Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Cayley Russell, Farihah Ali, Frishta Nafeh, Sean LeBlanc, Sameer Imtiaz, Tara Elton-Marshall, Jurgen Rehm
Summary: This study conducted qualitative interviews with 45 adult PWUD in Ontario, Canada to better understand their unmet service needs, including factors within the current service system that influenced access to programs. Participants suggested addressing stigmatization and system fragmentation, increasing service provision and capacity, and scaling up specific services and related supports to bridge the service and treatment gap. The study identified concrete recommendations for policy change and program planning to enhance substance use treatment services in Ontario.
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Wijnand Van Den Boom, Maria del Mar Quiroga, Dagnachew Muluye Fetene, Paul A. Agius, Peter G. Higgs, Lisa Maher, Matthew Hickman, Mark A. Stoov, Paul M. Dietze
Summary: The study found that the Medically Supervised Injecting Room in Melbourne attracted socially vulnerable people who inject drugs, who were more likely to report risky drug-related behaviors and poor health outcomes through the facility. Participants who frequently used the facility were more likely to live close to it.
AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PREVENTIVE MEDICINE
(2021)
Article
Substance Abuse
Ayden Scheim, Zachary Bouck, Paula Tookey, Shaun Hopkins, Ruby Sniderman, Elizabeth McLean, Gary Garber, Stefan Baral, Sean B. Rourke, Dan Werb
Summary: The study did not find statistically significant associations between the frequency of SCS use and recent non-fatal overdose, especially among SCS clients. Nevertheless, overdose was common, emphasizing the need for preventing non-fatal overdose and associated morbidity.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF DRUG POLICY
(2021)
Article
Immunology
Heather Bradley, Eric W. Hall, Alice Asher, Nathan W. Furukawa, Christopher M. Jones, Jalissa Shealey, Kate Buchacz, Senad Handanagic, Nicole Crepaz, Eli S. Rosenberg
Summary: The study estimated that about 3.69 million people injected drugs in the United States in 2018, accounting for 1.46% of the adult population. Injection drug use prevalence was highest among males (2.1%), non-Hispanic Whites (1.8%), and adults aged 18-39 years (1.8%).
CLINICAL INFECTIOUS DISEASES
(2023)
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Soroush Moallef, Kora DeBeck, M. J. Milloy, Julian Somers, Thomas Kerr, Kanna Hayashi
Summary: This study evaluated the prevalence and factors associated with accurate knowledge of a Good Samaritan Law among people who use illicit drugs in Vancouver, Canada. Results showed that despite the law being in place for a year, approximately three quarters of participants did not have accurate knowledge of the law, highlighting the need for urgent educational efforts among this population. Further research is needed to understand the impact of Good Samaritan Laws on reducing fears of legal repercussions among individuals engaged in drug dealing and with negative experiences with the police.
HEALTH EDUCATION & BEHAVIOR
(2022)
Article
Substance Abuse
Minna Song, Isha K. Desai, Avery Meyer, Hridika Shah, Brendan Saloner, Susan G. Sherman, Sean T. Allen, Catherine Tomko, Kristin E. Schneider, Noa Krawczyk, Sara Whaley, Jade Churchill, Samantha J. Harris
Summary: This study explored the traumatic experiences of witnessing and responding to overdoses among drug users. Most participants reported trauma, with varying severity influenced by contextual factors. Witnessing overdoses had different impacts on drug use behaviors, from riskier substance use to increased motivation for treatment.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF DRUG POLICY
(2023)
Article
Substance Abuse
Sarah Ickowicz, Thomas Kerr, Cameron Grant, M-J Milloy, Evan Wood, Kanna Hayashi
Summary: Despite the increasing prevalence of illicit fentanyl use in the US and Canada, preference for fentanyl over other illicit opioids has been on the rise among people who inject drugs, with younger age and daily crystal methamphetamine injection being independently associated with fentanyl preference.
