"When You're Getting High… You Just Don't Want to Be Around Anybody." A Qualitative Exploration of Reasons for Injecting Alone: Perspectives from Young People Who Inject Drugs

The perception and management of risk by people who use heroin in Hong Kong's 'drug-free' society

Hong Kong's drug policy is firm in its goal of a 'drug-free' society, implemented through abstinence-based rehabilitation and law enforcement. Heroin use is declining and those who continue to use it are an aging, vulnerable and socially stigmatized population who manage an array of risks with few resources available to them. We conducted semi-structured interviews with older persons who use heroin (n=25), to understand how they perceive and manage drug-related health risks, and the challenges they face. This paper adopts a socially situated paradigm of risk behaviour to analyse how people who use heroin in Hong Kong perceive and manage risks to their health, including: withdrawal, overdose, injection-related infections, polysubstance use and mental health risks. We found that older people who use heroin are generally risk averse and knowledgeable about harm reduction, having cultivated routine risk reduction strategies over their drug using careers. Our socially situated lens reveals that risk perceptions fluctuate, and the acceptability of risk changes over time and in response to context mediated by power dynamics, and access to social and economic capital.

Resident and staff experiences of structural barriers to a housing-based overdose prevention site in Vancouver, Canada: "There is a double standard if you smoke"

OBJECTIVES

Most overdoses in British Columbia (BC), Canada, occur within housing settings. In response, the provincial government is increasingly implementing housing-based overdose prevention sites (HOPS). Within the context of a contaminated drug supply, and changing consumption practices, there is little research examining the effectiveness of HOPS. The aim of this study was to explore qualitatively how residents and staff experience HOPS, focusing on how this intervention fits into the day-to-day operations of a low-barrier housing facility.

METHODS

This study was undertaken at a non-profit housing and emergency shelter facility, with a HOPS in Vancouver, BC. We employed rapid-ethnographic methods including six weeks of non-participant observation (> 200 h), three focus groups, 20 informal interviews with residents, and 10 semi-structured interviews with staff. Data were analyzed through an inductive thematic approach.

RESULTS

Our results suggest that this facility's HOPS is underutilized due to a variety of structural factors, the most prominent of these being the lack of inhalation services. This lack of service provision exacerbates overdose vulnerability and stigma. Continued drug consumption near the building and in non-monitored areas inside the building creates challenges for staff in identifying potential overdoses and exposes residents who do not consume drugs to drug use within the building.

CONCLUSION

Housing provision which provides a safer consumption environment to include those who smoke drugs is urgently needed to support both individuals who smoke and those looking to transition from injecting to smoking.

Time-space characteristics of emergency medical service attendance and layperson naloxone administration during non-fatal opioid overdoses in Rhode Island: A retrospective, event-level analysis

PURPOSE

As the opioid overdose crisis worsens in the United States (U.S.), emerging scholarship has uncovered time-and-place variations in substance use and overdose response efforts in community settings. Building on this work, we characterized spatio-temporal attributes of naloxone administration during non-fatal opioid overdoses attended by laypersons and emergency medical services (EMS) over a three-year period.

METHODS

Leveraging EMS encounter data across Rhode Island between January 2020 and December 2022, we quantified hour-by-hour variations in EMS deployment locations for non-fatal opioid-involved overdoses among adults (aged 18 + years). We used multivariable Poisson regression with robust standard errors to identify spatio-temporal patterns in EMS-attended overdoses by location type and evidence of layperson naloxone administration during these events.

RESULTS

Of the 5377 EMS non-fatal opioid overdose encounters, most occurred in residential housing (61.1 %) and outdoor public spaces (19.3 %). We identified substantial time-space variations in non-fatal overdoses, with EMS deployments to residential housing clustering in non-daylight hours (5:00PM-8:59AM) and to outdoor public spaces in daylight hours (9:00AM-8:59PM). Documented naloxone intervention by laypersons prior to EMS arrival was uncommon (10.6 %) but was most pronounced in overdoses occurring in residential housing and the early afternoon (1:00PM-4:59PM).

CONCLUSIONS

Despite the clustering of non-fatal opioid overdoses in housing environments, we identified substantial within-location variations in overdose-related EMS encounters over time and place.

Using illicit drugs alone in Vancouver, Canada: a gender-based analysis

OBJECTIVES

Canada continues to experience an epidemic of toxic drug-related overdose deaths. Public health messaging emphasizes the dangers of using drugs alone as it restricts timely overdose response or renders it impossible, yet this practice remains prevalent among people who use drugs. While drug use practices and associated harms are known to be highly gendered, little is known about how factors shaping solitary drug use may differ across genders (including cisgender men, cisgender women, transgender women, Two-Spirit people and gender diverse people). Thus, we sought to explore solitary drug use practices according to gender in Vancouver, Canada.

METHODS

Data were collected through Vancouver Injection Drug Users Study, a prospective cohort study between June 2019 and May 2023. We used gender-stratified multivariable generalized estimating equation models to identify factors associated with using drugs alone.

