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Adapting a health facility HIV stigma-reduction participatory training intervention to address drug use stigma in HIV care and treatment clinics in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania Harm Reduct. J. (IF 4.756) Pub Date : 2024-03-15 Linda B. Mlunde, Khalida Saalim, Jessie K. Mbwambo, Pfiriael Kiwia, Elizabeth Fitch, Willbrord Manyama, Isack Rugemalila, Sue Clay, Barrot H. Lambdin, Rachel D. Stelmach, Carla Bann, Laura Nyblade
HIV prevalence among people who use drugs (PWUD) in Tanzania is 4–7 times higher than in the general population, underscoring an urgent need to increase HIV testing and treatment among PWUD. Drug use stigma within HIV clinics is a barrier to HIV treatment for PWUD, yet few interventions to address HIV-clinic drug use stigma exist. Guided by the ADAPT-ITT model, we adapted the participatory training
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A confirmed case of xylazine-induced skin ulcers in a person who injects drugs in Miami, Florida, USA Harm Reduct. J. (IF 4.756) Pub Date : 2024-03-15 Peyton V. Warp, Maia Hauschild, David P. Serota, Katrina Ciraldo, Irasema Cruz, Tyler S. Bartholomew, Hansel E. Tookes
Xylazine is an alpha-2 adrenergic receptor agonist that has emerged as a contaminant in the illicit drug supply of fentanyl. Xylazine use may be suspected in naloxone-resistant overdoses and atypical, chronic wounds in people who use drugs (PWUD). This case is unique because it is the first case to our knowledge describing wound care for a xylazine-induced wound with a confirmatory xylazine test strip
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Beyond a spec: assessing heterogeneity in the unregulated opioid supply Harm Reduct. J. (IF 4.756) Pub Date : 2024-03-15 Lea Gozdzialski, Rebecca Louw, Collin Kielty, Ava Margolese, Eric Poarch, Miriam Sherman, Fred Cameron, Chris Gill, Bruce Wallace, Dennis Hore
Drug checking services aim to provide compositional information for the illicit drug supply and are being employed in public health responses to extreme rates of overdose associated with fentanyl within street opioids. The technologies used within these services range from basic qualitative tests, such as immunoassay test strips, to comprehensive quantitative analyses, such as mass spectrometry. In
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Acceptance and feasibility of a low-threshold and substitution services-based periodical monitoring system for blood-borne and sexually transmitted infections among people who inject drugs in Germany: a mixed-methods analysis Harm Reduct. J. (IF 4.756) Pub Date : 2024-03-14 Amrei Krings, Gyde Steffen, Ruth Zimmermann
To reach the global elimination goals of viral hepatitis B and C (HBC, HCV), human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and other sexually transmitted infections as a public health threat by 2030, monitoring is needed. Staff members of drug services and opioid substitution treatment (OST) practices in Berlin and Bavaria recruited clients for a pilot study addressing the respective infections among people who
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Older adult drug overdose: an application of latent class analysis to identify prevention opportunities Harm Reduct. J. (IF 4.756) Pub Date : 2024-03-13 Maryann Mason, Kaveet Pandya, Alexander Lundberg
Older adult overdose death rates have increased significantly in recent years. However, research for prevention of drug overdose death specific to older adults is limited. Our objective is to identify profiles based on missed intervention points (touchpoints) to inform prevention of future older adult unintentional overdose deaths. We used latent class analysis methods to identify profiles of decedents
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Correction to: Respiratory health efects of e-cigarette substitution for tobacco cigarettes: a systematic review Harm Reduct. J. (IF 4.756) Pub Date : 2024-03-13 Maria Ahmed Qureshi, Robin W. M. Vernooij, Giusy Rita Maria La Rosa, Riccardo Polosa, Renee O’Leary
Correction to: Harm Reduction Journal (2023) 20:1 https://doi.org/10.1186/s12954-023-00877-9 Following publication of the original article [1], the authors pointed out that Springer Nature had made an error in its production of the manuscript with an uncorrected error in the final part of the Conclusions section. This originally appeared as: “To be able to inform policy and clinical practice, well
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Exploring the role of community pharmacies as a harm reduction environment for anabolic–androgenic steroid consumers: triangulating the perspectives of consumers and pharmacists Harm Reduct. J. (IF 4.756) Pub Date : 2024-03-13 Timothy Piatkowski, Sarah Benn, Lkhagvadulam Ayurzana, Michelle King, Sara McMillan, Laetitia Hattingh
While community pharmacies have been successful in providing harm reduction support for illicit substance consumers, little research has explored their role in addressing the needs of anabolic–androgenic steroid (AAS) consumers. This study aimed to triangulate the attitudes and experiences of AAS consumers and community pharmacist’s regarding AAS harm reduction. Semi-structured interviews were conducted
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Cannabis donation as a harm reduction strategy: a case study Harm Reduct. J. (IF 4.756) Pub Date : 2024-03-06 Sarah E. Duhart Clarke, Grant Victor, Pamela Lynch, Leslie W. Suen, Bradley Ray
