Supervised Consumption Services Research Articles

A case study of the DULF compassion club and fulfillment centre—A logical step forward in harm reduction

In 2022, the Drug User Liberation Frontʼs Compassion Club and Fulfillment Centre emerged as a groundbreaking initiative and research endeavor aimed at addressing the alarming rise in overdose deaths within Vancouverʼs Downtown Eastside. As the first of its kind, this pioneering model operated as a non-profit, low-barrier, and non-medicalized approach to regulating the volatility of the content of the illicit drug market in order to prevent overdose deaths. Going beyond traditional overdose prevention methods, the Drug User Liberation Frontʼs Compassion Club and Fulfillment Centre not only provided supervised consumption services, but also supplied rigorously tested cocaine, heroin, and methamphetamine at cost to club members. This intrinsic case study offers a unique perspective on the operation of Drug User Liberation Frontʼs Compassion Club and Fulfillment Centre, delving into its inception, development, implementation, and the challenges it faced in its operation. Ultimately, the insights garnered from the Drug User Liberation Frontʼs Compassion Club and Fulfillment Centre hold significant value for others interested in establishing similar programs or exploring de-medicalized approaches regulating substances in order to prevent overdose deaths.

The associations of supervised consumption services with the rates of opioid-related mortality and morbidity outcomes at the public health unit level in Ontario (Canada): A controlled interrupted time-series analysis.

This study aimed to assess the impact of the implementation of legally sanctioned supervised consumption sites (SCS) in the Canadian province of Ontario on opioid-related deaths, emergency department (ED) visits and hospitalisations at the public health unit (PHU) level. Monthly rates per 100,000 population of opioid-related deaths, ED visits and hospitalisations for PHUs in Ontario between December 2013 and March 2022 were collected. Aggregated and individual analyses of PHUs with one or more SCS were conducted, with PHUs that instituted an SCS being matched to control units that did not. Autoregressive integrated moving average models were used to estimate the impact of SCS implementation on opioid-related deaths, ED visits and hospitalisations. Twenty-one legally sanctioned SCS were implemented across nine PHUs in Ontario during the study period. Interrupted time series analyses showed no statistically significant changes in opioid-related death rates in aggregated analyses of intervention PHUs (increase of 0.02 deaths/100,000 population/month; p = 0.27). Control PHUs saw a significant increase of 0.38 deaths/100,000 population/month; p < 0.001. No statistically significant changes were observed in the rates of opioid-related ED visits in intervention PHUs (decrease of 0.61 visits/100,000 population/month; p = 0.39) or controls (increase of 0.403 visits; p = 0.76). No statistically significant changes to the rates of opioid-related hospitalisations were observed in intervention PHUs (0 hospitalisations/100,000 population/month; p = 0.98) or controls (decrease of 0.05 hospitalisations; p = 0.95). This study did not find significant mortality or morbidity effects associated with SCS availability at the population level in Ontario. In the context of a highly toxic drug supply, additional interventions will be required to reduce opioid-related harms.

“Everybody is impacted. Everybody's hurting”: Grief, loss and the emotional impacts of overdose on harm reduction workers

BackgroundThe emotional impacts of witnessing and responding to overdose and overdose-related deaths have been largely overlooked during the drug toxicity overdose crisis in North America. Scarce research has analyzed these impacts on the health and well-being of harm reduction workers, and the broader determinants of harm reduction work. Our study investigates the experiences and impacts of witnessing and responding to frequent and escalating rates of overdose on harm reduction workers in Toronto, Canada. MethodsUsing semi-structured interviews, 11 harm reduction workers recruited from harm reduction programs with supervised consumption services in Toronto, Canada, explored experiences with and reactions to overdose in both their professional and personal lives. They also provided insights on supports necessary to help people cope with overdose-related loss. We used thematic analysis to develop an initial coding framework, subsequent iterations of codes and emergent themes. ResultsResults revealed that harm reductions workers experienced physical, emotional, and social effects from overdose-related loss and grief. While some effects were due to the toll of overdose response and grief from overdose-related losses, they were exacerbated by the lack of political response to the scale of the drug toxicity overdose crisis and the broader socio-economic-political environment of chronic underfunding for harm reduction services. Harm reduction workers described the lack of appropriate workplace supports for trauma from repeated overdose response and overdose-related loss, alongside non-standard work arrangements that resulted in a lack of adequate compensation or access to benefits. ConclusionsOur study highlights opportunities for organizational practices that better support harm reduction workers, including formal emotional supports and community-based supportive care services. Improvement to the socio-economic-political determinants of work such as adequate compensation and access to full benefit packages are also needed in the harm reduction sector for all workers.

