Impact of safer supply programs on injection practices: client and provider experiences in Ontario, Canada.

Autor: Gagnon M; School of Nursing, University of Victoria, Victoria, BC, Canada. marilougagnon@uvic.ca.; Canadian Institute for Substance Use Research, University of Victoria, 2300 McKenzie Avenue, Victoria, BC, V8N 5M8, Canada. marilougagnon@uvic.ca., Rudzinski K; School of Social Work, University of Windsor, Windsor, ON, Canada., Guta A; School of Social Work, University of Windsor, Windsor, ON, Canada., Schmidt RA; Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada., Kryszajtys DT; Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada., Kolla G; Canadian Institute for Substance Use Research, University of Victoria, 2300 McKenzie Avenue, Victoria, BC, V8N 5M8, Canada., Strike C; Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.
Jazyk: angličtina
Zdroj: Harm reduction journal [Harm Reduct J] 2023 Jun 28; Vol. 20 (1), pp. 81. Date of Electronic Publication: 2023 Jun 28.
DOI: 10.1186/s12954-023-00817-7
Abstrakt: Objectives: Fentanyl has contributed to a sharp rise in the toxicity of the unregulated drug supply and fatal overdoses in Canada. It has also changed injection practices. Injection frequency has increased as a result and so has equipment sharing and health-related risks. The aim of this analysis was to explore the impact of safer supply programs on injection practices from the perspective of clients and providers in Ontario, Canada.
Methods: The data set included qualitative interviews with 52 clients and 21 providers that were conducted between February and October 2021 across four safer supply programs. Interview excerpts discussing injection practices were extracted, screened, coded and then grouped into themes.
Results: We identified three themes, each theme corresponding to a change in injection practices. The first change was a decrease in the amount of fentanyl used and a decrease in injection frequency. The second change involved switching to injecting hydromorphone tablets instead of fentanyl. Finally, the third change was stopping injecting altogether and taking safer supply medications orally.
Conclusion: Safer supply programs can contribute to reducing injection-related health risks in addition to overdose risks. More specifically, they have the potential to address disease prevention and health promotion gaps that stand-alone downstream harm reduction interventions cannot address, by working upstream and providing a safer alternative to fentanyl.
(© 2023. The Author(s).)
Databáze: MEDLINE
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