RESULTS

Among the 697 participants, 297 (42.6%) reported using drugs alone in the previous 6 months at baseline. In multivariable analyses, we found that being in a relationship was negatively associated with using alone for both cisgender men and cisgender women (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 0.25 and 0.34, respectively), while homelessness was negatively associated for cisgender men only (AOR = 0.45). Factors positively associated for cisgender men included daily illicit stimulant use (AOR = 1.90), and binge drug use (AOR = 2.18). For cisgender women, only depression was positively associated with using drugs alone (AOR = 2.16). All p-values < 0.05. While unable to conduct a multivariable analysis on transgender, Two-Spirit and gender diverse people due to small sample sizes, bivariate analyses showed larger impact of depression on using alone for Two-Spirit (OR = 8.00) and gender diverse people (OR = 5.05) compared to others, and only gender diverse people's risk was impacted by experiences of violence (OR = 9.63). All p-values < 0.05.

CONCLUSION

The findings of this study suggest significant heterogeneity in gender-specific factors associated with using drugs alone. Factors exclusively impacting cisgender men's risk included homelessness and daily stimulant use, and depression having a significant impact on cisgender women's, but not cisgender men's, risk. Ultimately, gender-specific factors must be recognized in public health messaging, and in developing policies and harm reduction measures to address the risks associated with using alone.

Rethink Recovery: A Qualitative Approach to Exploring Messaging for Medication-Assisted Recovery (MAR)

Similar to national trends, in Illinois, fatal opioid overdoses have risen. Black men (35+) outrank all other racial subgroups for the highest rate of fatal opioid overdoses in the state. To address this, Prevention First and the Illinois Department of Human Services developed a public health education campaign to support increasing enrollment in recovery services, with a focus on Black men (35+). Self-reported Black participants with opioid use disorder (OUD) made up the analytic sample. Study goals were to understand lived experiences of the campaign audience; investigate knowledge, attitudes, and beliefs regarding OUD and treatment; explore perceived barriers and facilitators to treatment; and evaluate messaging that showcased medication-assisted recovery (MAR) as a viable tool for treatment and recovery. Interviews were recorded and transcribed for thematic analysis. Participants shared long and cyclical journeys of use and recovery. Participants had low levels of knowledge of available treatment options and struggled to imagine themselves in recovery because of the fear of cravings and withdrawal. Messaging that was realistic about the cyclical nature of recovery, showed the varying options for MAR, and addressed cravings and withdrawals were well received. These findings illustrate the importance of understanding an audience and involving them in campaign development to create messaging that promotes behavior change and sustained health. Through the Decision Blocks strategic framework, we discovered information gaps, barriers to treatment, and practical solutions to increase access to treatment for Black men with OUD that has been limited due to inequities caused by structural racism.

An autonomous implantable device for the prevention of death from opioid overdose

Opioid overdose accounts for nearly 75,000 deaths per year in the United States, now a leading cause of mortality among young people aged 18 to 45 years. At overdose levels, opioid-induced respiratory depression becomes fatal without the administration of naloxone within minutes. Currently, overdose survival relies on bystander intervention, requiring a nearby person to find the overdosed individual and have immediate access to naloxone to administer. To circumvent the bystander requirement, we developed the Naloximeter: a class of life-saving implantable devices that autonomously detect and treat overdose while simultaneously contacting first responders. We present three Naloximeter platforms, for fundamental research and clinical translation, all equipped with optical sensors, drug delivery mechanisms, and a supporting ecosystem of technology to counteract opioid-induced respiratory depression. In small and large animal studies, the Naloximeter rescues from otherwise fatal opioid overdose within minutes. This work introduces life-changing, clinically translatable technologies that can broadly benefit a susceptible population recovering from opioid use disorder.

An Autonomous Implantable Device for the Prevention of Death from Opioid Overdose

Opioid overdose accounts for nearly 75,000 deaths per year in the United States, representing a leading cause of mortality amongst the prime working age population (25-54 years). At overdose levels, opioid-induced respiratory depression becomes fatal without timely administration of the rescue drug naloxone. Currently, overdose survival relies entirely on bystander intervention, requiring a nearby person to discover and identify the overdosed individual, and have immediate access to naloxone to administer. Government efforts have focused on providing naloxone in abundance but do not address the equally critical component for overdose rescue: a willing and informed bystander. To address this unmet need, we developed the Naloximeter: a class of life-saving implantable devices that autonomously detect and treat overdose, with the ability to simultaneously contact first-responders. We present three Naloximeter platforms, for both fundamental research and clinical translation, all equipped with optical sensors, drug delivery mechanisms, and a supporting ecosystem of technology to counteract opioid-induced respiratory depression. In small and large animal studies, the Naloximeter rescues from otherwise fatal opioid overdose within minutes. This work introduces life-changing, clinically translatable technologies that broadly benefit a susceptible population recovering from opioid use disorder.