Characterizing Use of Supervised Consumption Services among Street-involved Youth and Young Adults in the Context of an Overdose Crisis.

In response to an increase in overdose deaths, there was a rapid scale-up of supervised consumption services (SCS), including federally sanctioned SCS and low-barrier SCS known as overdose prevention sites (OPS), in Vancouver, Canada, beginning in December 2016. However, little is known about the use of such services among adolescents and young adults (AYA) in this context. We therefore sought to characterize factors associated with the use of federally sanctioned SCS and OPS among street-involved AYA who inject drugs in Vancouver during an overdose crisis. From December 2016 to March 2020, data were collected from a prospective cohort of street-involved AYA aged 14 to 26 at baseline. Using multivariable generalized estimating equation analyses, we identified factors associated with recent use of federally sanctioned SCS and OPS, respectively. Among 298 AYA who inject drugs, 172 (57.8%) and 149 (50.0%) reported using federally sanctioned SCS and OPS during the study period, respectively. In multivariable analyses, public injecting, negative police interactions, and residing or spending time ≥ weekly in the Downtown Eastside neighborhood were all positively associated with the use of federally sanctioned SCS and OPS, respectively. Additionally, ≥ daily unregulated opioid use and residential eviction were positively associated with federally sanctioned SCS use, while requiring help injecting was inversely associated. Self-identified female or non-binary gender was also positively associated with OPS use (all p < 0.05). Both federally sanctioned SCS and OPS successfully engaged AYA at heightened risk of adverse health outcomes. However, the lack of accommodation of AYA who require manual assistance with injecting at federally sanctioned SCS may be inhibiting service engagement.

Overdose mortality incidence and supervised consumption services in Toronto, Canada: an ecological study and spatial analysis

Supervised consumption services (SCS) prevent overdose deaths onsite; however, less is known about their effect on population-level overdose mortality. We aimed to characterise overdose mortality in Toronto, ON, Canada, and to establish the spatial association between SCS locations and overdose mortality events. For this ecological study and spatial analysis, we compared crude overdose mortality rates before and after the implementation of nine SCS in Toronto in 2017. Data were obtained from the Office of the Chief Coroner of Ontario on cases of accidental death within the City of Toronto for which the cause of death involved the use of an opiate, synthetic or semi-synthetic opioid, or other psychoactive substance. We assessed overdose incident data for global spatial autocorrelation and local clustering, then used geographically weighted regression to model the association between SCS proximity and overdose mortality incidence in 2018 and 2019. We included 787 overdose mortality events in Toronto between May 1, 2017, and Dec 31, 2019. The overdose mortality rate decreased significantly in neighbourhoods that implemented SCS (8·10 deaths per 100 000 people for May 1-July 31, 2017, vs 2·70 deaths per 100 000 people for May 1-July 31, 2019; p=0·037), but not in other neighbourhoods. In a geographically weighted regression analysis that adjusted for the availability of substance-use-related services and overdose-related sociodemographic factors by neighbourhood, the strongest local regression coefficients of the association between SCS and overdose mortality location ranged from -0·60 to -0·64 per mile in 2018 and from -1·68 to -1·96 per mile in 2019, suggesting an inverse association. We found that the period during which SCS were implemented in Toronto was associated with a reduced overdose mortality in surrounding neighbourhoods. The magnitude of this inverse association increased from 2018 to 2019, equalling approximately two overdose fatalities per 100 000 people averted in the square mile surrounding SCS in 2019. Policy makers should consider implementing and sustaining SCS across neighbourhoods where overdose mortality is high. The Canadian Institutes of Health Research.

