TY - JOUR
AU - S. M. Walters
AU - M. Felsher
AU - D. Frank
AU - J. Jaiswal
AU - T. Townsend
AU - B. Muncan
AU - A. S. Bennett
AU - S. R. Friedman
AU - W. Jenkins
AU - M. T. Pho
AU - S. Fletcher
AU - D. C. Ompad
A1 - 
AB - BACKGROUND: Overdose is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality among people who inject drugs. Illicitly manufactured fentanyl is now a major driver of opioid overdose deaths. METHODS: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 23 participants (19 persons who inject drugs and 4 service providers) from rural southern Illinois. Data were analyzed using constant comparison and theoretical sampling methods. RESULTS: Participants were concerned about the growing presence of fentanyl in both opioids and stimulants, and many disclosed overdose experiences. Strategies participants reported using to lower overdose risk included purchasing drugs from trusted sellers and modifying drug use practices by partially injecting and/or changing the route of transmission. Approximately half of persons who inject drugs sampled had heard of fentanyl test strips, however fentanyl test strip use was low. To reverse overdoses, participants reported using cold water baths. Use of naloxone to reverse overdose was low. Barriers to naloxone access and use included fear of arrest and opioid withdrawal. CONCLUSIONS: People who inject drugs understood fentanyl to be a potential contaminant in their drug supply and actively engaged in harm reduction techniques to try to prevent overdose. Interventions to increase harm reduction education and information about and access to fentanyl test strips and naloxone would be beneficial.
AD - Department of Epidemiology, School of Global Public Health, New York University, New York, NY 10003, USA.; Center for Drug Use and HIV/HCV Research, New York, NY 10003, USA.; College of Population Health, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA 19107, USA.; Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, School of Global Public Health, New York University, New York, NY 10003, USA.; Department of Health Science, University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, AL 35487, USA.; Department of Population Health, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA.; Renaissance School of Medicine, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY 11794, USA.; Department of Population Science and Policy, SIU School of Medicine, Springfield, IL 62702, USA.; Department of Medicine, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA.; The Community Action Place, Murphysboro, IL 62966, USA.
AN - 36674402
BT - Int J Environ Res Public Health
C5 - Opioids & Substance Use; Healthcare Disparities
CP - 2
DA - Jan 16
DO - 10.3390/ijerph20021648
DP - NLM
ET - 20230116
IS - 2
JF - Int J Environ Res Public Health
LA - eng
N2 - BACKGROUND: Overdose is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality among people who inject drugs. Illicitly manufactured fentanyl is now a major driver of opioid overdose deaths. METHODS: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 23 participants (19 persons who inject drugs and 4 service providers) from rural southern Illinois. Data were analyzed using constant comparison and theoretical sampling methods. RESULTS: Participants were concerned about the growing presence of fentanyl in both opioids and stimulants, and many disclosed overdose experiences. Strategies participants reported using to lower overdose risk included purchasing drugs from trusted sellers and modifying drug use practices by partially injecting and/or changing the route of transmission. Approximately half of persons who inject drugs sampled had heard of fentanyl test strips, however fentanyl test strip use was low. To reverse overdoses, participants reported using cold water baths. Use of naloxone to reverse overdose was low. Barriers to naloxone access and use included fear of arrest and opioid withdrawal. CONCLUSIONS: People who inject drugs understood fentanyl to be a potential contaminant in their drug supply and actively engaged in harm reduction techniques to try to prevent overdose. Interventions to increase harm reduction education and information about and access to fentanyl test strips and naloxone would be beneficial.
PY - 2023
SN - 1661-7827 (Print); 1660-4601
ST - I Don't Believe a Person Has to Die When Trying to Get High: Overdose Prevention and Response Strategies in Rural Illinois
T1 - I Don't Believe a Person Has to Die When Trying to Get High: Overdose Prevention and Response Strategies in Rural Illinois
T2 - Int J Environ Res Public Health
TI - I Don't Believe a Person Has to Die When Trying to Get High: Overdose Prevention and Response Strategies in Rural Illinois
U1 - Opioids & Substance Use; Healthcare Disparities
U3 - 10.3390/ijerph20021648
VL - 20
VO - 1661-7827 (Print); 1660-4601
Y1 - 2023
ER -