Katharine Dunbar Winsor, Alexandra Burman, Hannah Denberg, Melody Morton-Ninomiya
{"title":"Gender-informed and place-based harm reduction: exploring service offerings in Atlantic Canada.","authors":"Katharine Dunbar Winsor, Alexandra Burman, Hannah Denberg, Melody Morton-Ninomiya","doi":"10.1080/10852352.2025.2496126","DOIUrl":"10.1080/10852352.2025.2496126","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>This research investigates the implementation and challenges of harm reduction strategies, emphasizing gender-informed approaches and geographical disparities across Atlantic Canada. Despite compassionate principles aimed at minimizing the adverse effects of substance use, harm reduction strategies face significant opposition from policymakers and the public. This study uniquely contributes to the field by examining the intersection of gender-informed approaches, regional disparities, and policy challenges in harm reduction services within Atlantic Canada, an area that has received limited attention in previous research. Gender-informed harm reduction services address unique risks faced by different genders in substance use, including the differential impacts of gender roles and expectations. Tailored programs addressing mental health and experiences of violence and trauma benefit women and gender-diverse individuals. However, such services are often limited and concentrated in urban centers, leaving gaps in smaller provinces/territories and rural settings in Canada. Health and social spending reductions have exacerbated the inaccessibility of holistic harm reduction services. Time-limited programs pose a significant barrier, often failing to meet the evolving needs of pregnant and parenting women and gender-expansive AFAB individuals. Strong collaborations and place-based approaches are essential for equitable access to services and well-being during pregnancy and postnatally. Flexible, long-term support systems for both parents and children are necessary, and reduce common fears and experiences of judgment, stigma, and child welfare involvement that deter people from seeking care. An environmental scan study of community-based harm reduction projects in Atlantic Canada was conducted. Environmental scans involve a systematic process of collecting, analyzing, and interpreting information about organizations' internal and external environments and are used to inform policy and programming. Data analysis using open and focused coding revealed critical gaps in service provision as well as notable improvements in the availability and quality of harm reduction services in the region. Findings indicate a need for gender-specific services, a comprehensive continuum of care, and equitable geographic distribution of services. Addressing these gaps through tailored, informed, and inclusive strategies can enhance the effectiveness of harm reduction, improving long-term health outcomes for individuals, families, and communities across Atlantic Canada.</p>","PeriodicalId":46123,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Prevention & Intervention in the Community","volume":" ","pages":"304-323"},"PeriodicalIF":0.9,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144015034","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Harm reduction strategies in the community.","authors":"Rhonda K Lewis","doi":"10.1080/10852352.2025.2495370","DOIUrl":"10.1080/10852352.2025.2495370","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Harm reduction strategies in the community includes the work of practitioners, activists, and researchers conducting community-based work in domestic and international settings to alleviate pain and suffering for people who use drugs (PWUD) by providing services to meet their needs. This themed issue features a wide variety of community examples of harm reduction efforts that have been developed to reduce stigma associated with substance use. The articles focused on creating culturally appropriate messaging for opioid users while at the same time decriminalizing substance use and emphasizing the importance of implementing a social determinants of health framework in the community, including gender-specific care and ensuring safe substance use and connecting youth with services.</p>","PeriodicalId":46123,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Prevention & Intervention in the Community","volume":" ","pages":"174-180"},"PeriodicalIF":0.9,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144040886","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Strengthening prevention infrastructure: Results from an Asynchronous Certified Substance Misuse Prevention Specialist Training Course.","authors":"Dane Minnick, Daejun Park, Danica Fultz","doi":"10.1080/10852352.2025.2473235","DOIUrl":"10.1080/10852352.2025.2473235","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>This article discusses the findings of a pilot study that assessed the capacity of a digital, self-paced, asynchronous Prevention Specialist Certification Course to prepare an academically diverse group of ten participants to engage in substance misuse prevention activities and to pass the International Certification and Reciprocity Consortium's Certified Prevention Specialist (CPS) Examination. Conducted in Muncie, Indiana between March and June of 2023, the study expands on previous research exploring the efficacy of curriculum-based prevention training. Results of the study suggest that with an 80% exam pass rate and an 18% improvement between student pre and post test scores, the course successfully achieved its identified goals and should be tested with a larger and more diverse audience to strengthen the findings.