Using drugs alone in single room occupancy housing: Understanding environmental drivers of overdose risk

BACKGROUND

Across North America most overdose deaths occur in housing, largely due to individuals using drugs alone. In cities, fatalities are disproportionately concentrated in low-income housing, including single room occupancy (SRO) housing. While research has highlighted how SROs operate as risk environments for various poor outcomes, there has been little attention to specific drug use practices (i.e., using alone) associated with overdose vulnerability in these spaces. This study explores how environmental contexts of SROs shape overdose risks, with specific attention to practices of using drugs alone.

METHODS

In-depth semi-structured interviews were conducted with 30 people who use drugs (PWUD) living in Vancouver SROs. Interviews covered topics such as social-structural environments of housing, drug use practices, and housing-based harm reduction. Thematic analysis drew on the intersectional risk environment framework.

RESULTS

Narratives positioned SROs as extensions of public space, with similar expectations of risks and behaviours as in public spaces. For some participants, using alone in their room was characterized as a practice in claiming privacy within the context of a public existence. Participants highlighted how certain features of SRO's social-structural environments were routinely leveraged against them (e.g., security cameras, staff surveillance), suggesting using alone as a tactic to minimize risks of hyper-surveillance and punitive policies. Further, participants discussed using alone as "safer," describing how this practice mitigated place-based risks of social-structural harms (e.g., violence, criminalization) in ways that eclipsed overdose risk.

CONCLUSION

Using drugs alone may be understood as a spatial negotiation of vulnerability to diverse harms produced by environmental contexts of SROs. Interventions accounting for broader contextual factors (e.g., improvements housing quality/quantity, providing a safer supply of drugs) that render using alone as instrumental to survival, and that reduce the implicit threat of punishment from intensive surveillance and control practices are critical to reduce vulnerability to overdose and other harms.

Evaluation of Strategies to Enhance Community-Based Naloxone Distribution Supported by an Opioid Settlement

Importance

Many US states are substantially increasing community-based naloxone distribution, supported in part through settlements from opioid manufacturers and distributors.

Objectives

To evaluate the potential impact of increased naloxone availability on opioid overdose deaths (OODs) and explore strategies to enhance this impact by integrating interventions to address solitary drug use.

Design, Setting, and Participants

This decision analytical modeling study used PROFOUND (Prevention and Rescue of Fentanyl and Other Opioid Overdoses Using Optimized Naloxone Distribution Strategies), a previously published simulation model, to forecast annual OODs between January 2023 and December 2025. The simulated study population included individuals from Rhode Island who misused opioids and stimulants and were at risk for opioid overdose.

Exposures

The study modeled expanded naloxone distribution supported by the state's opioid settlement (50 000 naloxone nasal spray kits each year). Two approaches to expanding naloxone distribution were evaluated: one based on historical spatial patterns of naloxone distribution (supply-based approach) and one based on the spatial distribution of individuals at risk (demand-based approach). In addition, hypothetical interventions to enhance the likelihood of witnessed overdoses in private or semiprivate settings were considered.

Main Outcomes and Measures

Annual number of OODs and ratio of fatal to nonfatal opioid overdoses.

Results

Modeling results indicated that distributing more naloxone supported by the state's opioid settlement could reduce OODs by 6.3% (95% simulation interval [SI], 0.3%-13.7%) and 8.8% (95% SI, 1.8%-17.5%) in 2025 with the supply-based and demand-based approaches, respectively. However, increasing witnessed overdoses by 20% to 60% demonstrated greater potential for reducing OODs, ranging from 8.5% (95% SI, 0.0%-20.3%) to 24.1% (95% SI, 8.6%-39.3%). Notably, synergistic associations were observed when combining both interventions: increased naloxone distribution with the 2 approaches and a 60% increase in witnessed overdoses could reduce OODs in 2025 by 33.5% (95% SI, 17.1%-50.4%) and 37.4% (95% SI, 19.6%-56.3%), respectively.

Conclusions and Relevance

These findings suggest that interventions to address solitary drug use are needed to maximize the impact of continued efforts to increase community-based naloxone distribution, which may be particularly important for jurisdictions that have strong community-based naloxone distribution programs.

The relationship between felt stigma and non-fatal overdose among rural people who use drugs

BACKGROUND

Drug overdose deaths in the United States exceeded 100,000 in 2021 and 2022. Substance use stigma is a major barrier to treatment and harm reduction utilization and is a priority target in ending the overdose epidemic. However, little is known about the relationship between stigma and overdose, especially in rural areas. We aimed to characterize the association between felt stigma and non-fatal overdose in a multi-state sample of rural-dwelling people who use drugs.

METHODS

Between January 2018 and March 2020, 2,608 people reporting past 30-day opioid use were recruited via modified chain-referral sampling in rural areas across 10 states. Participants completed a computer-assisted survey of substance use and substance-related attitudes, behaviors, and experiences. We used multivariable logistic regression with generalized estimating equations to test the association between felt stigma and recent non-fatal overdose.

