Abstract

Objectives

To evaluate community attitudes concerning syringe exchange programs (SEPs) in a rural community as part of an effort to implement evidence-based harm reduction strategies and improve health outcomes related to opioid use disorder.

Methods

Dissemination of a 24-item survey to individuals living in a rural community followed by comparative analysis of survey results based on support for SEPs.

Results

Three hundred and sixty-one individuals responded. Overall, 49.3% of respondents indicated support for syringe exchange. Individuals who support syringe exchange as a harm reduction service are more likely to: agree that opioid use disorder is a real illness (p < 0.0001); agree that anyone can become addicted to pain medications (p = 0.01); agree that medication assisted treatment is effective (p < 0.0001); agree that individuals with OUD have the same right to a job (p < 0.0001); be willing to administer naloxone to a stranger (p < 0.0001); support HIV and HCV screening (p < 0.0001), condom distribution (p < 0.0001), and medication for opioid use disorder (p < 0.0001). They are less likely to believe that harm reduction services encourage drug use (p < 0.0001).

Conclusions

Positive correlations exist between support for SEPs, awareness of OUD as a chronic illness, less stigmatizing attitudes toward individuals with OUD, and support for other harm reduction strategies. Efforts to increase awareness of OUD as a chronic illness may lead to greater acceptance of harm reduction strategies in rural areas, easing evolution of evidence-based healthy policy.

中文翻译：

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阿巴拉契亚农村社区对注射器交换计划的态度

摘要

目标

评估社区对农村社区注射器交换计划 (SEP) 的态度，作为实施循证减害战略和改善与阿片类药物使用障碍相关的健康结果的努力的一部分。

方法

向居住在农村社区的个人传播 24 项调查，然后根据对标准必要专利的支持对调查结果进行比较分析。

结果

三百六十一个人做出了回应。总体而言，49.3% 的受访者表示支持更换注射器。支持更换注射器作为减少伤害服务的个人更有可能： 同意阿片类药物使用障碍是一种真正的疾病（p  < 0.0001）；同意任何人都可能对止痛药上瘾（p  = 0.01）；同意药物辅助治疗有效（p  < 0.0001）；同意拥有 OUD 的个人拥有相同的工作权利（p  < 0.0001）；愿意给陌生人服用纳洛酮（p  < 0.0001）；支持 HIV 和 HCV 筛查（p  < 0.0001），分发安全套（p < 0.0001) 和阿片类药物使用障碍药物 ( p  < 0.0001)。他们不太可能相信减少危害服务会鼓励吸毒（p  < 0.0001）。

结论

对标准必要专利的支持、对 OUD 作为一种慢性病的认识、对 OUD 患者的污名化态度较少以及对其他减少危害策略的支持之间存在正相关。努力提高对 OUD 作为一种慢性病的认识可能会导致农村地区更多地接受减少危害的策略，从而简化循证健康政策的演变。