TY - JOUR
KW - Stigma
KW - Harm Reduction
KW - infectious disease
KW - opioid use disorder
KW - Substance Abuse
KW - syringe exchange programs
AU - T. A. Zeller
AU - T. Beachler
AU - L. Diaz
AU - R. P. Thomas
AU - M. Heo
AU - J. Lanzillotta-Rangeley
AU - A. H. Litwin
A1 - 
AB - OBJECTIVES: To evaluate community attitudes concerning syringe exchange programs (SEPs) in a rural community as part of an effort to implement evidence-based harm reduction strategies and improve health outcomes related to opioid use disorder. METHODS: Dissemination of a 24-item survey to individuals living in a rural community followed by comparative analysis of survey results based on support for SEPs. RESULTS: Three hundred and sixty-one individuals responded. Overall, 49.3% of respondents indicated support for syringe exchange. Individuals who support syringe exchange as a harm reduction service are more likely to: agree that opioid use disorder is a real illness (p < 0.0001); agree that anyone can become addicted to pain medications (p = 0.01); agree that medication assisted treatment is effective (p < 0.0001); agree that individuals with OUD have the same right to a job (p < 0.0001); be willing to administer naloxone to a stranger (p < 0.0001); support HIV and HCV screening (p < 0.0001), condom distribution (p < 0.0001), and medication for opioid use disorder (p < 0.0001). They are less likely to believe that harm reduction services encourage drug use (p < 0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: Positive correlations exist between support for SEPs, awareness of OUD as a chronic illness, less stigmatizing attitudes toward individuals with OUD, and support for other harm reduction strategies. Efforts to increase awareness of OUD as a chronic illness may lead to greater acceptance of harm reduction strategies in rural areas, easing evolution of evidence-based healthy policy.
AD - University of South Carolina School of Medicine-Greenville, Greenville, SC, USA.; School of Health Research, Clemson University, Clemson, SC, USA.; Accountable Communities/Prisma Health, Prisma Health Addiction Research Center, Greenville, SC, USA.; Accountable Communities/Prisma Health, Prisma Health Addiction Research Center, Greenville, SC, USA.; University of South Carolina School of Medicine-Greenville, Greenville, SC, USA.; School of Health Research, Clemson University, Clemson, SC, USA.; Department of Public Health Sciences, Clemson University, Clemson, SC, USA.; College of Nursing, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH, USA.; University of South Carolina School of Medicine-Greenville, Greenville, SC, USA.; School of Health Research, Clemson University, Clemson, SC, USA.; Accountable Communities/Prisma Health, Prisma Health Addiction Research Center, Greenville, SC, USA.
BT - Journal of addictive diseases
C5 - Opioids & Substance Use
CY - England
DO - 10.1080/10550887.2021.1979837
JF - Journal of addictive diseases
LA - eng
M1 - Journal Article
N2 - OBJECTIVES: To evaluate community attitudes concerning syringe exchange programs (SEPs) in a rural community as part of an effort to implement evidence-based harm reduction strategies and improve health outcomes related to opioid use disorder. METHODS: Dissemination of a 24-item survey to individuals living in a rural community followed by comparative analysis of survey results based on support for SEPs. RESULTS: Three hundred and sixty-one individuals responded. Overall, 49.3% of respondents indicated support for syringe exchange. Individuals who support syringe exchange as a harm reduction service are more likely to: agree that opioid use disorder is a real illness (p < 0.0001); agree that anyone can become addicted to pain medications (p = 0.01); agree that medication assisted treatment is effective (p < 0.0001); agree that individuals with OUD have the same right to a job (p < 0.0001); be willing to administer naloxone to a stranger (p < 0.0001); support HIV and HCV screening (p < 0.0001), condom distribution (p < 0.0001), and medication for opioid use disorder (p < 0.0001). They are less likely to believe that harm reduction services encourage drug use (p < 0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: Positive correlations exist between support for SEPs, awareness of OUD as a chronic illness, less stigmatizing attitudes toward individuals with OUD, and support for other harm reduction strategies. Efforts to increase awareness of OUD as a chronic illness may lead to greater acceptance of harm reduction strategies in rural areas, easing evolution of evidence-based healthy policy.
PP - England
PY - 2021
SN - 1545-0848; 1055-0887
SP - 1
EP - 8
EP - 
T1 - Attitudes toward syringe exchange programs in a rural Appalachian community
T2 - Journal of addictive diseases
TI - Attitudes toward syringe exchange programs in a rural Appalachian community
U1 - Opioids & Substance Use
U2 - 34550054
U3 - 10.1080/10550887.2021.1979837
VO - 1545-0848; 1055-0887
Y1 - 2021
Y2 - Sep 22
ER -