Article
Substance Abuse
Louise Geddes, Jenny Iversen, Shane Darke, Paul Dietze, Lisa Maher
Summary: Multiple non-fatal opioid overdoses were prevalent among people who inject drugs accessing needle syringe programs in Australia. Injecting in a public location and benzodiazepine use were associated with an increased risk of multiple overdoses. Intervention strategies targeting these high-risk injecting practices are needed.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF DRUG POLICY
(2021)
Article
Psychiatry
Hilary L. Surratt, Hannah J. Yeager, Akosua Adu, Evelyn A. Gonzalez, Elizabeth O. Nelson, Tamara Walker
Summary: Among rural PWID in Kentucky, there is low PrEP awareness but high interest in PrEP. Clients reported positive experiences at the SSP, considering them trusted and safe locations for receiving health services. Lack of basic HIV and PrEP knowledge and health literacy were evident, contributing to common misperceptions about personal risk for HIV.
FRONTIERS IN PSYCHIATRY
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Kristi Papamihali, Dylan Collins, Mohammad Karamouzian, Roy Purssell, Brittany Graham, Jane Buxton
Summary: Increased crystal meth use in North America and BC has led to a significant presence of methamphetamines in illicit drug toxicity deaths. A survey found that crystal meth was the most commonly used substance among harm reduction clients in BC in 2018 and 2019, often used concurrently with opioids. Comparing self-reported crystal meth use to urine samples demonstrated high validity of self-reports. Understanding changing substance use patterns will be crucial in tailoring harm reduction and substance use services for crystal meth users.
Article
Substance Abuse
Jing Sun, Shruti H. Mehta, Jacquie Astemborski, Damani A. Piggott, Becky L. Genberg, Tanita Woodson-Adu, Eve-Marie Benson, David L. Thomas, David D. Celentano, David Vlahov, Gregory D. Kirk
Summary: This study examines the impact of cART, the opioid crisis, and synthetic opioids on mortality among PWID in an urban US city. Results show a decline in HIV-related deaths but a significant increase in drug-related deaths among PWID.
Article
Substance Abuse
Michelle Olding, Jade Boyd, Thomas Kerr, Al Fowler, Ryan McNeil
Summary: Overdose Prevention Sites (OPS) in British Columbia, Canada, provide low-barrier services for people to use illicit drugs with supervision from trained staff. This study shows that people who use drugs (PWUD) working in OPS develop expertise in overdose response through experiential and embodied knowledge.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF DRUG POLICY
(2023)
Article
Substance Abuse
Andreas Pilarinos, Yandi Kwa, Ronald Joe, Madison Thulien, Jane A. Buxton, Kora DeBeck, Danya Fast
Summary: This study examined how young people navigated opioid agonist therapy (OAT), finding that many had concerns about its addictiveness before starting OAT and struggled to stay on it once initiated. Collaborative treatment planning and timelines, expanding access to a full range of OAT, updating clinical guidelines, addressing treatment gaps, and providing clear pathways to tapering off OAT could improve engagement and retention among young people.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF DRUG POLICY
(2022)
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Janice Mok, M-J Milloy, Cameron Grant, Stephanie Lake, Kora DeBeck, Kanna Hayashi, M. Eugenia Socias
Summary: Approximately 1 in 4 participants reported using cannabis for harm reduction at least once during the study period. The most frequent reasons included substituting for stimulants (50%) and substituting for illicit opioids (31%). The use of cannabis for harm reduction is a common strategy among people who use drugs in the setting.
AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PUBLIC HEALTH
(2021)
Article
Substance Abuse
Becky L. Genberg, Rachel E. Gicquelais, Jacquie Astemborski, Jennifer Knight, Megan Buresh, Jing Sun, Danielle German, David L. Thomas, Gregory D. Kirk, Shruti H. Mehta
Summary: This study found that from 2014 to 2019, rates of fatal and nonfatal overdose among current and former people who inject drugs (PWID) were high and increased, with the most dramatic increases seen in nonfatal overdose, especially among Black PWID.
DRUG AND ALCOHOL DEPENDENCE
(2021)