RESULTS

6.6% of participants (n = 173) reported an overdose in the past 30 days. Recent non-fatal overdose was significantly associated with felt stigma after adjusting for demographic and substance use-related covariates (aOR: 1.47, 95% CI: 1.20-1.81). The association remained significant in sensitivity analyses on component fear of enacted stigma items (aOR: 1.48, 95% CI: 1.20-1.83) and an internalized stigma item (aOR: 1.51, 95% CI: 1.07-2.14).

CONCLUSIONS

Felt stigma related to substance use is associated with higher risk of non-fatal overdose in rural-dwelling people who use drugs. Stigma reduction interventions and tailored services for those experiencing high stigma are underutilized approaches that may mitigate overdose risk.

The Need to Rethink Harm Reduction for People Using Drugs Alone to Reduce Overdose Fatalities

Background: During the ongoing opioid epidemic, Cuyahoga County (second largest in Ohio) reported overdose mortality rates (54/per 100,000) higher than the national average. Prior research demonstrates that people who use drugs often use alone but there is minimal research on people who died of overdose while using alone. The objective of this study is to examine sociodemographic, toxicologic, and injury characteristics, and emergency medical response to overdose decedents who died using drugs alone. Method: Data from the Cuyahoga County Medical Examiner's Office (2016-2020, N = 2944) on unintentional overdose deaths in adults was tabulated including socio-demographic, toxicologic, and injury-related information. Decedents using drugs alone were identified and compared to those not using alone via Chi-square and Fisher's exact tests. We further fit a multivariate logistic regression model to evaluate socio-demographic, toxicologic, and injury-related factors associated with increased odds of using alone. All results are reported with 95% confidence intervals. Result: Among decedents, 75% (n = 2205) were using drugs alone. Decedents using alone were more likely to be using drugs at home (p = 0.001) or be found dead at the scene (p < 0.001) and less likely to receive naloxone (p < 0.001) have other person/bystander, not using, present (p = 0.002). Using drugs at home (aOR = 1.61[1.19-2.20]) was associated with higher odds of using alone; and being married (aOR = 0.57[0.38-0.86]), having history of illicit drug use (aOR = 0.25[0.08-0.81]) and other person present, who was not using (aOR = 0.58[0.42-0.79]) were associated with lower odds of using alone. Conclusion: New harm reduction approaches targeting people using drugs alone are needed to reduce overdose deaths.

"I Don't Go Overboard": Perceptions of Overdose Risk and Risk Reduction Strategies among People Who Use Drugs in Rhode Island

Background: North America experiencing an unprecedented overdose epidemic, with data estimating almost 110,000 overdose deaths occurring in 2022 in the United States (US). To address fatal overdoses in the US, community organizations and local health departments in some jurisdictions have expanded community distribution of naloxone, and increased overdose prevention education, and other harm reduction supplies and services (e.g., fentanyl test strips, drug checking programs) to reduce harm for people who use drugs (PWUD). Objectives: Understanding how PWUD manage overdose risk within the context of these expanded services is important for ensuring public health services are meeting their needs. Semi-structured qualitative interviews were conducted with 25 PWUD who were accessing harm reduction services in Rhode Island. Data were imported into NVivo where they were coded and analyzed thematically. Results: Our findings demonstrate the complexity of managing overdose risk in the context of a fentanyl drug supply. While most participants were concerned about overdosing, they sought to manage overdose risk through their own harm reduction practices (e.g., testing their drugs, going slow) and drug purchasing dynamics, even when using alone. Conclusions: Study findings point to the need to implement and scale-up community-level interventions to better support PWUD within the context of the current US overdose crisis.

Feasibility and acceptability of inserts promoting virtual overdose monitoring services (VOMS) in naloxone kits: a qualitative study

BACKGROUND

In response to the ongoing opioid epidemic, there have been efforts to develop novel harm reduction strategies alongside scaling of currently implemented programs. Virtual overdose monitoring services (VOMS) are a novel intervention which aims to reduce substance-related mortality through technology for those who are out of reach of current supervised consumption sites. Scaling of naloxone programs presents a unique opportunity to promote VOMS to people at risk of substance-related mortality. This study aims to explore the feasibility and acceptability of naloxone kit inserts in promoting awareness of VOMS.

METHOD

We used purposive and snowball sampling to recruit 52 key informants, including people who use drugs (PWUD) with experience using VOMS (n = 16), PWUD with no prior experience using VOMS (n = 9), family members of PWUD (n = 5), healthcare and emergency services professionals (n = 10), community-based harm reduction organizations (n = 6), and VOMS administrators/peer support workers (n = 6). Two evaluators completed semi-structured interviews. Interview transcripts were analyzed using thematic analysis informed to identify key themes.

RESULTS

Four key interrelated themes emerged, including the acceptability of naloxone kit inserts to promote VOMS, best practices for implementation, key messaging to include within promotional materials and facilitators to dissemination of harm reduction material. Participants highlighted that messaging should be promoted both inside and outside the kits, should be concise, provide basic information about VOMS and can be facilitated through current distribution streams. Messaging could further be used to draw attention to local harm reduction services and could be promoted on other supplies, including lighters and safer consumption supplies.