</p>","PeriodicalId":46123,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Prevention & Intervention in the Community","volume":" ","pages":"419-429"},"PeriodicalIF":0.9,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143693863","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Sarah Gabriella Hernandez, Elissa West-Frazier, Dina Khalil, Emma McAuley, Madeleine Saldon, Livia Verklan-McInnes, Shirley Tankersley
{"title":"Evaluation capacity building: Advancing community-centered solutions to substance use health inequities in Chicago.","authors":"Sarah Gabriella Hernandez, Elissa West-Frazier, Dina Khalil, Emma McAuley, Madeleine Saldon, Livia Verklan-McInnes, Shirley Tankersley","doi":"10.1080/10852352.2025.2495376","DOIUrl":"10.1080/10852352.2025.2495376","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>In the city of Chicago, opioid overdose is one of the top five drivers of the life expectancy gap between Black and non-Black Chicagoans, which reached 11.4 years in 2022. The city has responded by supporting social and behavioral health community-based organizations (i.e., delegate agencies) in implementing place-based and community-centered evidence-informed harm reduction strategies for local populations most impacted by opioid overdoses. This study highlights key findings from qualitative interviews with agency staff related to how agencies are implementing a variety of harm reduction strategies emergent practice-based innovations. Findings demonstrated how agencies creatively contended with systems-level challenges through emergent harm reduction innovations that emphasized community-based education, outreach, and choice; a person-centered approach; and a hyperlocal, place-based coordination of overdose response. Findings from this study contribute to the growing harm reduction evidence base while offering practical recommendations and examples of uptake to address challenges that impact the effectiveness of harm reduction strategies.</p>","PeriodicalId":46123,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Prevention & Intervention in the Community","volume":" ","pages":"282-303"},"PeriodicalIF":0.9,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143987054","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Ngoc Vuong, Piper Davis, Lailani Lemus, Natalie Ream, Rhonda K Lewis
{"title":"Lessons Learned from a Grassroots Harm Reduction Effort to Prevent Drug Overdose Deaths.","authors":"Ngoc Vuong, Piper Davis, Lailani Lemus, Natalie Ream, Rhonda K Lewis","doi":"10.1080/10852352.2025.2526236","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/10852352.2025.2526236","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Inequities with access to naloxone and fentanyl test strips (FTS) due to cost and stigma have reinforced the necessity of community-based distribution of lifesaving harm reduction supplies. In Wichita and Sedgwick County, the epicenter of the opioid epidemic in Kansas, Safe Streets Wichita, a grassroots prevention and harm reduction coalition, started Project Wichita Overdose Recovery Kit Expedited Delivery (WORKED), a free volunteer-led intramuscular naloxone and FTS program. To assess the lessons learned from those involved with Project WORKED, interviews with 12 key stakeholders were conducted. These interviews focused on reflection, constructive criticism, and feedback. Individuals interviewed for this study included volunteers, former/current employees, and naloxone and FTS kit recipients, with special considerations for those with lived experiences of substance-related harms. Based on a reflexive thematic analysis, findings highlight the importance of meaningfully engaging community members most affected by substance-related harms, emphasizing a strengths-based perspective of harm reduction, and being cognizant of the barriers that undermine harm reduction supply distribution efforts and harm reduction in general. These findings help serve as the foundation by which interviewees envision a more holistic and comprehensive approach to harm reduction. Findings will be used to inform the fidelity, efficiency, accessibility, and longevity of community-based naloxone and FTS distribution and the implementation of harm reduction strategies in general across the state of Kansas.