Women Injecting Drug Users ( Widus )

Several studies have shown that injection drug users lower their risk of transmitting infectious diseases when there is a needle exchange program available. There has not been a valid study of whether or not the amounts of time needles are returned to the exchange programs are harmful to communities. The Journal of Public Health, conducted surveys, evidence from needle exchange sites, jails, and institutions that needle exchange programs are effective in reducing illnesses such as HIV and AIDS (Burt & Theide, 2016). Furthermore, Reepalu, Blome, Bjork, Widell, & Bjorkman (2012), researched the same individuals for 20 years, with no breaks. Their studies concluded that injection drug use, not only heightens the risk for HIV and AID’s, there is also an increase in Hepatitis B and Hepatitis C. However, there studies showed that there is not an increase rate of cancer diagnoses due to injection drug use. In a study conducted by Bonar and Rosenberg (2014), they wanted to see if self-initiated harm strategies, such as: proper needle sterilization techniques, proper disposal of needles, and cleaning of the pre injected skin, could help improve the health of those that use drugs intravenously. Their study was conducted over an eight-month period, results showed that their

Vancouver Injection Drug User Study (VIDUS) is a project that gives a prospective study and has over 1500 IDU 's enlisted to assist since 1996 and gathers data on drug use, health, sexual activity, etc. Some of the topics discussed included: prison culture, availability and price of drugs and equipment, drug use, VIDUS shows that the risk of HIV infection indicated that incarcerated injection drug users were associated with a greater risk of 2.7 times (Small, Kain, Laliberte, Schechter, O 'Shaughnessy & Spittal, 2005).

As the number of intravenous drug users continues to rise, so does the risk of dangerous and potentially fatal complications that are associated with illicit drug use. In this population, death rates are higher due to overdose, AIDs-related mortality, and other blood-borne viruses (Mathers et al., 2013). Mortality rates remain high even though precautions have been taken to reduce them. According to Lavender & McCarron (2013), “Mortality in injecting drug users is up to 22 times higher than for the age-adjusted population, despite increased provision of needle and syringe programs, reduced needle and syringe sharing, and higher uptake of hepatitis B vaccination” (p. 511).

Although these clients will still be abusing illegal substances, Sheon (2004) indicated that any reduction of harm is a step in the right direction, and the amount of success is measured by the client’s quality of life and well-being (as cited in Brown et al., 2005). “Harm reduction is about being respectful in somebody else’s world” (Georgina Perry, Service manager and co-author, England as cited in Cusick et al., 2010). By not respecting somebody else’s choices, the clients feel they must lie about their unhealthy lifestyles, which prevents the clients from getting assistance because they were trying to protect themselves from the real situation (Georgina Perry, Service manager and co-author, England as cited in Cusick et al., 2010). A way to reduce the harm from illegal substance abuse is clean needle exchange, and teaching clients how to properly inject themselves (Brown et al., 2005). The needle exchange is a program where clients exchange their used needles for clean ones, which helps reduce the spread of diseases such as HIV/AIDS (Brown et al., 2005). With continuation of these programs the harm from abusing illegal substances is reduced and the spread of life threatening diseases, such as HIV,

There are many ways in which people who are addicted to intravenous drugs are perceived by our society. People sometimes believe the addicted person is to blame for their circumstance and substance dependence and some feel serious drug addicts are a “lost cause” due to a lack of values or flawed character. “Persons who struggle with addictions often are depicted as criminals or prostitutes, weak, lazy and morally corrupt” (Bartlett, R., Brown, L., Shattell, M., Wright, T., Lewallen, L. (2013). These stereotypes paint people with addiction negatively; a percentage of people who live with serious addiction are capable of recovery with the right attitude, support and healthcare. Street level healthcare services such as; safe injection sites, provide accessable resources at street level for people to make the choice to live healthier lifestyles. Govement funding and support is needed to make these projects possible to improve the health of Canadians. Safe injection sites are proven to be positive contributions to communities, save lives, reduce harm and open doors towards recovery for people from the grip of addiction.

Harm reduction can be defined as an approach that aims to reduce the consequences of high risk behaviours such as injection drug use on the individual and on society as a whole. Harm reduction programs provide injection drug users with access to a clean injection environment, sterile injections, drug-preparation equipment and safe disposal of contaminated material at the time of injection. Staff members in harm reduction facilities provide health teaching, anonymous HIV testing, information on addiction treatment, condoms and assist in connecting clients to social and health services (Semaan et al., 2011; Ball, 2007). Although, the benefits of harm reduction are evident through reduction of accidental drug overdose and prevention of

Heroin, methamphetamine, and opioids have been around for centuries and the use of these drugs is not a new phenomenon. The use of injection drugs causes individual’s serious harm and have placed large expenses on the health care system. “Heroin, cocaine and other drugs kill around 0.2 million people each year, shattering families and bringing misery to thousands of other people” (United Nations iii); Because of-these incidents harm reduction strategies have been put in place to create a safer and more educated population, but it has only been a start. ‘Safe injection sites’ has become a well talked about term in the last decade. The term itself refers to a physical place

