A qualitative exploration of barriers and facilitators to drug treatment services among people who inject drugs in West Virginia
-
Published:2023-06-01
Issue:1
Volume:20
Page:
-
ISSN:1477-7517
-
Container-title:Harm Reduction Journal
-
language:en
-
Short-container-title:Harm Reduct J
Author:
Winiker Abigail K.,Schneider Kristin E.,Hamilton White Rebecca,O’Rourke Allison,Grieb Suzanne M.,Allen Sean T.
Abstract
Abstract
Background
The opioid overdose crisis in the USA has called for expanding access to evidence-based substance use treatment programs, yet many barriers limit the ability of people who inject drugs (PWID) to engage in these programs. Predominantly rural states have been disproportionately affected by the opioid overdose crisis while simultaneously facing diminished access to drug treatment services. The purpose of this study is to explore barriers and facilitators to engagement in drug treatment among PWID residing in a rural county in West Virginia.
Methods
From June to July 2018, in-depth interviews (n = 21) that explored drug treatment experiences among PWID were conducted in Cabell County, West Virginia. Participants were recruited from locations frequented by PWID such as local service providers and public parks. An iterative, modified constant comparison approach was used to code and synthesize interview data.
Results
Participants reported experiencing a variety of barriers to engaging in drug treatment, including low thresholds for dismissal, a lack of comprehensive support services, financial barriers, and inadequate management of withdrawal symptoms. However, participants also described several facilitators of treatment engagement and sustained recovery. These included the use of medications for opioid use disorder and supportive health care workers/program staff.
Conclusions
Our findings suggest that a range of barriers exist that may limit the abilities of rural PWID to successfully access and remain engaged in drug treatment in West Virginia. Improving the public health of rural PWID populations will require expanding access to evidence-based drug treatment programs that are tailored to participants’ individual needs.
Funder
National Institute of Child Health and Human Development
National Institute on Drug Abuse
Publisher
Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Subject
Psychiatry and Mental health,Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health,Medicine (miscellaneous)
Reference75 articles.
1. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Drug overdose deaths in the United States, 1999–2019. National Center for Health Statistics: NCHS Data Brief No. 3994. Published 2020. https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/products/databriefs/db394.htm
2. Kerr T. Public health responses to the opioid crisis in North America. J Epidemiol Community Health. 2019;73(5):377–8. https://doi.org/10.1136/jech-2018-210599.
3. Azadfard M, Huecker MR, Leaming JM. Opioid addiction. In: StatPearls. StatPearls Publishing; 2023. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK448203/
4. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. Key substance use and mental health indicators in the United States: Results from the 2020 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (HHS Publication No. PEP21-07-01-003, NSDUH Series H-56). Rockville, MD: Center for Behavioral Health Statistics and Quality, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. Published 2021. https://www.samhsa.gov/data
5. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. Recovery and recovery support. Published 2023. http://samhsa.gov/recovery