</p>","PeriodicalId":46123,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Prevention & Intervention in the Community","volume":"53 2","pages":"220-251"},"PeriodicalIF":0.9,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144567974","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Harm Reduction Perspectives of the Opioid Epidemic from Kansans, for Kansas: A Thematic Analysis.","authors":"Ngoc Vuong, Rhonda K Lewis, Dyan Dickens","doi":"10.1080/10852352.2025.2487965","DOIUrl":"10.1080/10852352.2025.2487965","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Substantial increases in drug overdose deaths, the prevailing lack of access to care for substance use disorder, and the adverse effects of stigma and criminalization underlie the need for comprehensive evidence-based strategies that improve the health, safety, and well-being of people who use drugs. Harm reduction has emerged as a promising approach in the mitigation of substance-related harms. However, many harm reduction strategies remain illegal especially in Kansas. Eleven stakeholders, including law enforcement/criminal justice officials, state legislators, and health care professionals were interviewed to explore their perspectives on harm reduction and gather their recommendations Using reflexive thematic analysis, we developed three themes for the first research question (stigma, alternatives to criminalization, and authentic conversations and relationships) and six themes for the second research question (roadmap to a more comprehensive harm reduction, barriers to harm reduction, facilitators to harm reduction, connection of harm reduction to behavioral health reform, social determinants of health, and protection of public safety).</p>","PeriodicalId":46123,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Prevention & Intervention in the Community","volume":" ","pages":"361-392"},"PeriodicalIF":0.9,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143796626","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"The emotional terrain of community-based service provision: Advocating for criminalized women in Atlantic Canada.","authors":"Katharine Dunbar Winsor","doi":"10.1080/10852352.2025.2495374","DOIUrl":"10.1080/10852352.2025.2495374","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>This paper explores the experiences of community service providers supporting criminalized women in Atlantic Canada, focusing on issues related to trauma, victimization, substance use, and motherhood. These providers work within community-based organizations, assisting clients as navigating complex systems, including criminal legal, child protection, and social assistance. The women they support often face multiple forms of stigma and structural barriers due to their intersecting identities.</p><p><p>This research examines how service providers understand the interconnectedness of substance use, criminalization, and motherhood in their clients' lives. It emphasizes the potential of trauma-informed and harm reduction approaches to better support criminalized women's health and pregnancies. Service providers act as crucial advocates, often building trust and forming meaningful relationships with their clients.</p><p><p>Using a feminist methodology, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 23 providers working with criminalized women (who were previously incarcerated or otherwise in conflict with the law) in Atlantic Canada. The transcripts were analyzed using open and focused coding within a sociology of emotions framework. Themes include service providers encounters with their clients' substance use, the complexities of trust and relationship building, and apprehension and role confusion.</p><p><p>The findings highlight the critical role these providers play in de-stigmatizing substance use and supporting pregnancy through harm reduction approaches. The research emphasizes the need for embedding harm reduction strategies within programs for pregnant women who use substances. Additionally, the study underscores the importance of trauma-informed education and resources for service providers to address stigma, blame, and shame through supportive community service provision.</p><p><p>This study contributes to understanding of how community organizations support criminalized women, addressing challenges such as housing, employment, social support, and system navigation. It emphasizes the significance and impact of harm reduction and trauma-informed approaches in provider-client relationships and on effective service delivery.</p>","PeriodicalId":46123,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Prevention & Intervention in the Community","volume":" ","pages":"393-418"},"PeriodicalIF":0.9,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144044327","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Cultural attunement approach for enhanced uptake of harm reduction services: A qualitative study in marginalized U.S. communities.","authors":"Lauretta Ekanem Omale, Judah Viola","doi":"10.1080/10852352.2025.2496208","DOIUrl":"10.1080/10852352.2025.2496208","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Harm reduction services are critical in reducing the adverse consequences of drug use, but their uptake remains limited among marginalized communities. This qualitative study explored how cultural factors influence engagement with harm reduction services among marginalized communities in the United States. In-depth interviews were conducted with 18 participants who had utilized or were familiar with harm reduction services. Grounded theory analysis revealed several key themes: (1) The critical role of cultural respect in messaging to build trust and engagement; (2) The profound influence of cultural norms and expectations on service utilization; (3) The importance of culturally appropriate messaging that resonates with community values and experiences; (4) The need for cultural sensitivity in intervention design and implementation to address access barriers. Findings informed the development of a Cultural Attunement Theory for harm reduction interventions, emphasizing the importance of understanding historical factors contributing to mistrust, leveraging cultural strengths, and co-creating culturally respectful messaging with community members. Recommendations are provided for developing culturally centered harm reduction campaigns to increase access, utilization, and health equity.