Drug quality assessment practices and communication of drug alerts among people who use drugs

Soukup-Baljak, Yuko; Greer, Alissa; Amlani, Ashraf; Sampson, Olivia; Buxton, Jane A.

doi:10.1016/j.drugpo.2015.06.006

Cited by 56 publications

(68 citation statements)

References 19 publications

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“…Specifically, for five out of six harm reduction strategies, more than a half of participants reported using them on a frequent basis. This high prevalence of use of protective strategies is consistent with previous research showing that many polysubstance‐using nightlife and festival attendees are concerned about their health, are aware of the risks associated with their drug use, and often adopt self‐care strategies to minimise them . Nonetheless, some participants rarely carry out protective strategies, suggesting that there is still a need to encourage use of these strategies among this population.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 85%

Harm reduction strategies related to dosing and their relation to harms among festival attendees who use multiple drugs

Fernández‐Calderón

Batanero

Barratt

et al. 2018

Drug and Alcohol Review

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Introduction and Aims: Polysubstance users are a high-risk population for negative health-related consequences. Although some studies have described harm reduction strategies adopted by polysubstance users, studies have not examined their effectiveness in minimising health-related consequences. We aimed to identify dosing-related harm reduction strategies in a sample of polysubstance-using dance festival attendees, and explore the relationship between harm reduction strategies and self-reported adverse health consequences. Design and Methods: Data were examined for 1226 past-year dance festival attendees who self-identified as past-year multiple drug users. We conducted bivariable and multivariable analyses to explore relationships between six dosing-related harm reduction strategies and 13 self-reported adverse consequences. Results: Self-reported use of dosing-related harm reduction strategies was prevalent, mainly avoidance of mixing depressants (69.2%) and setting limits on quantity (62.2%). Frequent users of harm reduction strategies reported experiencing fewer adverse health consequences (P values <0.05). Those who reportedly set limits on quantity were at decreased odds of experiencing a bad mood after drug use, sexual difficulties while under drug influence, injuries or fractures while under drug influence, and involvement in fights or being attacked while under drug influence (P values <0.05). Moreover, those who report frequently avoid mixing depressants were at decreased odds of experiencing headache, loss of consciousness, drop in blood pressure, injuries of fractures, and fights or attacks (P values <0.05). Discussion and Conclusions: Adoption of dosing-related harm reduction strategies appears to be associated with less drug-related harm among polysubstance-using festival attendees. Findings may inform organisations and policymakers in the designing of harm reduction interventions with this population.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 85%

Harm reduction strategies related to dosing and their relation to harms among festival attendees who use multiple drugs

Fernández‐Calderón

Batanero

Barratt

et al. 2018

Drug and Alcohol Review

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“…The botulism outbreak received some, albeit limited, mainstream media reporting (Anon, 2015;BBC, 2015;Musson, 2015) alerts, but they should be removed after a period of time so that PWID are not de-sensitised to future alerts (Soukup-Baljak et al, 2015). In addition, peer-delivered public health warnings may be an under-utilised approach for disseminating drug warnings and health communications (Markwick et al, 2016); building relationships between health service providers and peers may help the reach of public health alerts (Soukup-Baljak et al, 2015) and opportunities to initiate discussion between PWID and frontline service staff about injecting risk factors can be valued by both PWID and staff (Horyniak et al, 2010). Possible reasons why a limited number of the PWID (14%) in our study had not read the postcard despite seeing it may include literacy issues.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The aim of risk communication during clusters/outbreaks is to alert PWUD to the ongoing event, to promote HR to reduce risk of exposure (for example, reduce heroin use or not to inject into the muscle or skin), promote symptom recognition and encourage timely healthcare seeking. There are no published studies that have examined the efficacy of such public health alerts for clusters/outbreaks of SFB and only a few studies have examined alerts in relation to other harms, such as alerts on heroin purity or drug adulteration following clusters of overdoses (Horyniak et al, 2010;Kerr, Small, Hyshka, Maher, & Shannon, 2013;Miller, 2007;Soukup-Baljak, Greer, Amlani, Sampson, & Buxton, 2015) or on changes in prescribed methadone dosages (Markwick, McNeil, Anderson, Small, & Kerr, 2016).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Spore forming bacteria infections and people who inject drugs: Implications for harm reduction

Dunleavy

Munro

Roy

et al. 2018

International Journal of Drug Policy

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More widespread exposure to the Botulism Postcard during the outbreak/cluster was needed. The Botulism Postcard distributed to PWID may raise awareness of such events, the symptoms, and may encourage HR particularly when used as a tool by frontline staff to initiate discussion. Acknowledging that people continue to inject during clusters/outbreaks of such infections necessitates a pragmatic HR approach.

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“…In all drug markets, dealers typically “cut” drugs with adulterants to further their supply and increase profit margins, which often leaves consumers unable to assess drug quality (Harris, Forseth, & Rhodes, 2015; Soukup-Baljak, Greer, Amlani, Sampson, & Buxton, 2015). In Kisumu, injectors frequently discussed their misgivings about the drugs that reached the local market, including their mistrust of peddlers, peddlers who “boost” their products with adulterants, and rumors of “fake” drugs in Kisumu.…”

Section: Emerging Drug Markets In Kisumumentioning

confidence: 99%

An ethnographic exploration of drug markets in Kisumu, Kenya

Syvertsen

Ohaga

Agot

et al. 2016

International Journal of Drug Policy

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Background Illegal drug markets are shaped by multiple forces, including local actors and broader economic, political, social, and criminal justice systems that intertwine to impact health and social wellbeing. Ethnographic analyses that interrogate multiple dimensions of drug markets may offer both applied and theoretical insights into drug use, particularly in developing nations where new markets and local patterns of use traditionally have not been well understood. This paper explores the emergent drug market in Kisumu, western Kenya, where our research team recently documented evidence of injection drug use. Methods Our exploratory study of injection drug use was conducted in Kisumu from 2013-2014. We draw on 151 surveys, 29 in-depth interviews, and 8 months of ethnographic fieldwork to describe the drug market from the perspective of injectors, focusing on their perceptions of the market and reports of drug use therein. Results Injectors described a dynamic market in which the availability of drugs and proliferation of injection drug use have taken on growing importance in Kisumu. In addition to reports of white and brown forms of heroin and concerns about drug adulteration in the market, we unexpectedly documented widespread perceptions of cocaine availability and injection in Kisumu. Examining price data and socio-pharmacological experiences of cocaine injection left us with unconfirmed evidence of its existence, but opened further possibilities about how the chaos of new drug markets and diffusion of injection-related beliefs and practices may lend insight into the sociopolitical context of western Kenya. Conclusions We suggest a need for expanded drug surveillance, education and programming responsive to local conditions, and further ethnographic inquiry into the social meanings of emergent drug markets in Kenya and across sub-Saharan Africa.

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Drug quality assessment practices and communication of drug alerts among people who use drugs

Cited by 56 publications

References 19 publications

Harm reduction strategies related to dosing and their relation to harms among festival attendees who use multiple drugs

Harm reduction strategies related to dosing and their relation to harms among festival attendees who use multiple drugs

Spore forming bacteria infections and people who inject drugs: Implications for harm reduction

An ethnographic exploration of drug markets in Kisumu, Kenya

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