistance during injection initiation events, little research has focused on risk factors among PWID for providing injection initiation assistance. We therefore sought to determine the influence of non-injection drug use among PWID on their risk to initiate others. We used generalized estimating equation (GEE) models on longitudinal data among a prospective cohort of PWID in Tijuana, Mexico (Proyecto El Cuete IV), while controlling for potential confounders. At baseline, 534 participants provided data on injection initiation assistance. Overall, 14% reported ever initiating others, with 4% reporting this behavior recently (i.e., in the past 6 months). In a multivariable GEE model, recent non-injection drug use was independently associated with providing injection initiation assistance (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 2.42, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.39-4.20). Further, in subanalyses examining specific drug types, recent non-injection use of cocaine (AOR = 9.31, 95% CI = 3.98-21.78), heroin (AOR = 4.00, 95% CI = 1.88-8.54), and methamphetamine (AOR = 2.03, 95% CI = 1.16-3.55) were all significantly associated with reporting providing injection initiation assistance. Our findings may have important implications for the development of interventional approaches to reduce injection initiation and related harms. Further research is needed to validate findings and inform future approaches to preventing entry into drug injecting.
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Kral AH, Davidson PJ. Addressing the Nation's Opioid Epidemic: Lessons from an Unsanctioned Supervised Injection Site in the U.S. Am J Prev Med 2017; 53:919-922. [PMID: 28801014 DOI: 10.1016/j.amepre.2017.06.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 64] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2017] [Revised: 05/16/2017] [Accepted: 06/05/2017] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Alex H Kral
- Behavioral and Urban Health Program, RTI International, San Francisco, California.
| | - Peter J Davidson
- Division of Global Public Health, University of California, San Diego, California
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Hautala D, Abadie R, Khan B, Dombrowski K. Rural and urban comparisons of polysubstance use profiles and associated injection behaviors among people who inject drugs in Puerto Rico. Drug Alcohol Depend 2017; 181:186-193. [PMID: 29065391 PMCID: PMC5683903 DOI: 10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2017.09.030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2017] [Revised: 09/14/2017] [Accepted: 09/23/2017] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION In contrast to urban populations, little is known about polysubstance use among rural people who inject drugs (PWID), particularly in Puerto Rico where injection drug use and related health consequences are prevalent. The aim of the study is to compare injection and non-injection substance use profiles among separate urban and rural samples of Puerto Rican PWID. MATERIAL AND METHODS Data for the urban sample come from 455 PWID who participated in the CDC's National HIV Behavioral Surveillance survey of injection drug use in San Juan. The data for the rural sample come from 315 PWID residing in four rural cities approximately 40-miles from San Juan. Latent class analysis was used to derive separate urban and rural profiles of weekly injection and non-injection substance use. Injection behaviors were examined as possible correlates of latent class membership. RESULTS Five latent classes were identified in the urban sample, and three latent classes were identified in the rural sample. Classes were similar across samples; however, key differences emerged. Both samples had classes of primary heroin injectors, primary speedball injectors, and cocaine-heroin injectors. The urban sample had one high polysubstance class. Polysubstance use profiles that shared similar characteristics between samples also shared similar injection patterns, with some variation. DISCUSSION Variations in substance use patterns and associated health risks are likely shaped by social and geographic boundaries. CONCLUSIONS Understanding variations in substance use patterns across rural and urban locales may improve surveillance efforts and tailor desistance and harm reduction efforts at the state and local levels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dane Hautala
- Department of Sociology, University of Nebraska Lincoln, 206 Benton Hall, Lincoln, NE 68588, USA.
| | - Roberto Abadie
- Department of Sociology, University of Nebraska Lincoln, 206 Benton Hall, Lincoln, NE 68588, USA
| | - Bilal Khan
- Department of Sociology, University of Nebraska Lincoln, 206 Benton Hall, Lincoln, NE 68588, USA
| | - Kirk Dombrowski
- Department of Sociology, University of Nebraska Lincoln, 206 Benton Hall, Lincoln, NE 68588, USA
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Bardwell G, Scheim A, Mitra S, Kerr T. Assessing support for supervised injection services among community stakeholders in London, Canada. THE INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF DRUG POLICY 2017; 48:27-33. [DOI: 10.1016/j.drugpo.2017.05.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2017] [Revised: 03/18/2017] [Accepted: 05/02/2017] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
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