Opioid related overdose deaths in the United States claimed over 100,000 thousand lives during the 12-month period ending in April 2021, an increase of 28.5% from the previous period. Syringe services...
The coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19) exacerbated risks for adverse health consequences among people who inject drugs by reducing access to sterile injection equipment, HIV testing, and syringe services...
We aim to explore how the COVID-19 pandemic affected SSP operations in rural Kentucky counties....
In late 2020, we conducted eighteen in-depth, semi-structured interviews with persons (10 women, 8 men) involved in SSP implementation in rural Kentucky counties. The interview guide broadly explored ...
Participants emphasized the need to continue providing SSP-related services throughout the pandemic. COVID-19 mitigation strategies (e.g., masking, social distancing, pre-packing sterile injection equ...
The COVID-19 pandemic impacted SSP operations throughout rural Kentucky. Despite challenges, participants reported that providing SSP services remained paramount. Diverse adaptative strategies were em...
While people with substance use disorders, including people who inject drugs (PWID), experience increased risk for COVID-19 infection and adverse outcomes, COVID-19 vaccination rates among PWID are co...
Between June and July 2022, we conducted in-depth semi-structured interviews with 17 staff members of an SSP in Miami, Florida. Data collection and codebook thematic analysis of transcribed interviews...
Facilitators and barriers of COVID-19 vaccine implementation at the SSP aligned with all major CFIR domains. Key facilitators included the SSP's established partnership with the local health departmen...
Implementing onsite COVID-19 vaccines was perceived as feasible and acceptable by frontline staff at the SSP, however contextual factors impeded optimal implementation. Multilevel strategies, such as ...
Syringe services programs (SSPs) are evidence-based programs. SSPs are integral in preventing bloodborne diseases while increasing access to care and reducing drug overdose deaths. SSPs are often the ...
Existing research in urban areas has documented a multitude of ways in which law enforcement may affect risks for bloodborne infectious disease acquisition among people who inject drugs (PWID), such a...
This study explores the influence of law enforcement during processes to acquire approvals for SSP implementation and subsequent program operations in rural Kentucky counties....
From August 2020 to October 2020, we conducted eighteen in-depth qualitative interviews among persons involved with SSP implementation in rural counties in Kentucky (USA). Interviews explored the fact...
Participants described scenarios in which rural law enforcement advocated for SSP implementation; however, they also reported police opposing rural SSP implementation and engaging in adverse behaviors...
The results of this study suggest that there are multiple ways in which rural SSP implementation and subsequent operations in rural Kentucky counties are affected by law enforcement. Future work is ne...
As drug-related epidemics have expanded from cities to rural areas, syringe service programs (SSPs) and other harm reduction programs have been slow to follow. The recent implementation of SSPs in rur...
Semistructured interviews conducted with clients and staff at 5 SSPs in 5 counties within 2 Central Appalachian health districts. Interviews covered fidelity of SSP implementation to 6 core components...
Rural SSPs were mostly faithful to the 6 core components. Deviations from core components can be attributed to certain characteristics of the local rural risk environment outlined in the risk environm...
Xylazine is an increasingly common adulterant in the North American unregulated drug supply that is associated with adverse health outcomes (e.g., skin infections, overdose). However, there are signif...
From June-July 2023, we conducted qualitative interviews with medical (e.g., clinicians) and frontline SSP staff (e.g., outreach workers) and adult clients with a history of injection drug use at a Mi...
From interviews with SSP staff (n = 8) and clients (n = 17), xylazine emergence was identified at different times, in various ways. Initially, during summer 2022, clients identified a "tranquilizer-li...
Xylazine's emergence characterizes the current era of unprecedented shifts in the unregulated drug supply. We found that xylazine spurred important behavioral changes among people who use drugs (e.g.,...
To identify faith-based leaders' (FBLs') knowledge, perceptions, and questions about syringe services programs (SSPs)....
We conducted a one-time, national online survey of 461 Christian FBLs August-September 2022....
56% of FBLs agreed they support having SSPs in their communities; only 7% strongly disagreed. We identified 15 main questions FBLs have about SSPs. We found statistically significant differences based...
SSP advocates can address questions that FBLs have about SSPs before beginning outreach. By understanding common Protestant denominational affiliations, advocates can focus initial engagement efforts ...
Vaccine-hesitant persons who inject drugs are at increased risk for several vaccine-preventable diseases. However, vaccination rates among this population remain low. While syringe services programs (...
We used convenience sampling to conduct semi-structured, qualitative in-depth interviews with 21 SSPs in the USA from June to August 2021. Interview questions asked SSPs about their perceptions, prior...
Eight (n = 8) SSPs offered vaccinations, and thirteen (n = 13) did not offer vaccinations. Most SSPs believed offering vaccination services was important, although addressing SSP participants' immedia...
Increasing the availability of vaccination services at SSPs requires addressing the varying capacity needs of SSPs, such as tracking systems, licensed vaccinators, and free or low-cost vaccination sup...
The current fourth wave of the United States opioid overdose epidemic is characterized by the co-use of opioids and stimulants, including illicit opioids and methamphetamine. The co-use of these two d...
We collected self-reported data from participants (N = 50) of a syringe services program (SSP), including basic needs and harm reduction preferences. Using bivariate analyses, we examined differences ...
In the overall sample, the mean level of need was highest for bus passes or other transportation, a person who can help you get the services you need, medication for opioid use disorder, and a job or ...
Unmet needs were prevalent, and the desire for more harm reduction services was high among these PWID. Results also suggest people who co-use illicit opioids and methamphetamine may have the greatest ...
