A qualitative exploration of harm reduction in practice by street-based peer outreach workers

• Published in: Harm reduction journal Vol. 21; no. 1; pp. 161 - 11
• Main Authors: Owczarzak, Jill, Martin, Emily, Weicker, Noelle, Evans, Imogen, Morris, Miles, Sherman, Susan G
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England BioMed Central Ltd 30.08.2024; BioMed Central; BMC
• Subjects: Abstinence; Adult; Beliefs, opinions and attitudes; Community health aides; Community-Institutional Relations; Data analysis; Data collection; Drug abuse; Drug addiction; Drug overdose; Drug policy; Drug use; Drugs; Epidemics; Female; Fentanyl; Harm Reduction; Humans; Interviews; Male; Naloxone; Naloxone - therapeutic use; Narcotic Antagonists - therapeutic use; Narcotics; Needle-Exchange Programs; Nonlinear systems; Opioid-Related Disorders - prevention & control; Opioids; Outreach; Peer Group; Peers; Practice; Public health; Qualitative Research; Recovery; Residual effects; Social aspects; Streets; Substance use; Syringes; Urban areas; Workers; United States; United States > US; Substance use; Harm reduction; Outreach; Peers

Despite the widespread use of the phrase "harm reduction" and the proliferation of programs based on its principles during the current opioid epidemic, what it means in practice is not universally agreed upon. Harm reduction strategies have expanded from syringe and needle exchange program...