The United States (US) continues to experience unprecedented rates of overdose mortality and there is increased need to identify effective harm reduction practices. Research from Canada describes cannabis donation through harm reduction agencies as an adjunctive strategy to mitigate the negative consequences of more harmful drugs. This case study describes the operational logistics, feasibility, and
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The influence of transformations in supply on methamphetamine initiation among people injecting opioids in the United States Harm Reduct. J. (IF 4.756) Pub Date : 2024-03-05 Sarah Mars, Jeff Ondocsin, Nicole Holm, Daniel Ciccarone
Co-use of methamphetamine (MA) and opioids (pharmaceutical pills, heroin and fentanyls) has increased in the United States and is represented in rising mortality. Although coinciding with the import of low cost, high potency and purity methamphetamine, the relationship between supply and demand in propelling this polydrug use is not well understood. We consider the influence of macro changes in supply
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The joy and pain of being a harm reduction worker: a qualitative study of the meanings about harm reduction in Brazil Harm Reduct. J. (IF 4.756) Pub Date : 2024-03-04 João Maurício Gimenes Pedroso, Cristiana Nelise de Paula Araujo, Clarissa Mendonça Corradi-Webster
Although harm reduction is highlighted as an effective intervention for alcohol and drug use, a funding gap for harm reduction interventions has been identified, mainly in low- and middle-income countries. In these countries, tensions between abstinence and harm reduction models have impaired the shift from punitive practices to evidence-based interventions committed to guaranteeing the human rights
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Outcome in methadone maintenance treatment of immigrants from the former Union of Soviet Socialist Republics Harm Reduct. J. (IF 4.756) Pub Date : 2024-03-01 Ayali Noya, Sason Anat, Schreiber Shaul, Adelson Miriam, Peles Einat
Immigrants from the former Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) are more prevalent in Methadone maintenance treatment (MMT) in Israel than their percentage in the general population. To compare their characteristics and outcomes to those of Israeli-born and other immigrant patients. Retention and survival since admission (June/1993–Dec/2022) until leaving treatment (for retention), or at the
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Association between willingness to use an overdose prevention center and probation or parole status among people who use drugs in Rhode Island Harm Reduct. J. (IF 4.756) Pub Date : 2024-02-29 Michael Tan, Carolyn Park, Jacqueline Goldman, Katie B. Biello, Jane Buxton, Scott E. Hadland, Ju Nyeong Park, Susan G. Sherman, Alexandria Macmadu, Brandon D. L. Marshall
Overdose prevention centers (OPCs) are being implemented in the United States as a strategy to reduce drug-related mortality and morbidity. Previous studies have suggested that people who use drugs (PWUD) with a history of criminal legal system (CLS) involvement (e.g. current probation/parole) are at greater risk of overdose but may also encounter significant barriers to OPC use. The objective of this
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Structural stigma within inpatient care for people who inject drugs: implications for harm reduction Harm Reduct. J. (IF 4.756) Pub Date : 2024-02-27 Maham Rehman, Leigh Chapman, Lisa Liu, Sara Calvert, Javeed Sukhera
Individuals suffering with addiction have historically experienced disproportionally high levels of stigma. The process of inpatient care for those with substance abuse disorder (SUD) is multifaceted, shaped by the interplay of human interactions within the healthcare team and overarching structural factors like policy. While existing literature predominantly addresses personal and interpersonal stigma
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“They make it too hard and too many hoops to jump”: system and organizational barriers to drug treatment during epidemic rates of opioid overdose Harm Reduct. J. (IF 4.756) Pub Date : 2024-02-27 Julia Dickson-Gomez, Sarah Krechel, Jessica Ohlrich, Helena Danielle Green Montaque, Margaret Weeks, Jianghong Li, Jennifer Havens, Antoinette Spector
The United States is currently facing an opioid overdose crisis. Research suggests that multiple interventions are needed to reduce overdose deaths including increasing access and retention to medications to treat opioid use disorders (MOUD, i.e., methadone, buprenorphine, and naltrexone) and increasing the distribution and use of naloxone, a medication that can reverse the respiratory depression that
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“No-one just does drugs during business hours!”: evaluation of a 24/7 primary needle and syringe program in St Kilda, Australia Harm Reduct. J. (IF 4.756) Pub Date : 2024-02-24 Shelley Walker, Michael Curtis, Amy Kirwan, Rebecca Thatcher, Paul Dietze
Primary needle and syringe programs (NSPs) have been integral for the prevention of blood-borne virus (BBV) transmission among people who inject drugs. Despite this, many people who inject drugs face barriers accessing these services, particularly after-hours when most services are closed. To our knowledge, the St Kilda NSP, in Melbourne, Victoria, is the only primary NSP providing 24/7 dedicated stand-alone