CONCLUSION

Findings demonstrate that it is acceptable to promote VOMS within naloxone kits and highlight interviewees preferred ways to do so. Key themes that emerged from interviewees can be used to inform the dissemination of harm reduction information, including VOMS and bolster current strategies for reducing illicit drug overdose.

A national survey of law enforcement post-overdose response efforts

Background: Law enforcement agencies in the US have provided naloxone to officers and developed initiatives to follow-up after a non-fatal overdose. However, the prevalence and characteristics of these efforts have yet to be documented in research literature.Objectives: We sought to understand the national prevalence of naloxone provision among law enforcement and examine the implementation of post-overdose follow-up.Methods: We administered a survey on drug overdose response initiatives using a multimodal approach (online and mail) to a nationally representative sample of law enforcement agencies (N = 2,009; 50.1% response rate) drawn from the National Directory of Law Enforcement Administrators database. We further examine a subsample of agencies (N = 1,514) that equipped officers with naloxone who were also asked about post-overdose follow-up.Results: We found 81.7% of agencies reported officers were equipped with naloxone; among these, approximately one-third (30.3%) reported follow-up after an overdose. More than half (56.8%) of agencies indicated partnership in follow-up with emergency medical services as the most common partner (68.8%). There were 21.4% of agencies with a Quick Response Team, a popular national post-overdose model, and were more likely to indicate partnership with a substance use disorder treatment provider than when agencies were asked generally about partners in follow-up (74.5% and 26.2% respectively).Conclusion: Many law enforcement agencies across the US have equipped officers with naloxone, and about one-third of those are conducting follow-up to non-fatal overdose events. Post-overdose follow-up models and practices vary in ways that can influence treatment engagement and minimize harms against persons who use drugs.

The Importance of Perceived Safety, Stigma and Pleasure for Solitary Injecting

Many people who inject drugs (PWID) inject when they are alone which increases the risk for drug-related mortality, and the majority of overdose-related deaths occur among solitary users in residential environments. Drawing on qualitative data from interviews with 80 PWID in Norway, this study explores the complex practices of solitary injecting. The analysis illustrates that the risk environments in which they participated involved high levels of distress, fear and stigma that made them prefer solitary injecting. This involved a perceived notion of safety from an unpredictable social environment. Stigma was described as causing additional harms and they therefore wanted to hide their drug-using practices. Finally, injecting drug use involved contextual pleasures that were maximised by injecting alone. The study illustrates how the risk environment the PWID inhabited caused additional harms, by which solitary injections was rationalized, despite its increased mortality risks. Future harm-reduction initiatives should reflect this important aspect.

A Dose of Truth: A Qualitative Assessment of Reactions to Messages about Fentanyl for People Who Use Drugs

Background: Fentanyl-related overdoses are occurring at alarming rates and developing campaigns to increase awareness about fentanyl and harm-reduction strategies is critical. A Dose of Truth is an educational campaign aiming to increase knowledge about the threat of fentanyl and risk of exposure among people who use drugs (PWUD). The current study tests preliminary concepts and messages for the campaign. Methods: Twenty-one one-on-one interviews were conducted with young adults ages 18-35 who use drugs. Participants discussed knowledge of fentanyl and perceived risk of exposure, and provided feedback on four concepts. Thematic analysis of transcripts generated insights about promising approaches and topics. Results: Findings demonstrated that fentanyl awareness is growing among PWUD, but they perceive low risk of exposure because they trust a source. Messaging that challenged that trust, by highlighting that contaminated drug supplies are increasingly widespread, made personal risk salient. Additionally, messaging conveyed through a personal narrative that encouraged carrying naloxone to protect friends was perceived as personally relevant. Conclusions: While opioid- and fentanyl-related campaigns exist, few have used an evidence-based process to guide campaign development. Addressing gaps in knowledge and developing messages that are personally relevant are foundational steps in creating effective campaigns on fentanyl and other substances.

Safety in solitude? Competing risks and drivers of solitary drug use among women who inject drugs and implications for overdose detection

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

Solitary drug use (SDU) can amplify risks of fatal overdose. We examined competing risks and drivers of SDU, as well as harm reduction strategies implemented during SDU episodes, among women who inject drugs (WWID).

DESIGN

A cross-sectional qualitative study, including telephone and face-to-face in-depth interviews.

SETTING

Baltimore City, MD, USA.

PARTICIPANTS

Twenty-seven WWID (mean age = 39 years, 67% white, 74% injected drugs daily) recruited via outreach and street intercept (April-September 2021).

MEASUREMENTS

Interviews explored the physical (i.e. indoor/private, outdoor/public) and social (i.e. alone, accompanied) risk environments in which drug use occurred. Guided by the principles of emergent design, we used thematic analysis to interrogate textual data, illuminating women's preferences/motivations for SDU and strategies for minimizing overdose risks when using alone.

