scholarly journals Peer-assisted injection as a harm reduction measure in a supervised consumption service: a qualitative study of client experiences

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Em Pijl ◽  
Tracy Oosterbroek ◽  
Takara Motz ◽  
Erin Mason ◽  
Keltie Hamilton

Abstract Background Peer assistance is an emerging area of study in injection drug use. When Canada’s first supervised consumption site (SCS) opened in 2003 in Vancouver, Canada, clients were prohibited from injecting their peers; only recently has this practise been introduced as a harm reduction measure at these sites. In 2018, Health Canada granted federal exemption to allow peer-assisted injection at certain SCS sites, under the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act. Literature pertaining to peer-assisted injection addresses several topics: interpersonal relationships between the injection provider and recipient; the role of pragmatism; trust and expertise; and gender relations. Methods In this qualitative study, participants (n = 16) were recruited to be interviewed about their experiences in a peer-assisted injection program (PAIP) at one SCS regulated by Health Canada. Interview data were transcribed and thematically analyzed. Quantitative administrative data were used to provide context and to describe the study population, comprised of people in the PAIP (n = 248). Results PAIP clients made up 17.4% of all SCS clients. PAIP clients were more likely to be female and Indigenous. Injection providers expressed being moved by compassion to help others inject. While their desire to assist was pragmatic, they felt a significant burden of responsibility for the outcomes. Other prominent factors related to the injection provider-recipient relationship were social connection, trust, safety, social capital, and reciprocity. Participants also made suggestions for improving the PAIP which included adding more inhalation rooms so that if someone was unable to inject they could smoke in a safe place instead. Additionally, being required by law to divide drugs outside of the SCS, prior to preparing and using in the site, created unsafe conditions for clients. Conclusions Regular use of the SCS, and access to its resources, enabled participants to lower their risk through smoking and to practice lower-risk injections. At the federal level, there is considerable room to advocate for allowing clients to divide drugs safely within the SCS, and to increase capacity for safer alternatives such as inhalation.

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Em M. Pijl ◽  
Tracy Oosterbroek ◽  
Takara Motz ◽  
Erin Mason ◽  
Keltie Hamilton

Abstract Background: Peer assistance is an emerging area of study in injection drug use. When Canada’s first supervised consumption site (SCS) opened in 2003 in Vancouver, BC, clients were prohibited from injecting their peers; only recently has this practice been introduced as a harm reduction measure at these sites. In 2018, Health Canada granted federal exemption to allow peer-assisted injection at certain SCS sites, under the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act. Literature pertaining to peer-assisted injection addresses several topics: interpersonal relationships between the injection provider and recipient; the role of pragmatism; trust and expertise; and gender relations. Methods: In this qualitative study, participants (n=16) were recruited to be interviewed about their experiences in a peer-assisted injection program (PAIP) at one SCS regulated by Health Canada. Interview data were transcribed and thematically analyzed. Quantitative administrative data was used to provide context and to describe the study population, comprised of people in the PAIP (n=248) Results: PAIP clients made up 17.4% of all SCS clients. PAIP clients were more likely to be female and Indigenous. Injection providers expressed being moved by compassion to help others inject. While their desire to assist was pragmatic, they felt a significant burden of responsibility for the outcomes. Other prominent factors related to the injection provider-recipient relationship were social connection, trust, safety, social capital, and reciprocity. Participants also made suggestions for improving the PAIP which included adding more inhalation rooms so that if someone was unable to inject they could smoke in a safe place instead. Additionally, being required by law to divide drugs outside of the SCS, prior to preparing and using in the site, created unsafe conditions for clients. Conclusions: Regular use of the SCS, and access to its resources, enabled participants to lower their risk through smoking and to practise lower-risk injections. At the federal level, there is considerable room to advocate for allowing clients to divide drugs safely within the SCS, and to increase capacity for safer alternatives such as inhalation.


Author(s):  
Em M. Pijl ◽  
Tracy Oosterbroek ◽  
Takara Motz ◽  
Erin Mason ◽  
Keltie Hamilton ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Peer assistance is an emerging area of study in intravenous drug use. When Canada’s first supervised consumption site (SCS) opened in 2003 in Vancouver, BC, clients were prohibited from injecting their peers; only recently has this practice been introduced as a harm reduction measure at these sites. In Alberta, a government-sanctioned SCS recently received federal exemption to allow peer-assisted injection in their facility, under the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act. Literature pertaining to peer-assisted injection, while scant, addresses several topics: interpersonal relationships between the injector and recipient; the roles of ritual and pragmatism; and gender inequality. Methods In this qualitative, descriptive study, participants were interviewed about their experiences in a peer-assist program at an SCS regulated by Health Canada. Results Participants expressed being moved by compassion to help others inject. While their desire to assist was pragmatic, they felt a significant burden of responsibility for the outcomes. Other prominent factors were social connection, trust, safety, social capital, and reciprocity. Participants also made suggestions for improving the peer-assist program. Conclusions These findings reveal the humanity within a cohort of at-risk individuals, often dehumanized at the societal level. Relational equity and mutuality were evident, in contrast to other studies. Regular use of the SCS, and access to its resources, enabled participants to make healthier choices and practise lower-risk injections. At the federal level, there is considerable room to advocate for allowing clients to divide drugs safely within the SCS, and to increase capacity for safer alternatives such as inhalation.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Em M. Pijl ◽  
Tracy Oosterbroek ◽  
Takara Motz ◽  
Erin Mason ◽  
Keltie Hamilton