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Improving access to HIV care among people who inject drugs through tele-harm reduction: a qualitative analysis of perceived discrimination and stigma Harm Reduct. J. (IF 4.756) Pub Date : 2024-02-23 Carolina Scaramutti, Belén Hervera, Yanexy Rivera, Teresa A. Chueng, David W. Forrest, Edward Suarez, David P. Serota,, Hatoun Alkamli, Katrina Ciraldo, Tyler S. Bartholomew, Hansel E. Tookes
Tele-harm reduction (THR) is a telehealth-enhanced, peer-led, harm reduction intervention delivered within a trusted syringe services program (SSP) venue. The primary goal of THR is to facilitate linkage to care and rapid, enduring virologic suppression among people who inject drugs (PWID) with HIV. An SSP in Miami, Florida, developed THR to circumvent pervasive stigma within the traditional healthcare
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Come back when you’re infected: pharmacy access to sterile syringes in an Arizona Secret Shopper Study, 2023 Harm Reduct. J. (IF 4.756) Pub Date : 2024-02-22 Danielle M. Russell, Beth E. Meyerson, Arlene N. Mahoney, Irene Garnett, Chris Ferrell, Kylee Newgass, Jon D. Agley, Richard A. Crosby, Keith G. Bentele, Nina Vadiei, David Frank, Linnea B. Linde-Krieger
Pharmacies are critical healthcare partners in community efforts to eliminate bloodborne illnesses. Pharmacy sale of sterile syringes is central to this effort. A mixed methods “secret shopper” syringe purchase study was conducted in the fall of 2022 with 38 community pharmacies in Maricopa and Pima Counties, Arizona. Pharmacies were geomapped to within 2 miles of areas identified as having a potentially
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Changes in harm reduction service providers professional quality of life during dual public health emergencies in Canada Harm Reduct. J. (IF 4.756) Pub Date : 2024-02-22 Sheena Taha, Samantha King, Sara Atif, Eliza Bate
Harm reduction (HR) is a critical response to the pronounced toxicity deaths being experienced in Canada. HR providers report many benefits of their jobs, but also encounter chronic stress from structural inequities and exposure to trauma and death. This research study sought to quantify the emotional toll the toxicity emergency placed on HR providers (Cycle One; 2019). Study objectives were later
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A systematic review of interventions that impact alcohol and other drug-related harms in licensed entertainment settings and outdoor music festivals Harm Reduct. J. (IF 4.756) Pub Date : 2024-02-21 Christopher Eassey, Caitlin E. Hughes, Phillip Wadds, Dominique de Andrade, Monica J. Barratt
Harms associated with the use of alcohol and other drugs (AOD) in licensed entertainment settings (LES) and outdoor music festivals (OMF) are ongoing public health and criminal justice concerns. This systematic review provides a comprehensive, synthesized report on the evidence base of interventions that impact harm in these settings, and how they affect health, behavioral, and criminal justice outcomes
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Xylazine co-occurrence with illicit fentanyl is a growing threat in the Deep South: a retrospective study of decedent data Harm Reduct. J. (IF 4.756) Pub Date : 2024-02-20 William Bradford, Mary Figgatt, Karen S. Scott, Stacy Marshall, Ellen F. Eaton, Daniel W. Dye
Xylazine is a dangerous veterinary sedative found mainly in illicit fentanyl in the Northeast and Midwest. Its role in the Deep South overdose crisis is not well-characterized. We conducted a retrospective review of autopsy data in Jefferson County, Alabama to identify trends in xylazine prevalence among people who fatally overdosed from June 2019 through June 2023. 165 decedents met inclusion criteria
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Feeling safer: effectiveness, feasibility, and acceptability of continuous pulse oximetry for people who smoke opioids at overdose prevention services in British Columbia, Canada Harm Reduct. J. (IF 4.756) Pub Date : 2024-02-20 Jessica Moe, Tamara Chavez, Charotte Marr, Fred Cameron, Damian Feldman-Kiss, Yueqiao Elle Wang, Jessica C. Xavier, Zahra Mamdani, Roy A. Purssell, Amy Salmon, Jane A. Buxton
Smoking is the most common mode of unregulated opioid consumption overall and implicated in fatal overdoses in British Columbia (BC). In part, perception of decreased risk (e.g., fewer who smoke carry naloxone kits) and limited smoking-specific harm reduction services contribute to overdose deaths. Overdose prevention services (OPS) offer supervised settings for drug use. Continuous pulse oximetry
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“I don’t think of it as a shelter. I say I’m going home”: a qualitative evaluation of a low-threshold shelter for women who use drugs Harm Reduct. J. (IF 4.756) Pub Date : 2024-02-19 Corinne A. Beaugard, Fay Khudairi, Oluwatoyin Yesufu, Andrea Farina, Jordana Laks
In 2021–2022, encampments in a downtown Boston neighborhood reached record heights, increasing the visibility of drug use and homelessness in the city. In response, the city planned a “sweep” (i.e., eradication of encampments) and requested support from social services and medical providers to pilot low-threshold shelters. Low-threshold shelters reduce barriers to staying in traditional congregate
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The war on drugs is a war on us: young people who use drugs and the fight for harm reduction in the Global South Harm Reduct. J. (IF 4.756) Pub Date : 2024-02-17 M-J Stowe, Rita Gatonye, Ishwor Maharjan, Seyi Kehinde, Sidarth Arya, Jorge Herrera Valderrábano, Angela Mcbride, Florian Scheibein, Emmy Kageha Igonya, Danya Fast