FINDINGS

Many participants reported experiences with SDU, despite expressed preferences for accompanied drug use. SDU motivations clustered around three primary drivers: (1) avoiding opioid withdrawal, (2) preferences for privacy when using drugs and (3) safety concerns, including threats of violence. Participants nevertheless acknowledged the dangers of SDU and, at times, took steps to mitigate overdose risk, including naloxone possession, communicating to peers when using alone ('spotting') and using drugs in public spaces.

CONCLUSIONS

WWID appear to engage frequently in SDU due to constraints of the physical and social environments in which they use drugs. They express a preference for accompanied drug use in most cases and report implementing strategies to mitigate their overdose risk, especially when using drugs alone.

Prevalence and correlates of using opioids alone among individuals in a residential treatment program in Michigan: implications for overdose mortality prevention

BACKGROUND

Avoiding use of opioids while alone reduces overdose fatality risk; however, drug use-related stigma may be a barrier to consistently using opioids in the presence of others.

METHODS

We described the frequency of using opioids while alone among 241 people reporting daily heroin use or non-prescribed use of opioid analgesic medications (OAMs) in the month before attending a substance use disorder treatment program in the Midwestern USA. We investigated drug use-related stigma as a correlate of using opioids while alone frequently (very often vs. less frequently or never) and examined overdose risk behaviors associated with using opioids while alone frequently, adjusted for sociodemographic and clinical characteristics.

RESULTS

The sample was a median age of 30 years, 34% female, 79% white, and nearly all (91%) had experienced an overdose. Approximately 63% had used OAMs and 70% used heroin while alone very often in the month before treatment. High levels of anticipated stigma were associated with using either opioid while alone very often (adjusted PR: 1.20, 95% CI: 1.04-1.38). Drinking alcohol and taking sedatives within two hours of OAMs very often (vs. less often or never) and using OAMs in a new setting very often (vs. less often or never) were associated with using OAMs while alone very often. Taking sedatives within two hours of using heroin and using heroin in a new setting very often (vs. less often or never) were associated with using heroin while alone very often.

CONCLUSION

Anticipated stigma, polysubstance use, and use in a new setting were associated with using opioids while alone. These findings highlight a need for enhanced overdose harm reduction options, such as overdose detection services that can initiate an overdose response if needed. Addressing stigmatizing behaviors in communities may reduce anticipated stigma and support engagement and trust in these services.

Injecting drugs alone during an overdose crisis in Vancouver, Canada

BACKGROUND

Settings throughout Canada and the USA continue to experience crises of overdose death due to the toxic unregulated drug supply. Injecting drugs alone limits the potential for intervention and has accounted for a significant proportion of overdose deaths, yet the practice remains understudied. We sought to examine the practice of injecting alone among people who inject drugs (PWID) in Vancouver, Canada.

METHODS

Data were derived from two prospective cohorts of people who use drugs between June 2016 and November 2018. This analysis was restricted to participants who, in the previous 6 months, reported any injection drug use. Rates of injecting alone were categorized as always, usually, sometimes, or occasionally. We fit a multivariable generalized linear mixed model to identify factors associated with injecting drugs alone.

RESULTS

Among 1070 PWID who contributed 3307 observations, 931 (87%) reported injecting alone at least once during the study period. In total, there were 729 (22%) reports of always injecting alone, 722 (21.8%) usually, 471 (14.2%) sometimes, 513 (15.5%) occasionally, and 872 (26.4%) never. In a multivariable model, factors positively associated with injecting drugs alone included male sex (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] 1.69; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.20-2.37), residence in the Downtown Eastside neighbourhood (AOR 1.43; 95% CI 1.08-1.91), binge drug use (AOR 1.36; 95% CI 1.08-1.72), and experiencing physical or sexual violence or both (AOR 1.43; 95% CI 1.00-2.03). Protective factors included Indigenous ancestry (AOR 0.71; 95% CI 0.52-0.98) and being in a relationship (AOR 0.30; 95% CI 0.23-0.39).

CONCLUSION

We observed that injecting alone, a key risk for overdose mortality, was common among PWID in Vancouver. Our findings underline the need for additional overdose prevention measures that are gender-specific, culturally appropriate, violence- and trauma-informed, and available to those who inject alone.

Overdose Prevention and Housing: a Qualitative Study Examining Drug Use, Overdose Risk, and Access to Safer Supply in Permanent Supportive Housing in Vancouver, Canada

The majority of overdose deaths in British Columbia (BC) occur among people using illicit substances alone in private residences. Some supportive housing in BC includes on-site access to a variety of health and substance use-related services. More recently, a number of supportive housing locations have started offering prescribed safer supply medications to people at high overdose risk, though these remain limited and under-evaluated. In this study, we describe the drug use practices - including access to and use of on-site supervised consumption, OAT, and prescribed safer supply medications - of study participants living in permanent supportive housing with integrated primary care, substance use treatment services, and supervised consumption spaces. Qualitative interviews were conducted with 30 residents of a permanent supportive housing site in Vancouver, Canada. Data were analyzed using a sequential process to identify both a priori (e.g., low-barrier substance use treatment, pandemic effects on service access) and emerging themes (e.g., using alone). Most (N = 27) study participants reported using alone in their rooms, despite having access to an on-site supervised consumption area. Reasons for using alone include the following: preference for being alone, discretion/stigma, and restrictive housing policies. Less than half (N = 12) of the study participants accessed on-site prescribed safer supply medications. Participants receiving on-site prescribed safer supply described positive benefits including reduced use of illicit opioids, and less reliance on illicit income generation activities. On-site prescribed safer supply programs within supportive housing environments are an important tool in addressing overdose risk.