SAMHSA has recognized the inequality of women receiving health services and has implemented many funding plans to include women and girls in all the ways possible. As a tool for this field, SAMHSA created a report named Addressing the Needs of Women and Girls: Developing Core Competencies for Mental Health and Substance Abuse Service Professionals, allowing all the professionals related to mental health and substance abuse be familiar with all the aspects of caring for women. Throughout the report, they inform all viewers of gender differences between male and female such as their different symptoms, priorities, expectations, physiological differences and more. This report also includes the need for knowledge of considerations throughout pregnancy and mental illnesses, recovery orientation, family-centered needs, and the overall health of women. Aspects of women’s health such as how their maturation and physiology influences mental illnesses, the relationship between

Needle exchange programs have long been a controversial subject with both the general population and government lawmakers. The primary objective for needle exchange programs (NEPs) is to prevent the spread of blood-borne disease and is very successful in doing so. But, issues of morality due to the perception of drug enablement and the stigma of intravenous drug users (IDUs) and their potential effects on the decline of society are continually used as arguments for those against NEPs. It has been proven through many studies that these programs not only reduce harms associated with intravenous drug use, they are also cost effective and reduce the circulation of used syringes to the general population. Beyond epidemiological efforts, NEPs also provide a de-stigmatized center for gathering and offers health services such as HIV testing, counselling and referrals to treatment for drug addiction. This paper aims to highlight the efficacy of needle exchange programs, safe injection sites and address the social and political issues associated with them.

Using injection sites that not only provide the individual with the instruments but also the knowledge of same practices would be very beneficial investment for Canada, thus the previously stated example of how Canada has already enabled and succeeded with this method within Vancouver British Columbia. If Canada were to take on more of these harm reduction initiatives then there could be more individuals benefiting from the process and as a result street crime with drugs would also be dramatically decreased. However in reality Canada has already been practicing harm reduction strategies for centuries, they have just been practiced without the label of harm reduction. “In 1987, as concerns rose in the community about the spread of HIV through injection drug use, bleach programs were started at Alexandra Park in Toronto; these developed into syringe exchange programs in 1988 and were taken over by the City of Toronto in 1989” (Cavalieri, W. & Riley, D. 2012, Harm Reduction in Canada: The Many Faces of Regression. 3). With every initiative designed to help society there will always be those who disagree with the approach. Even though there is overwhelming evidence that harm reduction techniques such as injection sites work, funding is a big issue mainly on account of these methods advertise and

In the 1990’s there was an epidemic of HIV outbreaks in the Downtown Eastside of Vancouver. Injection drug users were found to be the leading cause of this, and a public health emergency was declared (Fafard, 2012). The “mortality and morbidity” resulting from this increasing injection drug use became a major political issue. This resulted in the adoption of harm reduction by the government as one of their four pillars of their drug strategy (Fafard, 2012). Harm reduction “is a set of practical strategies and ideas aimed at reducing negative consequences associated with drug use” (Boyd, 2013). In September 2003 Insite, North Americas first harm reduction supervised injection site,

Nurses today are likely to encounter patients who are intravenous drug users at some point in their career. The United States is in the midst of a rampant heroin/opioid epidemic which currently claims 91 lives a day to overdose (CDC, 2016). As nurses we have a unique opportunity to provide compassionate and impactful health care to the most marginalized groups of our society. Harm Reduction is a public health approach to intravenous drug use/opioid addiction which strives to reduce the harm of risky behaviors associated with illicit drug use. Nurses who implement harm reduction into practice have a powerful opportunity to educate patients on preventing the transmission of disease, vein care, and available resources within the community.

The infection rates of HIV in women ages 15-24 is approximately twice as high as men in the same age group. Access to sexual and reproductive health services in Africa is restricted by the gender inequality, stigma and discrimination in the face of high HIV/AIDS prevalence. The study is limited to 2 cities, Uyo and Calabar; major centers of HIV/AIDS response. Interviews reveal that large numbers of people, especially from rural regions, are improperly informed and unaware of the nature of HIV/AIDS. An outreach program displayed HIV prevention messages, but the signs were in English. Access to ART can be difficult. Poorer women cannot afford repeat visits to clinics. Societal issues are present; HIV/AIDS stigma is widespread and families will outcast individuals, denying them of any support. The study also showed a declining confidence in ART as a form of treatment. Respondents reported cases of those on HIV/AIDS treatment who developed further infections. The article displays the need for better education and programs to help people access treatment for

In 2008, the World Health Organization estimates over 21 million unsafe abortions have been performed globally. The stigma of abortions has pushed some women into unsafe places to have this procedure. There is an estimate 47,000 deaths each year from unsafe abortions. Some women have gone to the point of taking medicine that self-induces abortions, and then they too worried to seek medical attention when something bad happens. This stigma brings feels such as secrecy, shame, guilt, and fear. According to Culwell and Hurwitz (2013) “Stigma prevents or delays access to safe abortion as well as making lawmakers reluctant to relax restrictive legislation that limits information, funding, services, and training of healthcare providers. Stigma is a societal construct, usually with the purpose of societal control, to punish behavior outside the societal norm” p. S17).

Drug users should be provided with a good supply of new or sterilised needles and syringes through needle and syringe exchange programmes. It is one of the main methods grouped under the term ‘ harm reduction’ used to prevent HIV infection from injecting drug use. Methadone maintainance and other drug treatment programmes are also effective ways to eliminate the risk of HIV infection as the need to inject drugs altogether.