In the Global South, young people who use drugs (YPWUD) are exposed to multiple interconnected social and health harms, with many low- and middle-income countries enforcing racist, prohibitionist-based drug policies that generate physical and structural violence. While harm reduction coverage for YPWUD is suboptimal globally, in low- and middle-income countries youth-focused harm reduction programs
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Feasibility of paying people who use drugs cash to distribute naloxone within their networks Harm Reduct. J. (IF 4.756) Pub Date : 2024-02-16 Nikki M. Lewis, Rebecca P. Smeltzer, Trevor J. Baker, Andrea C. Sahovey, Justine Baez, Erika Hensel, Brandon Poole, Cecelia Stewart, Allyson G. Cogan, Mackenzie Bullard, Jessica L. Taylor
Immediate access to naloxone is needed to prevent fatal opioid-related overdoses in the presence of fentanyl analogs saturating the opioid supply. Peer models engage impacted populations who are not accessing naloxone through standard venues, yet compensating peers who utilize syringe service programs with cash stipends to distribute naloxone within networks of people who use drugs is not well described
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Patterns of cannabis use, perception of harm, and perceived impact of legislative change in an online sample of young adults from Lebanon: insight on recreational users versus dual motive users Harm Reduct. J. (IF 4.756) Pub Date : 2024-02-15 Lilian Ghandour, Andre Slim, Nada Abbas, Joseph El-Khoury
Lebanon remains as one of the major sources of cannabis worldwide. In 2020, its government passed a legislation enabling the cultivation of local medicinal cannabis. This first study following the legislative change examines the overlapping use of cannabis for recreational/medicinal purposes and characteristics of the distinct cannabis user types. A total of 1230 young adults (18–24 years) filled an
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“Make yourself un-NIMBY-able”: stakeholder perspectives on strategies to mobilize public and political support for overdose prevention centers in the United States of America Harm Reduct. J. (IF 4.756) Pub Date : 2024-02-15 Joseph G. Rosen, Erin Thompson, Jessica Tardif, Alexandra B. Collins, Brandon D. L. Marshall, Ju Nyeong Park
Overdose prevention centers (OPCs), also known as supervised injection facilities and safe consumption sites, are evidenced-based interventions for preventing overdose deaths and drug-related morbidities. The pathways to legalizing OPCs in the USA have confronted multiple social, political, and legal obstacles. We conducted a multi-site, qualitative study to explore heterogeneities in these pathways
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An evaluation of first responders’ intention to refer to post-overdose services following SHIELD training Harm Reduct. J. (IF 4.756) Pub Date : 2024-02-13 Saad T. Siddiqui, Anna La Manna, Elizabeth Connors, Ryan Smith, Kyle Vance, Zach Budesa, Jeremiah Goulka, Leo Beletsky, Claire A. Wood, Phillip Marotta, Rachel P. Winograd
First responders [law enforcement officers (LEO) and Fire/Emergency Medical Services (EMS)] can play a vital prevention role, connecting overdose survivors to treatment and recovery services. This study was conducted to examine the effect of occupational safety and harm reduction training on first responders’ intention to refer overdose survivors to treatment, syringe service, naloxone distribution
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BeHERE’s effective virtual training to build capacity to support people who use drugs in non-substance use disorder settings Harm Reduct. J. (IF 4.756) Pub Date : 2024-02-13 Hope Worden Kenefick, Alexis Wing
Human service settings not specifically focused on supporting people who use drugs (PWUD), especially those with a substance use disorder (SUD), such as probation and parole services, homeless shelters, and work re-entry and job training programs, offer a unique opportunity to assist this population and prevent overdose deaths. During the COVID-19 pandemic (pandemic), building capacity in such settings
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Factors associated with gaps in naloxone knowledge: evidence from a 2022 great plains survey Harm Reduct. J. (IF 4.756) Pub Date : 2024-02-10 Spencer Cooper-Ohm, Patrick Habecker, Ryan Humeniuk, Rick A. Bevins
The rising prevalence of fast-acting opioids in the USA suggests the increased need for non-professional first responder administration of naloxone. Effective administration of naloxone during an overdose requires that bystanders are familiar with, have access to, and know how to use naloxone. Drawing on a statewide, address-based sample of Nebraskan adults, we used logistic regression to predict the
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Harm reduction workforce, behavioral health, and service delivery in the USA: a cross-sectional study Harm Reduct. J. (IF 4.756) Pub Date : 2024-02-10 Lisa de Saxe Zerden, Orrin D. Ware, Brooke N. Lombardi, Brianna M. Lombardi
Despite recent financial and policy support for harm reduction in the USA, information on the types of workers within organizations who design, implement, and actualize harm reduction services remains nascent. Little is known about how variability in the harm reduction workforce impacts referrals and linkages to other community supports. This exploratory mixed-methods study asked: (1) Who constitutes
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Underreporting of non-study cigarette use by study participants confounds the interpretation of results from ambulatory clinical trial of reduced nicotine cigarettes Harm Reduct. J. (IF 4.756) Pub Date : 2024-02-08 Mingda Zhang, Jingzhu Wang, Jeffery Edmiston
