TY - JOUR
AU - N. Sedaghat
AU - B. Seo
AU - N. Rider
AU - W. Rioux
AU - S. M. Ghosh
A1 - 
AB - BACKGROUND: Supervised consumption sites (SCS) are an evidence-based intervention proven effective for preventing drug overdose deaths. Obstacles to accessing SCS include stigma, limited hours of operation, concerns about policing, and limited geographic availability. Mobile overdose response services (MORS) are novel technologies that provide virtual supervised consumption to help reduce the risk of fatal overdoses, especially for those who use alone. MORS can take various forms, such as phone-based hotlines and mobile apps. The aim of this article is to assess the perceptions of MORS among healthcare and harm reduction staff to determine if they would be comfortable educating clients about these services. METHODS: Twenty-two healthcare and harm reduction staff were recruited from Canada using convenience, snowball, and purposive sampling techniques to complete semistructured interviews. Inductive thematic analysis informed by grounded theory was used to identify main themes and subthemes. RESULTS: Four themes were identified: (1) increasing MORS awareness among healthcare providers was seen as useful; (2) MORS might lessen the burden of drug overdoses on the healthcare system but could also increase ambulance callouts; (3) MORS would benefit from certain improvements such as providing harm reduction resources and other supports; and (4) MORS are viewed as supplements for harm reduction, but SCS were preferred. CONCLUSIONS: This research provides valuable perspectives from healthcare and harm reduction workers to understand their perception of MORS and identifies key areas of potential improvement. Practical initiatives to improve MORS implementation outcomes exist.
AD - Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada.; Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada.; Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada.
AN - 38525593
BT - Subst Use Addctn J
C5 - Opioids & Substance Use; Education & Workforce
DA - Mar 25
DO - 10.1177/29767342241237169
DP - NLM
ET - 20240325
JF - Subst Use Addctn J
LA - eng
N2 - BACKGROUND: Supervised consumption sites (SCS) are an evidence-based intervention proven effective for preventing drug overdose deaths. Obstacles to accessing SCS include stigma, limited hours of operation, concerns about policing, and limited geographic availability. Mobile overdose response services (MORS) are novel technologies that provide virtual supervised consumption to help reduce the risk of fatal overdoses, especially for those who use alone. MORS can take various forms, such as phone-based hotlines and mobile apps. The aim of this article is to assess the perceptions of MORS among healthcare and harm reduction staff to determine if they would be comfortable educating clients about these services. METHODS: Twenty-two healthcare and harm reduction staff were recruited from Canada using convenience, snowball, and purposive sampling techniques to complete semistructured interviews. Inductive thematic analysis informed by grounded theory was used to identify main themes and subthemes. RESULTS: Four themes were identified: (1) increasing MORS awareness among healthcare providers was seen as useful; (2) MORS might lessen the burden of drug overdoses on the healthcare system but could also increase ambulance callouts; (3) MORS would benefit from certain improvements such as providing harm reduction resources and other supports; and (4) MORS are viewed as supplements for harm reduction, but SCS were preferred. CONCLUSIONS: This research provides valuable perspectives from healthcare and harm reduction workers to understand their perception of MORS and identifies key areas of potential improvement. Practical initiatives to improve MORS implementation outcomes exist.
PY - 2024
SN - 2976-7342
SP - 29767342241237169
ST - Perspectives of Canadian Healthcare and Harm Reduction Workers on Mobile Overdose Response Services: A Qualitative Study
T1 - Perspectives of Canadian Healthcare and Harm Reduction Workers on Mobile Overdose Response Services: A Qualitative Study
T2 - Subst Use Addctn J
TI - Perspectives of Canadian Healthcare and Harm Reduction Workers on Mobile Overdose Response Services: A Qualitative Study
U1 - Opioids & Substance Use; Education & Workforce
U3 - 10.1177/29767342241237169
VO - 2976-7342
Y1 - 2024
ER -