“I Gotta Go With Modern Technology, So I’m Gonna Give ’em the Narcan”: The Diffusion of Innovations and an Opioid Overdose Prevention Program

Abstract

Fatal opioid overdoses can be prevented by opioid overdose prevention programs (OOPPs). The present study qualitatively examined the diffusion process of an OOPP among 30 persons who inject drugs (PWIDs) in an opioid-saturated community. Purposive sampling was used to recruit participants into three groups based on familiarity with the OOPP. Findings revealed that participants often adopted the OOPP, which was offered by a local harm reduction organization, if first exposed by staff hosting and implementing it. Barriers to adoption included belief that OOPP training was lengthy or unnecessary, lack of perceived relative advantage, nonengagement with the host organization, and trepidation of administering withdrawal-causing medication to fellow PWIDs. Participants outside of networks diffusing the OOPP were isolated from other PWIDs. Staff from the host organization were influential in encouraging OOPP adoption, which underscores their importance in the effort to reduce fatal overdoses.