As part of its comprehensive plan to significantly reduce the harm from tobacco products, the US Food and Drug Administration is establishing a product standard to lower nicotine in conventional cigarettes to make them “minimally addictive or non-addictive". Many clinical studies have investigated the potential impact of such a standard on smoking behavior and exposure to cigarette constituents. These
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Correction: Increasing access to screening for blood-borne viruses and sexually transmissible infections for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians: evaluation of the Deadly Liver Mob program’s ‘cascade of care’ across nine sites in New South Wales, Australia Harm Reduct. J. (IF 4.756) Pub Date : 2024-02-07 Elena Cama, Kim Beadman, Mitch Beadman, Kerri-Anne Smith, Jade Christian, Aunty Clair Jackson, Beverley Tyson, Clayton Anderson, Larissa Smyth, Jennifer Heslop, Gary Gahan, Victor Tawil, Felicity Sheaves, Louise Maher, Julie Page, Donna Tilley, Ann Ryan, Kim Grant, Basil Donovan, Annabelle Stevens, Trevor Slattery, Kate Pearce, Franklin John-Leader, Andrew Walden, Jo Lenton, Margaret Crowley, Carla
Correction: Harm Reduction Journal (2023) 20:125 https://doi.org/10.1186/s12954-023-00850-6 Following publication of the original article [1], the reference 20 has been added to the reference list and the same has been shown below: 20. Treloar, C., Beadman, K., Beadman, M. et al. Evaluating a complex health promotion program to reduce hepatitis C among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples
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Challenges in legitimizing further measures against smoking in jurisdictions with robust infrastructure for tobacco control: how far can the authorities allow themselves to go? Harm Reduct. J. (IF 4.756) Pub Date : 2024-02-07 Karl Erik Lund, Gunnar Saebo
According to a recently published study, approximately half of those who currently smoke in Norway have little or no desire to quit despite a hostile regulatory and socio-cultural climate for smoking. On this background, we discuss some challenges that regulators will face in a further tightening of structural measures to curb smoking. Central to our discussion is the research literature concerned
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Correction: Insights from the scale-up and implementation of the Deadly Liver Mob program across nine sites in New South Wales, Australia, according to the RE-AIM framework Harm Reduct. J. (IF 4.756) Pub Date : 2024-02-06 Elena Cama, Kim Beadman, Mitch Beadman, Melinda Walker, Carla Treloar
Following publication of the original article [1], the reference 25 has been added to the reference list and the same has been shown below: 25. Treloar, C., Beadman, K., Beadman, M. et al. Evaluating a complex health promotion program to reduce hepatitis C among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in New South Wales, Australia: the Deadly Liver Mob. Harm Reduct J 20, 153 (2023). https://doi
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Preference for hotline versus mobile application/countdown-based mobile overdose response services: a qualitative study Harm Reduct. J. (IF 4.756) Pub Date : 2024-02-05 William Rioux, Adrian Teare, Nathan Rider, Stephanie Jones, S. Monty Ghosh
In response to the exacerbated rates of morbidity and mortality associated with the overlapping overdose and COVID-19 epidemics, novel strategies have been developed, implemented, operationalized and scaled to reduce the harms resulting from this crisis. Since the emergence of mobile overdose response services (MORS), two strategies have aimed to help reduce the mortality associated with acute overdose
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Balancing public health and privacy rights: a mixed-methods study on disclosure obligations of people living with HIV to their partners in China Harm Reduct. J. (IF 4.756) Pub Date : 2024-02-04 Ziyi Xie, Zhizhuang Duan
In 2021, a Chinese court, based on the newly enacted Civil Code, first revoked a marriage license due to the spouse’s failure to disclose their HIV infection before the marriage. This landmark case ignited a fresh debate on whether people living with HIV (PLHIV) have a legal duty to inform their spouses and sexual partners. Advances in medicine have partially isolated HIV transmission from sexual contact
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Health, harm reduction, and social service providers’ perspectives on the appropriateness and feasibility of peer distribution of HIV self-test kits among people who use drugs Harm Reduct. J. (IF 4.756) Pub Date : 2024-02-04 Angela R. Bazzi, Chad J. Valasek, Tara Stamos-Buesig, William H. Eger, Alicia Harvey-Vera, Carlos F. Vera, Jennifer L. Syvertsen, Erik D. Storholm, Tyler S. Bartholomew, Hansel E. Tookes, Steffanie A. Strathdee, Heather A. Pines
People who use drugs (PWUD) experience elevated HIV risk and numerous barriers to facility-based HIV testing. HIV self-testing (HIVST) could circumvent many of those barriers and is acceptable among PWUD, yet HIVST implementation for PWUD is limited. Service providers’ perspectives on specific HIVST delivery strategies could help increase availability for PWUD. From April–November 2021, we interviewed