Rationalities of Space and Drug-Related Harms: Accounts of People Who Inject Drugs in Nigeria

BACKGROUND

Studies have examined how people who inject drugs (PWID) navigate public spaces for drug consumption, but little is known about consumption of drugs in private apartments. This study explores social, structural and physical environment factors influencing injecting practices and the rationalities shaping how PWID make decisions about where to consume drugs.

METHODS

The study is based on qualitative data from 41 in-depth interviews conducted with both homeless and housed PWID recruited through snowball sampling in Uyo, Nigeria. Thematic analysis, framed by the theoretical constructs of structural and everyday violence, and situated rationality theories, was undertaken on transcripts.

RESULTS

Analysis revealed different socio-spatial rationalities underlying decisions about where to use drugs: avoidance of police arrest, convenience and relaxation, avoidance of drug sharing, avoidance of drug-scene violence, and stigma and shame. These factors show the impacts of social, structural and physical environment factors on the lived experiences of PWID. Injecting in private apartments potentially offset the risk of stigma, police arrest and violence linked to public injecting, but increase the risk of overdose and sharing of drugs and needle-syringes based on social relations of trust.

CONCLUSIONS

Findings show that PWID chose between competing risks when deciding on where to inject drugs. Interventions should consider the situated contexts of risk, and adapt harm reduction measures to the risk profile of different populations of PWID.

Injecting Alone: Practices and Preferences among People Who Inject Drugs in New York City

Injecting alone is a suspected risk factor for opioid overdose death among people who inject drugs (PWID). Better understanding of PWID's injecting practices and preferences could guide pragmatic harm reduction and overdose prevention interventions. We investigated injection practices and preferences among PWID attending syringe services programs (SSPs). We surveyed 108 PWID with opioid use disorder from 3 New York City SSPs between November 2020 and August 2021 to ascertain harm reduction service preferences. This secondary analysis examined injection behavior preferences, reasons for these preferences, and self-reported non-fatal lifetime overdoses. Slightly more participants preferred injecting alone (56%) than with someone present (44%), but most in both groups inject alone most of the time (97% vs 52%, p &lt; 0.01). Commonly reported reasons for preferring to inject alone were privacy (82%) and not wanting to be judged (78%), whereas many preferred to inject with others to have someone present in case of overdose (92%), for camaraderie (69%), and to share drugs (65%). Those preferring to inject alone (vs. with someone present) self-reported higher mean number of lifetime overdoses (3.1 vs 2.6), but differences were not statistically significant. In conclusion, most participants injected alone regardless of preference. While not associated with prior non-fatal overdose, injection preference likely carries risk for future overdose. Participants preferred injecting alone to avoid shame or injecting with others in case of overdose, which can inform public health interventions that support both preferences. Reducing stigma while facilitating rapid overdose response can mitigate the risk of fatal overdose.

Anhedonia and Substance Use Disorders by Type, Severity, and With Mental Health Disorders

OBJECTIVES

Anhedonia can accompany substance use disorders (SUDs); its severity may vary by substance type, severity of SUD symptoms, or psychiatric comorbidity. The goal of this study was to clarify the contribution of each.

METHODS

Data were from participants aged 18 to 65 years in the National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions III (n = 30,999; 51% women), a cross-sectional, nationally representative sample reporting lifetime DSM-5 symptoms and lifetime anhedonia. We used logistic regression to test how anhedonia was associated with specific SUDs and psychiatric disorders in respondents with one lifetime diagnosis. We used latent class analysis to assess the association of anhedonia with patterns of comorbidity in all respondents.

RESULTS

Opioid use disorder (OUD) had the greatest odds of anhedonia relative to other SUDs (ORs [95% CIs]): mild alcohol use disorder (AUD) ( 3.33 [1.74, 6.38]), moderate/severe AUD ( 2.73 [1.41, 5.30]), and cannabis use disorder ( 3.21 [1.43, 7.19]), though not significantly greater than stimulant use disorder ( 2.44 [.88, 6.73]). Anhedonia was more likely in mood disorders and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) than in any SUD, except for PTSD versus OUD (OR [95% CIs] = .98 [.47, 2.02]). In latent class analysis analyses, the poly disorder class, which included SUDs and other diagnoses, had greater odds of anhedonia than the Poly SUD (ORs [95% CIs] = 1.62 [1.25, 2.09] and AUD 2.89 [2.40, 3.48]) classes.

CONCLUSIONS

People with OUD or a lifetime history of mood disorder or PTSD may be most likely to present to SUD treatment with anhedonia.

