TY - JOUR
AU - M. K. Reed
AU - A. Siegler
AU - Esteves Camacho
AU - K. London
AU - K. Schaeffer
AU - K. L. Rising
A1 - 
AB - BACKGROUND: Fentanyl test strips (FTS) are a harm reduction method for people to test their drugs for fentanyl. Ideal points for FTS distribution have not been identified. Many people who use drugs have frequent contact with the Emergency Department (ED). We piloted FTS distribution in two urban hospital EDs. METHODS: Between June-December 2021 in Philadelphia, PA, patients with past 30-day drug use completed a survey about drug use, fentanyl attitudes, and FTS; then offered FTS and a brief training. Survey data were analyzed using SPSS for bivariate statistics. RESULTS: Patients (n = 135) were primarily White (68.1%) and male (72.6%). Participants regularly interacted with substance use (57.8%) and benefits coordination (49.6%) services. The most common drugs used were heroin/fentanyl (68.9%), crack cocaine (45.2%) and cannabis (40.0%). Most (98.5%) had heard of fentanyl though few (18.5%) had ever used FTS. Across most drug types, participants were concerned about fentanyl. All accepted FTS training and distribution. Few (9.6%) were somewhat or very concerned about having FTS if stopped by police and this number varied by race (7.6% of White people were somewhat or very concerned, compared to 12.8% of Black people). Most participants were already engaged in risk reduction practices. DISCUSSION: FTS are a widely desired harm reduction tool to facilitate informed decision-making, and non-harm reduction locations are potentially feasible and acceptable distribution sites. Given regular contact with EDs and social services across the sample, FTS should be offered at non-harm reduction locations that come into frequent contact with people who use drugs.
AD - Department of Emergency Medicine, Sidney Kimmel Medical College, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA.; Center for Connected Care, Sidney Kimmel Medical College, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA.; College of Population Health, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA.; Independent Researcher, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA.
AN - 38270457
BT - Subst Use Misuse
C5 - Opioids & Substance Use; Education & Workforce
CP - 3
DO - 10.1080/10826084.2023.2275561
DP - NLM
ET - 20240125
IS - 3
JF - Subst Use Misuse
LA - eng
N2 - BACKGROUND: Fentanyl test strips (FTS) are a harm reduction method for people to test their drugs for fentanyl. Ideal points for FTS distribution have not been identified. Many people who use drugs have frequent contact with the Emergency Department (ED). We piloted FTS distribution in two urban hospital EDs. METHODS: Between June-December 2021 in Philadelphia, PA, patients with past 30-day drug use completed a survey about drug use, fentanyl attitudes, and FTS; then offered FTS and a brief training. Survey data were analyzed using SPSS for bivariate statistics. RESULTS: Patients (n = 135) were primarily White (68.1%) and male (72.6%). Participants regularly interacted with substance use (57.8%) and benefits coordination (49.6%) services. The most common drugs used were heroin/fentanyl (68.9%), crack cocaine (45.2%) and cannabis (40.0%). Most (98.5%) had heard of fentanyl though few (18.5%) had ever used FTS. Across most drug types, participants were concerned about fentanyl. All accepted FTS training and distribution. Few (9.6%) were somewhat or very concerned about having FTS if stopped by police and this number varied by race (7.6% of White people were somewhat or very concerned, compared to 12.8% of Black people). Most participants were already engaged in risk reduction practices. DISCUSSION: FTS are a widely desired harm reduction tool to facilitate informed decision-making, and non-harm reduction locations are potentially feasible and acceptable distribution sites. Given regular contact with EDs and social services across the sample, FTS should be offered at non-harm reduction locations that come into frequent contact with people who use drugs.
PY - 2024
SN - 1082-6084
SP - 398
EP - 404+
ST - Making Harm Reduction More Accessible: Fentanyl Test Strip Awareness and Attitudes among Emergency Department Patients Who Use Drugs
T1 - Making Harm Reduction More Accessible: Fentanyl Test Strip Awareness and Attitudes among Emergency Department Patients Who Use Drugs
T2 - Subst Use Misuse
TI - Making Harm Reduction More Accessible: Fentanyl Test Strip Awareness and Attitudes among Emergency Department Patients Who Use Drugs
U1 - Opioids & Substance Use; Education & Workforce
U3 - 10.1080/10826084.2023.2275561
VL - 59
VO - 1082-6084
Y1 - 2024
ER -