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Understanding the barriers and facilitators to implementing and sustaining Mobile Overdose Response Services from the perspective of Canadian key interest groups: a qualitative study Harm Reduct. J. (IF 4.756) Pub Date : 2024-02-02 Boogyung Seo, Nathan Rider, William Rioux, Adrian Teare, Stephanie Jones, Pamela Taplay, S. Monty Ghosh
Unregulated supply of fentanyl and adulterants continues to drive the overdose crisis. Mobile Overdose Response Services (MORS) are novel technologies that offer virtual supervised consumption to minimize the risk of fatal overdose for those who are unable to access other forms of harm reduction. However, as newly implemented services, they are also faced with numerous limitations. The aim of this
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Correction: Measuring sustainability of opioid agonist therapy programs in the context of transition from Global Fund Support Harm Reduct. J. (IF 4.756) Pub Date : 2024-01-31 Raminta Stuikyte, Ivan Varentsov, Catherine Cook, Sergii Dvoriak
Correction: Harm Reduction Journal (2024) 21:7 https://doi.org/10.1186/s12954-024-00931-0 Following publication of the original article [1], the title was incorrectly given as “Measuring sustainability of opioid agonist therapy programs in the context of transition from global fund support” but should have been “Measuring sustainability of opioid agonist therapy programs in the context of transition
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Recommendations from people who use drugs in Philadelphia, PA about structuring point-of-care drug checking Harm Reduct. J. (IF 4.756) Pub Date : 2024-01-30 Megan K. Reed, Elias Borne, Tracy Esteves Camacho, Morgan Kelly, Kristin L. Rising
Adulterants, such as fentanyl and xylazine, among others, are present in a high percentage of the illicit drug supply, increasing the risk for overdose and other adverse health events among people who use drugs (PWUD). Point-of-care drug checking identifies components of a drug sample and delivers results consumers. To successfully meet the diverse needs of PWUD, more information is needed about the
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High prevalence of hepatitis B virus susceptibility among persons undergoing community-based hepatitis C virus treatment Harm Reduct. J. (IF 4.756) Pub Date : 2024-01-29 Catherine Campusano, Rachel Kanner, Claire McDonell, Meghan Morris, Maria Duarte, Jennifer C. Price
Due to shared modes of transmission, coinfection with hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) is common, and HBV vaccination is recommended for all persons with HCV who remain susceptible to HBV. To identify potential gaps in HBV vaccination among this high-risk population, we aimed to determine the patterns of HBV susceptibility in persons undergoing community-based HCV treatment. We performed
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Using alone at home: What’s missing in housing-based responses to the overdose crisis? Harm Reduct. J. (IF 4.756) Pub Date : 2024-01-29 Taylor Fleming, Jade Boyd, Koharu Loulou Chayama, Kelly R. Knight, Ryan McNeil
Against the backdrop of North America’s overdose crisis, most overdose deaths are occurring in housing environments, largely due to individuals using drugs alone. Overdose deaths in cities remain concentrated in marginal housing environments (e.g., single-room occupancy housing, shelters), which are often the only forms of housing available to urban poor and drug-using communities. This commentary
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Association of spatial proximity to fixed-site syringe services programs with HCV serostatus and injection equipment sharing practices among people who inject drugs in rural New England, United States Harm Reduct. J. (IF 4.756) Pub Date : 2024-01-28 Eric Romo, Thomas J. Stopka, Bill M. Jesdale, Bo Wang, Kathleen M. Mazor, Peter D. Friedmann
Hepatitis C virus (HCV) disproportionately affects rural communities, where health services are geographically dispersed. It remains unknown whether proximity to a syringe services program (SSP) is associated with HCV infection among rural people who inject drugs (PWID). Data are from a cross-sectional sample of adults who reported injecting drugs in the past 30 days recruited from rural counties in
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Implementation of an education session on buprenorphine induction in the emergency department, a resident-led initiative Harm Reduct. J. (IF 4.756) Pub Date : 2024-01-28 Cara Marie Borelli, Han Tony Gao
Many physicians including emergency medicine physicians report insufficient training and education on prescribing buprenorphine for opioid use disorder. As emergency departments implement buprenorphine induction protocols, educational sessions can provide physicians with further familiarity with the treatment of opioid use disorder. This quality improvement project aimed to address the barrier of physician
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The role of stigma in cannabis use disclosure: an exploratory study Harm Reduct. J. (IF 4.756) Pub Date : 2024-01-26 Daniel D. King, Christopher J. Gill, Carey S. Cadieux, Neha Singh
Although cannabis use incidence, societal acceptance, and legislation all trend positively, cannabis remains federally illegal in the USA. Prior studies have revealed that patients are reluctant to disclose their cannabis use history in the healthcare system, which can negatively impact patient care. This study reports the frequency of cannabis use disclosure with special considerations for stigmatization