"I wanted to close the chapter completely … and I feel like that [carrying naloxone] would keep it open a little bit": Refusal to carry naloxone among newly-abstinent opioid users and 12-step identity

BACKGROUND

12-step programs aim to address drug-related harms, like opioid overdose, via abstinence. However, abstaining from opioids can diminish tolerance, which increases risk for overdose death upon resumption. A recent study found that desire to abstain from drugs inhibited willingness to participate in take-home naloxone programming, which was linked to perceptions of harm reduction strategies being tied to drug use. In the present study, we uncovered a similar phenomenon occurring among newly-abstinent participants who were refusing to carry naloxone.

METHODS

This study is an analysis of broader qualitative data collected throughout Southern California among persons who use opioids, including those recently abstinent. Preliminary analysis revealed that those newly abstinent refused to accept naloxone at the end of interviews, and so we began probing about this (N=44). We used thematic analysis and author positionality to explicate the emergent phenomenon and applied social identity theory to conceptualize findings.

RESULTS

Mechanisms underlying naloxone refusal included its tie to a drug-using identity that newly-abstinent participants were attempting to retire. Carrying naloxone was also viewed as pointless due to doubt of witnessing an overdose again. Furthermore, the thought of being equipped with naloxone was not believed to be congruent with an abstinent identity, e.g. "me carrying it [naloxone] is making me feel like I'm going to be hanging out with people that are doing it [using drugs]."

CONCLUSION

Recent detoxification heightens vulnerability to overdose, which other newly-abstinent peers might be positioned to respond to as bonds are formed through 12-step identity formation. However, naloxone is often refused by this group due to perceived 12-step identity clash. While some treatment spaces distribute naloxone, 12-step identity associated behavioral expectations appear to conflict with this strategy. Reframing these disconnects is essential for expanding the lifesaving naloxone community safety net.

"They're not doing enough.": women's experiences with opioids and naloxone in Toronto

BACKGROUND

Amid increasing opioid overdose deaths in Canada since 2010 and a changing naloxone access landscape, there is a need for up-to-date research on Canadian women's experiences with opioids. Studies on Canadian take-home naloxone programs are promising, but research beyond these programs is limited. Our study is the first to focus on women's experiences and perspectives on the opioid crisis in Ontario, Canada's most populous province, since the opioid crisis began in 2010.

OBJECTIVE

Our objective was to address research knowledge gaps involving Canadian women with criminal justice involvement who use opioids, and identify flaws in current policies, responses, and practices. While the opioid overdose crisis persists, this lack of research inhibits our ability to determine whether overdose prevention efforts, especially involving naloxone, are meeting their needs.

METHODS

We conducted semi-structured, qualitative interviews from January to April 2018 with 10 women with experience of opioid use. They were recruited through the study's community partner in Toronto. Participants provided demographic information, experiences with opioids and naloxone, and their perceptions of the Canadian government's responses to the opioid crisis. Interviews were transcribed verbatim and inductive thematic analysis was conducted to determine major themes within the data.

RESULTS

Thematic analysis identified seven major concerns despite significant differences in participant life and opioid use experiences. Participants who had used illicit opioids since naloxone became available over-the-counter in 2016 were much more knowledgeable about naloxone than participants who had only used opioids prior to 2016. The portability, dosage form, and effects of naloxone are important considerations for women who use opioids. Social alienation, violence, and isolation affect the wellbeing of women who use opioids. The Canadian government's response to the opioid crisis was perceived as inadequate. Participants demonstrated differing needs and views on ideal harm reduction approaches, despite facing similar structural issues surrounding stigma, addiction management, and housing.

CONCLUSIONS

Participants experienced with naloxone use found it to be useful in preventing fatal overdose, however many of their needs with regards to physical, mental, and social health, housing, harm reduction, and access to opioid treatment remained unmet.

Women's multiple uses of an overdose prevention technology to mitigate risks and harms within a supportive housing environment: a qualitative study

Background

North America is amidst an opioid overdose epidemic. In many settings, particularly Canada, the majority of overdose deaths occur indoors and impact structurally vulnerable people who use drugs alone, making targeted housing-based interventions a priority. Mobile applications have been developed that allow individuals to solicit help to prevent overdose death. We examine the experiences of women residents utilizing an overdose response button technology within a supportive housing environment.

Methods

In October 2019, we conducted semi-structured qualitative interviews with 14 residents of a women-only supportive housing building in an urban setting where the overdose response button technology was installed. Data was analyzed thematically and framed by theories of structural vulnerability.

Results

While participants described the utility and disadvantages of the technology for overdose response, most participants, unexpectedly described alternate adoptions of the technology. Participants used the technology for other emergency situations (e.g., gender-based violence), rather than its intended purpose of overdose response.

Conclusions

Our findings highlight the limitations of current technologies while also demonstrating the clear need for housing-based emergency response interventions that address not just overdose risk but also gender-based violence. These need to be implemented alongside larger strategies to address structural vulnerabilities and provide greater agency to marginalized women who use drugs.