Correlates of take-home naloxone kit possession among people who use drugs in British Columbia: A cross-sectional analysis

Abstract

IntroductionIn response to North America’s opioid crisis, access to naloxone has increased. However, our understanding of the correlates of possessing a naloxone kit is limited. This study seeks to determine the prevalence and correlates of kit possession among people who use drugs (PWUD) in British Columbia (BC) Canada. MethodsThis analysis used cross-sectional survey data collected in 2018 from 27 harm reduction sites in BC. Descriptive statistics and Poisson regression with robust error variance were used to examine factors associated with naloxone kit possession. ResultsOverall, 70.7% (n = 246) of the total sample (n = 348) reported having a naloxone kit. Having a kit was significantly associated with self-reported opioid use in comparison with non-opioid use (Adjusted Prevalence Ratio (APR): 2.39; 95% CI: 1.33–4.32). Those reporting ‘injection’ as their preferred drug administration method were also more likely to possess a kit compared to those that predominantly preferred inhalation, smoking, or snorting (APR: 2.39; 95% CI: 1.25–4.58). Urbanicity, age, gender, and having regular housing were not significantly associated with possessing a kit. ConclusionsThis study is the first to examine naloxone kit possession across geographies, including non-urban areas. Lower kit possession among those that preferred inhaling, smoking or snorting drugs may reflect misconceptions around overdose risk of non-injection drug administration. Our study supports the need for enhanced awareness around the risk of opioid overdose with non-injection administration and suggests a need for comprehensive public health messaging that aims to address overdose risk and response.