Mortality among a cohort of drug users after their release from prison: an evaluation of the effectiveness of a harm reduction program in Taiwan

In Malaysia, because of an alarming increase in the number of intravenous drug users, the government has started a harm reduction program in which methadone is used as a drug substitution therapy. This article discusses a 19-month-old Malay girl who was brought to the hospital after an episode of accidental ingestion of methadone. The methadone was for her uncle, who was found to be an intravenous drug user. Although methadone has been proven to be cost-effective and useful, it has also been reported that increasing availability of methadone can put children at increased risk of accidental ingestion. In Malaysia, methadone is available at government as well as private medical clinics. Home consumption may be problematic as the drug may be dispensed without adequate patient education and clear instructions on its handling, storage, and indication of use. In this scenario, a greater emphasis on and the adaptation of clear guidelines on the use and storage of methadone are required. There is also a need to create awareness among the public as well as health care professionals regarding the issue.

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Socio-anthropological Contributions to the Senegalese Harm Reduction Program

Psychotropic Drugs, Prevention and Harm Reduction ◽

10.1016/b978-1-78548-272-4.50007-x ◽

2017 ◽

pp. 89-99

Author(s):

Albert Gautier Ndione

Keyword(s):

Harm Reduction ◽

Harm Reduction Program ◽

Reduction Program

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Barcelona's Safer Injection Facility-EVA: A Harm Reduction Program Lacking Official Support

Journal of Drug Issues ◽

10.1177/002204260303300309 ◽

2003 ◽

Vol 33 (3) ◽

pp. 689-711 ◽

Cited By ~ 12

Author(s):

Manel Anoro ◽

Enrique Ilundain ◽

Oscar Santisteban

Keyword(s):

Health Care ◽

Health Care Professionals ◽

Drug Users ◽

Outreach Program ◽

Harm Reduction Program ◽

Safe Environment ◽

Safe Injection Facility ◽

Drug Injectors ◽

Reduction Program ◽

Parent Program

EVA – Espacio de Venopunción higiénica Asistida – is the first safe injection facility (SIF) in Barcelona, Spain. Started on September 12, 2001, it began as a “poor relative” of DAVE –Dispositivo Asistencial de Venopunción – in Madrid. EVA suffers from the general underfunding of its parent program, the Can Tunis outreach program, and it has no formal or material support from municipal authorities. This SIF can accommodate five drug injectors at one time and also operates as a mobile room for shelter, contact, and health education, addressing mainly those drug users who are at highest risk of overdose, HIV infection, violence, and death. The project offers consistent services provided by an array of health care and welfare professionals, and it is ready to intervene in overdose and/or crisis situations. To date, it has an excellent record in providing a safe environment for both its staff of health care professionals and its clients. Below the Can Tunis area in general, the outreach program, and EVA are described. The advantages, disadvantages, and what has been learned from working in this quarter of Barcelona with the injection drug using community is discussed. In closing, questions and proposals for future efforts are addressed.

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Helping behaviour among people who use drugs: Altruism and mutual aid in a harm reduction program

Journal of Community & Applied Social Psychology ◽

10.1002/casp.2432 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 30 (2) ◽

pp. 119-131

Author(s):

Geoff J. Bathje ◽

Daniel Pillersdorf ◽

Laura Kacere ◽

Dan Bigg

Keyword(s):

Harm Reduction ◽

People Who Use Drugs ◽

Mutual Aid ◽

Harm Reduction Program ◽

Reduction Program ◽

Helping Behaviour

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Lower Injection–Related HIV–1 Risk Associated With Participation in a Harm Reduction Program in Kazan, Russia

AIDS Education and Prevention ◽

10.1521/aeap.2007.19.1.13 ◽

2007 ◽

Vol 19 (1) ◽

pp. 13-23 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Larissa Badrieva ◽

Eugeny Karchevsky ◽

Kevin S. Irwin ◽

Robert Heimer

Keyword(s):

Harm Reduction ◽

Harm Reduction Program ◽

Reduction Program ◽

Hiv 1

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Harm reduction program and hepatitis C prevalence in people who inject drugs (PWID) in Iran: an updated systematic review and cumulative meta-analysis

Harm Reduction Journal ◽

10.1186/s12954-020-00441-9 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 18 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Abdolhalim Rajabi ◽

Heidar Sharafi ◽

Seyed Moayed Alavian

Keyword(s):

Systematic Review ◽

Hepatitis C ◽

Harm Reduction ◽

People Who Inject Drugs ◽

Linear Trend ◽

Meta Analysis ◽

Harm Reduction Program ◽

Pooled Prevalence ◽

Reduction Program ◽

Before And After

Abstract Background Prevalence of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection among people who inject drugs (PWID) in Iran is high. Since 2005, the Iranian government has implemented a harm reduction program to control HCV. We aimed to describe the prevalence of HCV antibody (Ab) in Iranian PWID before and after the implementation of harm reduction with cumulative meta-analysis. Methods Following PRISMA guidelines, we conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of studies published on the seroprevalence of HCV among PWID. We systematically reviewed the literature to identify eligible studies up to December 2018 in international and national databases. Pooled prevalence and 95% confidence intervals were calculated using Der Simonian and Laird method, taking into account conceptual heterogeneity. Subgroup analyses were performed by harm reduction implementation and studies’ characteristics to assess the sources of heterogeneity. We used Cochran–Armitage test for the linear trend of the prevalence of HCV Ab among PWID. Results We reviewed 5966 papers and reports and extracted data from 62 eligible records. The pooled HCV Ab prevalence among PWID in Iran was 46.5% (95% confidence interval [95% CI] 41.1–52.0%). Overall, the Cochran–Armitage test for trend indicated a significant decreasing trend of HCV Ab prevalence (P = 0.04). The cumulative meta-analysis showed a slight decline in the prevalence of HCV Ab between the years 2005 and 2018. Conclusions The HCV Ab prevalence among PWID in Iran is high, with a considerable geographical variation. The prevalence of HCV Ab among PWID in Iran slightly decreased after 2005 which could be, at least to some extent, related to the implementation of extensive harm reduction programs in the country.

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