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“Naloxone? Not for me!” First cross-assessment by patients and healthcare professionals of the risk of opioid overdose Harm Reduct. J. (IF 4.756) Pub Date : 2024-01-23 Aurélie Aquizerate, Morgane Rousselet, Axel Cochard, Marylène Guerlais, Marie Gerardin, Emilie Lefebvre, Mélanie Duval, Edouard-Jules Laforgue, Caroline Victorri-Vigneau
Opioid-related mortality is a rising public health concern in France, where opioids were in 2021 implicated in 75% of overdose deaths. Opioid substitution treatment (OST) was implicated in almost half of deaths related to substance and drug abuse. Although naloxone could prevent 80% of these deaths, there are a number of barriers to the distribution of take-home naloxone (THN) among opioid users in
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Safe inhalation pipe provision (SIPP): protocol for a mixed-method evaluation of an intervention to improve health outcomes and service engagement among people who use crack cocaine in England Harm Reduct. J. (IF 4.756) Pub Date : 2024-01-23 Magdalena Harris, Jenny Scott, Vivian Hope, Joanna Busza, Sedona Sweeney, Andrew Preston, Mat Southwell, Niamh Eastwood, Cedomir Vuckovic, Caitlynne McGaff, Ian Yoon, Louise Wilkins, Shoba Ram, Catherine Lord, Philippe Bonnet, Peter Furlong, Natasha Simpson, Holly Slater, Lucy Platt
Over 180,000 people use crack cocaine in England, yet provision of smoking equipment to support safer crack use is prohibited under UK law. Pipes used for crack cocaine smoking are often homemade and/or in short supply, leading to pipe sharing and injuries from use of unsafe materials. This increases risk of viral infection and respiratory harm among a marginalised underserved population. International
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Reported xylazine exposure highly associated with overdose outcomes in a rapid community assessment among people who inject drugs in Baltimore Harm Reduct. J. (IF 4.756) Pub Date : 2024-01-22 Danielle German, Becky Genberg, Olivia Sugarman, Brendon Saloner, Anne Sawyer, Jennifer L. Glick, Molly Gribbin, Colin Flynn
Addressing xylazine harms are now a critical harm reduction priority, but relatively little epidemiological information exists to determine prevalence, magnitude, and correlates of xylazine use or related outcomes. We conducted a rapid behavioral survey among people who inject drugs (n = 96) in Baltimore November–December 2022. Using a novel indicator of self-reported presumed xylazine effects, we
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Substance use care innovations during COVID-19: barriers and facilitators to the provision of safer supply at a toronto COVID-19 isolation and recovery site Harm Reduct. J. (IF 4.756) Pub Date : 2024-01-20 Gillian Kolla, Chowdhury Nishwara Tarannum, Kaitlin Fajber, Fiqir Worku, Kris Norris, Cathy Long, Raphaela Fagundes, Anne Rucchetto, Eileen Hannan, Richard Kikot, Michelle Klaiman, Michelle Firestone, Ahmed Bayoumi, Gab Laurence, Kate Hayman
Early in the COVID-19 pandemic, there was an urgent need to establish isolation spaces for people experiencing homelessness who were exposed to or had COVID-19. In response, community agencies and the City of Toronto opened COVID-19 isolation and recovery sites (CIRS) in March 2020. We sought to examine the provision of comprehensive substance use services offered to clients on-site to facilitate isolation
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Drug preparation, injection-related infections, and harm reduction practices among a national sample of individuals entering treatment for opioid use disorder Harm Reduct. J. (IF 4.756) Pub Date : 2024-01-19 Laura R. Marks, Michael J. Durkin, Kelly Ayres, Matthew Ellis
The rise in injection drug use in the USA has led to an increase in injection site infections. We performed a national survey of people who use drugs to evaluate common drug use preparation, harm reduction practices, and experiences with injection site infections. A survey was disseminated to members of the Survey of Key Informants’ Patients Program from 2021 to 2022 and distributed to patients 18 years
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Predictors of concurrent heroin use among patients on opioid maintenance treatment in France: a multilevel study over 11 years Harm Reduct. J. (IF 4.756) Pub Date : 2024-01-19 Eric Janssen, Mike Vuolo, Stanislas Spilka, Guillaume Airagnes
Consistent reports from health professionals suggest that heroin is commonly used by patients undergoing opioid maintenance treatment (OMT) in France, potentially jeopardizing their recovery process. However, there has been no formal epidemiological assessment on the matter. We use a yearly updated compendium retrieving information on patients admitted in treatment centres in France between 2010 and
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Testing the test strips: laboratory performance of fentanyl test strips Harm Reduct. J. (IF 4.756) Pub Date : 2024-01-18 John C. Halifax, Lilly Lim, Daniel Ciccarone, Kara L. Lynch
The overdose crisis driven by synthetic opioids continues to escalate in the USA. We evaluated the efficacy of multiple manufacturing lots of a fentanyl test strip (FTS) to detect fentanyl and fentanyl analogs and assessed cross-reactivity with possible interferences. Drug standards were dissolved in water in a laboratory setting and serially diluted. Drug dilutions were tested using five different
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The impact of fentanyl on state- and county-level psychostimulant and cocaine overdose death rates by race in Ohio from 2010 to 2020: a time series and spatiotemporal analysis Harm Reduct. J. (IF 4.756) Pub Date : 2024-01-17 Angela T. Estadt, Brian N. White, JaNelle M. Ricks, Kathryn E. Lancaster, Staci Hepler, William C. Miller, David Kline
