Peer helpers’ struggles to care for “others” who inject drugs

Abstract

The practices that have arisen in response to the distancing from professional health care experienced by those who inject drugs pose serious dilemmas and risks for not only users and natural helpers but also the general public.

“They accept me, because I was one of them”: formative qualitative research supporting the feasibility of peer-led outreach for people who use drugs in Dakar, Senegal

“…The concern is that peer outreach may unwittingly further responsibility for health upon affected individuals and communities themselves rather than also orientate towards institutional and structural level changes [ 29 , 45 ]. This process, known as responsibilization, can place additional burden on those providing harm reduction initiatives such as outreach and may reach beyond the remit or capacity of the position and ignore the larger risk environment context [ 46 ].…”

Developing a research agenda for reducing the stigma of addictions, part II: Lessons from the mental health stigma literature

“…Peer support services for mental illness combine emotional with instrumental support provided by individuals with lived experience who come together with the specific intent of bringing about social and personal change . Peer support has assumed a similar important place in services for SUDs, in part because professionals often stigmatize addictions thereby giving unintentional messages of unacceptance . Peer support is mutually beneficial through a reciprocal process of giving and receiving based on principles of respect and shared responsibility .…”

Decreased Odds of Injection Risk Behavior Associated With Direct Versus Indirect Use of Syringe Exchange: Evidence From Two California Cities

“…This may be particularly important for women and younger and more recent-onset drug users who are much less likely to attend an SEP (Anderson et al, 2003; Craine et al, 2009; Murphy et al, 2004; Riehman et al 2004). Secondary syringe exchange also benefits PWID in ways that go well beyond increasing access to sterile syringes, as secondary exchangers often serve a health care or “doctoring” function by providing PWID with information about safer injecting practices, drug overdose prevention, vein care and referrals to HIV and HCV testing and drug abuse treatment as well as resources for acquiring ancillary injection equipment such as drug cookers and filters, sterile water and swabs (Anderson, 2003; Brothers, 2016; Dechman, 2015; Fisher et al, 2013; Marshall et al, 2015; Newland et al, 2016; Snead et al, 2003). …”