Developing a community-supported risk reduction intervention for syringe exchange registrants and their drug-free family or friends: a pilot study

Abstract

Background

People engaged in injection opioid use often have drug-free family or friends that could be mobilized to support risk reduction and treatment seeking.

Objective

This pilot study evaluated the feasibility and preliminary efficacy of a 6-week community-supported risk reduction group intervention for syringe exchange program (SEP) registrants and drug-free network members.

Method

The group provided risk reduction and treatment readiness education, with weekly assignments for participants to engage together in community activities designed to meet other drug-free people.

Results

Thirty-nine SEP registrants (and 39 community supports) enrolled in the study, and 21 pairs attended at least one group. For this smaller sample, participants attended 67% of scheduled sessions and engaged in scheduled activities during 42% of the study weeks, with 48% of SEP participants (n = 10) choosing to enter substance use disorder treatment. SEP participants who entered treatment reported reduced rates of injection drug use, opioid use, and cocaine use.

Conclusions

While this intervention shows promise for linking syringe exchange and substance use disorder treatment participation in select SEP registrants, outcomes demonstrating low demand and modest acceptability suggest that additional research is necessary to understand barriers to participation and motivate higher levels of engagement.

Keywords:

• Syringe exchange
• social support
• substance use disorder treatment
• risk reduction

Acknowledgments

We gratefully acknowledge staff from the Baltimore Needle Exchange Program and Addiction Treatment Services for their contributions to this research. We also acknowledge Jeannie-Marie Leoutsakos for directing statistical analyses. Finally, we acknowledge and thank the research staff whose diligence helped ensure the quality and integrity of the study, especially Kori Kindbom, M.A., Jim Blucher, M.A., Rachel Burns, B.A., Mark Levinson, M.A., Jennifer Mucha, M.A and Michael Sklar, M.A.

Data availability statement

Raw data were generated at the Baltimore Needle Exchange Program and Addiction Treatment Services. Derived data supporting the findings of the study are available from the corresponding author (MK) on request.

Author contributions

All of the participating authors were meaningfully involved in the study and each of them made substantive contributions to the report. All authors approved of the revised submission.

Additional information

Funding

This study was supported by research grant R34DA040507 (M. Kidorf, PI) from the National Institute on Drug Abuse.