Abstract Background: Peer assistance is an emerging area of study in injection drug use. When Canada’s first supervised consumption site (SCS) opened in 2003 in Vancouver, BC, clients were prohibited from injecting their peers; only recently has this practice been introduced as a harm reduction measure at these sites. In 2018, Health Canada granted federal exemption to allow peer-assisted injection at certain SCS sites, under the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act. Literature pertaining to peer-assisted injection addresses several topics: interpersonal relationships between the injector and recipient; the roles of ritual and pragmatism; trust and assessment of expertise; and gender relations.Methods: In this explanatory sequential mixed-methods study, participants were interviewed about their experiences in a peer-assisted injection program (PAIP) at one SCS regulated by Health Canada. Quantitative administrative data was used to provide context and to describe the study sample in comparison to all PAIP participants. Results: PAIP clients made up only 17.4% of all SCS clients; however, 71% of all SCS visits and 83% of all overdoses occurred among PAIP clients indicating their high service utilization. The PAIP program was utilized infrequently (0.4% of all SCS visits) but was a valuable service as expressed by Program participants. Participants expressed being moved by compassion to help others inject. While their desire to assist was pragmatic, they felt a significant burden of responsibility for the outcomes. Other prominent factors were social connection, trust, safety, social capital, and reciprocity. Participants also made suggestions for improving the PAIP. Conclusions: These findings reveal the humanity within a cohort of at-risk individuals, often dehumanized at the societal level. Relational equity and mutuality were evident, in contrast to other studies. Regular use of the SCS, and access to its resources, enabled participants to make healthier choices and practise lower-risk injections. At the federal level, there is considerable room to advocate for allowing clients to divide drugs safely within the SCS, and to increase capacity for safer alternatives such as inhalation.


Author(s):  
Garima Sharma

This article explores the transition of youth from childcare institutions as young adults through the lens of youth identity and gender. The research revolves around rethinking the delicate boundaries of adolescence and adulthood for the ‘institutionalised’ youth that is already on the edge of the society. This research tries to understand and decode the experiences of youth, who have lived in the childcare institutions. The childcare institutions reinforce the gender roles through its practices and structure, enabling gaps and challenges for both male and female youth outside the childcare institutions. There is an absence of a strong mechanism, enabling the smooth transition of youth from childcare institutions to adulthood. This results in unprepared young adults for an unplanned transition, fostering several challenges on them as they exit the childcare system. This is a qualitative study. The research includes both male and female youth who have lived in childcare institutions situated in Delhi. The data was collected using semi-structured interviews with the youth. This study finds that youth leaving the childcare institutions are at higher risks of having negative adult outcomes in life. While there is an absolute absence of any body or mechanism to help the youth transit smoothly, childcare institutions reinforce the inferiority and exclusion on a child during the stay period, creating a foundation for youth to perceive the social factor outside the institutions.


BMJ Open ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 6 (11) ◽  
pp. e012134 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lesley A Henson ◽  
Irene J Higginson ◽  
Barbara A Daveson ◽  
Clare Ellis-Smith ◽  
Jonathan Koffman ◽  
...  

2021 ◽  
Vol In Press (In Press) ◽  
Author(s):  
Fatemeh Asadollahi ◽  
Hamid Taher Neshat Doost ◽  
Mohammad Reza Abedi ◽  
Hamid Afshar Zanjani

Background: Persistent depressive disorder (PDD) is a chronic problem that is more prevalent among women than men. Various studies have revealed that these people experience many problems in their interpersonal relationships, which increase their suffering. Objectives: The present study was done to identify how people suffering from PDD experience interpersonal relationships that often seem troubled and broken. Methods: A phenomenological approach was adopted for this qualitative study. For this purpose, in-depth interviews were conducted with 21 individuals with PDD, focusing on exploring their experience and suffering in interpersonal relationships. All interviews were recorded and transcribed, and the transcripts were analyzed using Giorgi’s phenomenological descriptive method. Results: In general, five main themes and 16 sub-themes emerged. The main themes were: (1) Feeling empty of love and compassion; (2) feeling ignored; (3) ignoring others’ needs, conditions, and suffering; (4) feeling of being annoying to others; and (5) feeling confused and helpless in relationships. Conclusions: It seems that all five themes convey the message that these individuals demonstrate less skill in feeling compassion and receiving it from others. Therefore, it appears that long-term compassion-based interventions can effectively reduce the interpersonal suffering of these individuals. It should be noted that although these themes have commonalities in different cultural contexts, the culture can influence the content and intensity of these feelings.


2014 ◽  
Vol 48 (4) ◽  
pp. 610-617 ◽  
Author(s):  
Diene Monique Carlos ◽  
Maria das Graças Carvalho Ferriani ◽  
Michelly Rodrigues Esteves ◽  
Lygia Maria Pereira da Silva ◽  
Liliana Scatena

Objective: Assess the understanding of adolescents regarding the social support received in situations of domestic violence. Method: A qualitative study with data collection carried out through focus groups with 17 adolescent victims of domestic violence, institutionally welcomed in Campinas-SP, and through semi-structured interviews with seven of these adolescents. Information was analyzed by content analysis, thematic modality. Results: Observing the thematic categories it was found that social support for the subjects came from the extended family, the community, the Guardianship Council, the interpersonal relationships established at the user embracement institution and from the religiosity/spirituality. Conclusion: The mentioned sources of support deserve to be enhanced and expanded. With the current complexity of the morbidity and mortality profiles, especially in children and adolescents, the (re)signification and the (re)construction of health actions is imperative.




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