Release Date
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Language of Resource
Full Text Available
Open Access / OK to Reproduce
Peer Reviewed
Objective
The objective of this study was to characterize access and barriers to harm reduction and treatment in a racially and ethnically diverse population of people who use drugs (PWUD) and whether access to treatment and harm reduction differ by overdose history and drug type in this population.
Findings/Key points
Of the total sample of 1240 adults, 39.2% were Black non-Hispanic, 14.8% were Hispanic, and 37.4% were White non-Hispanic. A total of 28.1% respondents experienced a prior-year overdose. Compared with those without a prior-year overdose, people with overdose were more likely to possess naloxone, possess fentanyl test strips, and use harm reduction services, while differences in treatment use were nonsignificant. Among stimulant-only users, 51.4% possessed naloxone compared with 77.3% of opioid-only users and 77.6% of polysubstance users, with similar disparities in fentanyl test strip possession.
Findings highlighted low use of harm reduction and treatment services among people who use stimulants and substantial gaps in the use of evidence-based treatment and harm reduction services that could reduce overdose risk.
Design/methods
A cross-sectional telephone survey of people (N = 1240) recruited from 39 treatment, harm reduction, and social service organizations in three states was conducted from January 30 to July 28, 2023. Adults who used cocaine, methamphetamine, or opioids in the past 30 days called a study hotline and completed an interview in English or Spanish.
