Beliefs, attitudes and experiences of virtual overdose monitoring services from the perspectives of people who use substances in Canada: a qualitative study

Original research
by
Marshall, Tyler et al

Release Date

2023

Geography

Canada

Language of Resource

English

Full Text Available

Yes

Open Access / OK to Reproduce

Yes

Peer Reviewed

Yes

Objective

To explore the beliefs, values and perceptions of people who use substances (PWUS) around using and accessing virtual overdose monitoring services (VOMS) in Canada.

Findings/Key points

The following themes emerged: (1) feelings of optimism around VOMS to save lives; (2) privacy/confidentiality was highly valued due to stigma and fear of arrest; (3) concerns with reliable cell phones negatively impacting VOMS uptake; (4) concerns around emergency response times, specifically in rural/remote communities; (5) desire for trusting relationships with VOMS operators; (6) importance of mental health supports and referrals to psychosocial services; and (7) possible limited uptake due to low public awareness of VOMS.

Design/methods

Purposive and snowball sampling (23 interviews)

Keywords

About PWUD
Digital health
Overdose
SCS/OPS