Harm reduction and recovery services support (HRRSS) to mitigate the opioid overdose epidemic in a rural community

Substance Abuse Treatment, Prevention, and Policy

卷:18

Research

Hui-Lin Tsai¹  Moonseong Heo²  Laksika B. Sivaraj²  Taylor Beachler³  Alain H. Litwin⁴  Avish Patel⁵  Ashlyn Chea⁶  T. Aaron Zeller⁷ 

[1] Department of Public Health Sciences, Clemson University, 29634, Clemson, SC, USA;

[2] Department of Public Health Sciences, Clemson University, 29634, Clemson, SC, USA;Prisma Health Addiction Medicine Center, 29605, Greenville, SC, USA;

[3] Prisma Health Addiction Medicine Center, 29605, Greenville, SC, USA;

[4] Prisma Health Addiction Medicine Center, 29605, Greenville, SC, USA;University of South Carolina School of Medicine—Greenville, 29605, Greenville, SC, USA;Department of Medicine, Prisma Health, 29605, Greenville, SC, USA;Clemson University School of Health Research, 29605, Greenville, SC, USA;

[5] University of South Carolina School of Medicine—Columbia, 29209, Columbia, SC, USA;

[6] University of South Carolina School of Medicine—Greenville, 29605, Greenville, SC, USA;

[7] University of South Carolina School of Medicine—Greenville, 29605, Greenville, SC, USA;Clemson University School of Health Research, 29605, Greenville, SC, USA;Seneca Family Medicine Residency Program, Prisma Health Oconee Memorial Hospital, 139 Lila Doyle Drive, 29672, Seneca, SC, USA;

关键词: Social capital;    Rural;    Overdose;    Opioid use disorder;    Recovery;    Harm reduction;   

DOI  :  10.1186/s13011-023-00532-3

 received in 2023-02-03, accepted in 2023-03-29,  发布年份 2023

来源: Springer

【 摘 要 】

BackgroundRural areas in the United States (US) are ravaged by the opioid overdose epidemic. Oconee County, an entirely rural county in northwest South Carolina, is likewise severely affected. Lack of harm reduction and recovery resources (e.g., social capital) that could mitigate the worst outcomes may be exacerbating the problem. We aimed to identify demographic and other factors associated with support for harm reduction and recovery services in the community.MethodsThe Oconee County Opioid Response Taskforce conducted a 46-item survey targeting a general population between May and June in 2022, which was mainly distributed through social media networks. The survey included demographic factors and assessed attitudes and beliefs toward individuals with opioid use disorder (OUD) and medications for OUD, and support for harm reduction and recovery services, such as syringe services programs and safe consumption sites. We developed a Harm Reduction and Recovery Support Score (HRRSS), a composite score of nine items ranging from 0 to 9 to measure level of support for placement of naloxone in public places and harm reduction and recovery service sites. Primary statistical analysis using general linear regression models tested significance of differences in HRRSS between groups defined by item responses adjusting for demographic factors.ResultsThere were 338 survey responses: 67.5% were females, 52.1% were 55 years old or older, 87.3% were Whites, 83.1% were non-Hispanic, 53.0% were employed, and 53.8% had household income greater than US$50,000. The overall HRRSS was relatively low at a mean of 4.1 (SD = 2.3). Younger and employed respondents had significantly greater HRRSS. Among nine significant factors associated with HRRSS after adjusting for demographic factors, agreement that OUD is a disease had the greatest adjusted mean difference in HRSSS (adjusted diff = 1.22, 95% CI=(0.64, 1.80), p < 0.001), followed by effectiveness of medications for OUD (adjusted diff = 1.11, 95%CI=(0.50, 1.71), p < 0.001).ConclusionsLow HRRSS indicates low levels of acceptance of harm reduction potentially impacting both intangible and tangible social capital as it relates to mitigation of the opioid overdose epidemic. Increasing community awareness of the disease model of OUD and the effectiveness of medications for OUD, especially among older and unemployed populations, could be a step toward improving community uptake of the harm reduction and recovery service resources critical to individual recovery efforts.

【 授权许可】

CC BY   
© The Author(s) 2023