People with lived and living experience of methamphetamine use and admission to hospital: what harm reduction do they suggest needs to be addressed?

Negative patient–staff interactions included stigma and a lack of understanding of addiction and methamphetamine use, leading to distrust, avoidance of hospital care and reduced help-seeking and health care engagement. The consequences can be infections, unsafe needle use, discharge against medical advice and withdrawal. Almost all participants were in favour of in-hospital harm reduction strategies including safe consumption services, provision of sterile equipment and sharps containers, and withdrawal support. Clinical implications include education to reduce knowledge gaps about methamphetamine use and addiction and address stigma, which could facilitate the introduction of harm reduction strategies.

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