A Qualitative Study of User Experiences in Harm Reduction Program

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Authors

Olasehinde Adebayo¹ , Teres Innis²

1. University of Saskatchewan Canada
2. Executive Director, Nēwo-Yōtina Friendship Center, Canada

Conference / event

Exit Interview, August 2024 (University of Regina, Canada)

Poster summary

The Canadian opioid crisis necessitates effective harm-reduction strategies. This qualitative study explored user experiences within the Nēwo-Yōtina Friendship Centre's harm reduction program. Employing a phenomenological approach, 13 participants were interviewed, and data was analysed using thematic analysis. Findings revealed that users sought services for safety, access to clean supplies, and a non-judgmental environment. A welcoming atmosphere fostered by supportive staff was highly valued. The program's positive outcomes included reduced harm, resource access, and emotional support. Barriers to access included limited operating hours, stigma, and lack of awareness. Recommendations include improving accessibility, enhancing support systems, and addressing unanticipated outcomes to optimise program effectiveness. This study highlights the importance of user-centred approaches in developing and implementing harm reduction programs to address the opioid crisis.

Keywords

Harm reduction, User, Lived-experiences

Research areas

Humanities and Social Sciences, Psychology and Behavioral Sciences, Public Policy and International Affairs

References

1. 1.Belzak L, Halverson J. Evidence synthesis - The opioid crisis in Canada: a national perspective. Health Promotion and Chronic Disease Prevention in Canada 2018;38:224–33. https://doi.org/10.24095/hpcdp.38.6.02.
2. 2.Creswell JW, Poth CN. Qualitative inquiry & research design: choosing among five approaches. 2023;(5th ed.). Sage Publications
3. 3.National Institute on Drug Abuse - What is Harm Reduction? | National Institute on Drug Abuse 2021. https://nida.nih.gov/videos/what-harm-reduction.
4. 4.Pauly B. Harm reduction through a social justice lens. International Journal of Drug Policy 2008;19:4–10. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.drugpo.2007.11.005.
5. Image: https://cdn.britannica.com/10/252610-050- 4420ADF0/Safe-injection-site-demonstration- Boston.jpg ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Funding

No data provided

Supplemental files

No data provided

Additional information

Competing interests

No competing interests were disclosed.

Data availability statement

The datasets generated during and / or analyzed during the current study are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.

Creative Commons license

Copyright © 2024 Adebayo et al. This is an open access work distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.