</p>","PeriodicalId":46123,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Prevention & Intervention in the Community","volume":" ","pages":"181-208"},"PeriodicalIF":0.9,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144064908","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"A geographic perspective of the association between physical activity and cardiovascular health: A need for community-level intervention.","authors":"Ayodeji Iyanda, Adekunle Ade-Oni, Seye Omiyefa","doi":"10.1080/10852352.2024.2415162","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/10852352.2024.2415162","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are a major cause of death globally, and minority communities are at higher risk of chronic health outcomes. A combination of lifestyle, including physical activity (PA), good nutrition, and reduced stress, can improve life expectancy. This study aimed to analyze the association between CVDs and PA among the adult population (N = 3,956) based on the World Health Organization (WHO) STEPwise Approach to Surveillance (STEPS) survey in Afghanistan. Descriptive statistics, logistic regression, and spatial analytical techniques were used to analyze the data. Based on the WHO STEPS data, the computed prevalence of CVDs, obesity, hypertension, diabetes, and high cholesterol were 7.41%, 45.57%, 34.06%, 9.51%, and 12.16%, respectively. Multivariate logistic analysis indicated that moderate work-related PA was associated with higher odds of CVDs and high cholesterol while inversely associated with obesity. Moderate leisure-related PA was positively associated with obesity. Vigorous leisure-related PA was associated with lower risks of CVDs, obesity, and high cholesterol but had a positive association with hypertension. Spatial analysis revealed a CVD hotspot in the southern region and the risk factors clustered in the northern region. These findings offer valuable insights for community and public health practitioners to design targeted interventions for reducing the burden of CVDs and risk factors in communities in developing countries.</p>","PeriodicalId":46123,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Prevention & Intervention in the Community","volume":" ","pages":"1-30"},"PeriodicalIF":0.9,"publicationDate":"2024-10-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142477384","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Niloufar Niakosari Hadidi, Zachary Taylor, Emily Gorzycki, Clarence Jones, Allison Pasdo, Olga V Gurvich, Susan A Everson-Rose
{"title":"Stroke prevention education in African Americans: Lessons learned from a community based participatory feasibility study.","authors":"Niloufar Niakosari Hadidi, Zachary Taylor, Emily Gorzycki, Clarence Jones, Allison Pasdo, Olga V Gurvich, Susan A Everson-Rose","doi":"10.1080/10852352.2024.2408506","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/10852352.2024.2408506","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Purpose: </strong>To present information on the feasibility and acceptability of a Stroke Champion \"train-the-trainer\" program, including lessons learned, for dissemination of stroke prevention knowledge and resources among African Americans (AA) residing within the Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN metropolitan area.</p><p><strong>Design: </strong>One arm pre-post-test design.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Twelve AA \"Stroke Champions\" were recruited to assess the feasibility and acceptability of an online stroke prevention education curriculum and peer-to-peer education.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>We successfully designed, developed, and implemented a stroke prevention education website for community use. All Stroke Champions completed initial training and evaluation, and reported the usefulness and usability of the website., However, they also reported that they needed more facilitation support from our research team to deliver education in the community.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Engaging Stroke Champions is potentially beneficial in increasing stroke prevention knowledge. However, Stroke Champions need more support to effectively engage, educate, and disseminate knowledge among peers.</p>","PeriodicalId":46123,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Prevention & Intervention in the Community","volume":" ","pages":"1-24"},"PeriodicalIF":0.9,"publicationDate":"2024-09-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142356108","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}