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Communicating Drug Alerts

Communicating Drug Alerts. Improving the Effectiveness of Drug Alerting to Reduce Harms Among People Who Use Illicit Drugs. BC Centre for Disease Control. Provincial Health Services A uthority (PHSA) Diagnostic and treatment services

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Communicating Drug Alerts

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  1. Communicating Drug Alerts Improving the Effectiveness of Drug Alerting to Reduce Harms Among People Who Use Illicit Drugs

  2. BC Centre for Disease Control • Provincial Health Services Authority (PHSA) • Diagnostic and treatment services • Analytical and policy support to all health authorities and levels of government (1) • Harm Reduction (1) (2)

  3. Significant Milestones in Harm Reduction 1964 1984 1986 1989 1990 2003 (3)

  4. Common Adulterants Adapted Table (4)

  5. Study Design

  6. Participants • 32 Focus Group Participants (Regular illicit drug user) • Age Range: 23 to 70 years of age • 23 participants were between ages 40 to 60 • 17 Male/15 Female • 5 VCH Key Informants (Semi-structured interviews) • Primary contact with illicit drug users • 3 Male/2 Female • Primary Outreach Services, Primary care & Insite/Onsite

  7. Socio-economic Status

  8. Drug Use Patterns

  9. Primary Objectives • A narrative literature review was conducted • Inform focus group questions and interview guide

  10. Quality Assurance “…I see the ones that have a reputation of being a good dealer down here will always have somebody recommend them” (Focus group 4 participant) “My dealer, he cares about repeat business.”(Focus group 1 participant) “By just the way it looks” (Focus group 2 participant)

  11. Communication Pathways “Yeah, I’d share it with all my friends and anybody I run into”. (Focus group 2 participant) “We’ve got the fastest way”. (Focus group 3 participant) “friends look after friends”. (Focus group 2 participant)

  12. Recommendations • Clear Terminology • A ‘potent’ drug is perceived differently by HSP & PWUD • “that means it’s strong it works”. (Focus group 2 participant) • Preferred Mode of Communication • “Fliers”. “Web news”. “Facebook”. (Focus group 1 & 4 participants) • Visibility, Accessibility & Relevance of Postings • “As long as they are kept to date” (focus group 1 participant)

  13. Implications for Public Health Policy & Practice • Current lack of Provincial, evidence-based guidelines for communicating drug alerts • CDA can Reduce risk of mortality and morbidity associated with illicit drug use • Guidelines should be informed and evaluated by the target population to increase effectiveness • There is limited literature and research evaluating feedback from peers in Canada • Findings will be compiled into a research report and submitted for publication

  14. Questions?

  15. References (1) BC Centre for Disease Control. (2014). About BCCDC. Retrieved on April 7, 2014 from http://www.bccdc.ca/util/about/default.htm. (2) Provincial Services Health Authority. (2014). About PHSA. Retrieved on April 7, 2014 from http://www.phsa.ca/AboutPHSA/default.htm (3) BC Harm Reduction Strategies and Services. (2013). The History of Harm Reduction in British Columbia. Retrieved on April 12, 2014 from http://www.bccdc.ca/NR/rdonlyres/7B9F63E8-7D50-4985-9BC2-38D78C4E77AD/0/UpdatedBCHarmReductionDocumentAug2012JAB_final.pdf. (4) Cole, C., Jones, L, McVeigh, J., Kicman, A., Qutub, S & Bellis, M.A. (April, 2010). CUT: A Guide to Adulterants. Retrieved on April 24, f http://www.cph.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/cut-a-guide-to-the-adulterants-bulking-agents-and-other-contaminants-found-in-illicit-drugs.pdf.

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