Over the past decade in the USA, increases in overdose rates of cocaine and psychostimulants with opioids were highest among Black, compared to White, populations. Whether fentanyl has contributed to the rise in cocaine and psychostimulant overdoses in Ohio is unknown. We sought to measure the impact of fentanyl on cocaine and psychostimulant overdose death rates by race in Ohio. We conducted time
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First German-speaking harm reduction conference in Vienna Harm Reduct. J. (IF 4.756) Pub Date : 2024-01-16 Larissa Steimle, Simon Fleißner, Hans Haltmayer, Thilo Beck, Alfred Springer, Heino Stöver
The first Harm Reduction DACH Conference [DACH = D (Germany), A (Austria), CH (Switzerland)] took place in Vienna on June 23rd, 2023, and focused on tobacco harm reduction. It is the first conference bringing together various experts of all three German-speaking countries to shed light on the subject of destigmatization and tobacco harm reduction and to share their experiences with the audience. All
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Enhancing drug checking services for supply monitoring: perspectives on implementation in syringe service programs in the USA Harm Reduct. J. (IF 4.756) Pub Date : 2024-01-13 Kyle J. Moon, Heather D. Whitehead, Anne Trinh, Kathryn A. Hasenstab, Kathleen L. Hayes, Debra Stanley, Brittany Carter, Rick Barclay, Marya Lieberman, Saira Nawaz
Shifts in the US drug supply, including the proliferation of synthetic opioids and emergence of xylazine, have contributed to the worsening toll of the overdose epidemic. Drug checking services offer a critical intervention to promote agency among people who use drugs (PWUD) to reduce overdose risk. Current drug checking methods can be enhanced to contribute to supply-level monitoring in the USA, overcoming
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Prevalence, correlates, and quality-of-life outcomes of major or persistent pain among women living with HIV in Metro Vancouver, Canada Harm Reduct. J. (IF 4.756) Pub Date : 2024-01-13 Sophia Ly, Kate Shannon, Melissa Braschel, Haoxuan Zhou, Andrea Krüsi, Kathleen Deering
While women living with HIV (WLWH) are twice as likely to report severe or undertreated chronic pain compared to men, little is known about pain among WLWH. Our goal was to characterize the correlates of pain as well as its impact on quality-of-life outcomes among women enrolled in the Sexual Health and HIV/AIDS Women’s Longitudinal Needs Assessment (SHAWNA), an open longitudinal study of WLWH accessing
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A call to create integrated services to better address the needs of migrants who use drugs in Europe Harm Reduct. J. (IF 4.756) Pub Date : 2024-01-13 Lena van Selm, Trenton M. White, Camila A. Picchio, Ana Requena-Méndez, Machteld Busz, Roberto Perez Gayo, Aline Pouille, Pedro Mateu Gelabert, Jeffrey V. Lazarus
Each year, thousands of migrants enter the EU. Data on drug use in migrant populations are scarce and inconclusive. However, several risk factors make them particularly vulnerable to engaging in problematic drug use. In this perspective, we summarize the limited information that is available on migrants who use drugs and make a case as to why it is essential to improve access to health and social services
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Correction: Health workers’ perspectives of hepatitis B-related stigma among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in New South Wales, Australia Harm Reduct. J. (IF 4.756) Pub Date : 2024-01-13 Elena Cama, Mitch Beadman, Kim Beadman, Max Hopwood, Carla Treloar
Correction: Harm Reduction Journal (2023) 20:116 https://doi.org/10.1186/s12954-023-00844-4 Following publication of the original article [1], the reference 31 has been added to the reference list and the same has been shown below: 31. Treloar, C., Beadman, K., Beadman, M. et al. Evaluating a complex health promotion program to reduce hepatitis C among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples
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Measuring sustainability of opioid agonist therapy programs in the context of transition from global fund support Harm Reduct. J. (IF 4.756) Pub Date : 2024-01-12 Raminta Stuikyte, Ivan Varentsov, Catherine Cook, Sergii Dvoriak
Programmatic and financial sustainability of health responses dependent on donor funding has risen as a major concern. In the HIV field in particular, it generated a number of instruments and assessments on sustainability and processes related to donor transition planning. The authors aimed to develop an instrument specific to opioid agonist therapy (OAT) programs as they were addressed only marginally
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People Who Inject Drugs in Mozambique: We need to normalize HIV treatment and care services in specialized community centers for people who inject drugs! Harm Reduct. J. (IF 4.756) Pub Date : 2024-01-06 Cynthia Semá Baltazar, Auria Ribeiro Banze, Jessica Seleme, Makini Boothe
Globally, People Who Inject Drugs (PWID) have limited healthcare, treatment, and prevention services, and they frequently experience stigma and negative attitudes toward healthcare providers when accessing services. Mozambique, with a general population HIV prevalence of 12.5%, has one of the highest rates in the world, and the PWID population has the highest HIV prevalence among key populations, estimated