The multiple makings of a supervised consumption service in a hospital setting

BackgroundWhereas supervised consumption services (SCSs) are common in many community settings, they are seldomly found in acute care hospitals. As hospitals present unique circumstances that can shape the impacts of an SCS, careful consideration of local implementation contexts and practices is required. We explored the pre-implementation stage of an SCS, to examine how an SCS is made and made differently in relation to the material-discursive context of the hospital. MethodsWe conducted 11 focus groups with 83 staff and clinicians at an inner-city hospital in Toronto, Canada. Data analysis followed principles of grounded theory and was informed by an ‘evidence making interventions’ framework. ResultsWhile most participants indicated they would support the establishment of an SCS at the hospital, multiple enactments of an SCS emerged. An SCS was enacted: as a means to reduce drug-related risks for all people who use drugs, as an opportunity to intervene on patients’ drug use, as a means to centralize drug use, and as a transformative intervention for the hospital. In our findings, harm reduction, abstinence, security, and risk mitigation goals existed closely together, yielding overlaying realities. ConclusionOur findings revealed various enactments of an SCS, some of which are likely to negatively affect people who use drugs and service access. As more hospitals consider the implementation of an SCS, understanding how an SCS is made in practice will be key to building a service that focuses on the needs of people who use drugs.

Flawed reports can harm: the case of supervised consumption services in Alberta

Supervised consumption services have been scaled up within Canada and internationally as an ethical imperative in the context of a public health emergency. A large body of peer-reviewed evidence demonstrates that these services prevent poisoning deaths, reduce infectious disease transmission risk behaviour, and facilitate clients’ connections to other health and social services. In 2019, the Alberta government commissioned a review of the socioeconomic impacts of seven supervised consumption services in the province. The report is formatted to appear as an objective, scientifically credible evaluation of these services; however, it is fundamentally methodologically flawed, with a high risk of biases that critically undermine its authors’ assessment of the scientific evidence. The report’s findings have been used to justify decisions that jeopardize the health and well-being of people who use drugs both in Canada and internationally. Governments must ensure that future assessments of supervised consumption services and other public health measures to address drug poisoning deaths are scientifically sound and methodologically rigorous. Health policy must be based on the best available evidence, protect the right of structurally vulnerable populations to access healthcare, and not be contingent on favourable public opinion or prevailing political ideology.

Client experiences using a new supervised consumption service in Sudbury, Ontario: A qualitative study.

Overdoses are increasing in the province of Ontario, Canada, where northern communities such as Sudbury have witnessed disproportionately elevated rates, with opioid-related deaths double that of the provincial average. To address this issue, governments have implemented supervised consumption services (SCS) where people who use drugs (PWUD) can use their pre-obtained substances onsite under trained supervision. In September 2022, the city of Sudbury opened its first SCS, 'The Spot', but the site's sustainability is contingent on demonstrating benefit to PWUD and the neighboring community. We undertook a qualitative study exploring experiences among clients who used the consumption service inside The Spot. In December 2022, clients of The Spot were invited to participate in a brief survey which collected socio-demographic information and substance use profiles, followed by an in-person semi-structured qualitative interview. Participant survey and interview data were combined with administrative site utilization data provided by site staff of all clients who accessed the consumption service from September 2022 to August 2023 to examine overall service utilization and uptake. Qualitative data were analyzed using iterative thematic analysis techniques, and results were informed by common responses to research questions. The responses were narratively presented. Administrative site utilization data highlighted a relatively stable increase in uptake and utilization of the site since its inception. A total of 20 clients participated in the survey and semi-structured interviews. Participants described the importance of the site in preventing and responding to overdoses, providing a safe and comfortable environment to consume their drugs, and decreasing public drug use, which they suggested may potentially reduce stigmatization in the community. However, clients also suggested challenges, including issues regarding site operational policies that hindered consumption room utilization. Service suggestions made by clients to improve site utilization include the addition of inhalation services, relocating the site to a location in downtown Sudbury where PWUD commonly congregate, and extending operational hours. Positive impacts and recommendations can be drawn on and considered by other northern or rural communities interested in implementing similar harm reduction services.

Association of drug overdoses and user characteristics of Canada’s national mobile/virtual overdose response hotline: the National Overdose Response Service (NORS)

BackgroundSeveral novel overdose response technology interventions, also known as mobile overdose response services (MORS), have emerged as adjunct measures to reduce the harms associated with the drug poisoning epidemic. This retrospective observational study aims to identify the characteristics and outcomes of individuals utilizing one such service, the National Overdose Response Service (NORS).MethodsA retrospective analysis was conducted using NORS call logs from December 2020 to April 2023 imputed by operators. A variety of variables were examined including demographics, substance use and route, location, and call outcomes. Odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals were calculated around variables of interest to test the association between key indicators and drug poisonings.ResultsOf the 6528 completed calls on the line, 3994 (61.2%) were for supervised drug consumption, 1703 (26.1%) were for mental health support, 354 (5.42%) were for harm reduction education or resources, and 477 (7.31%) were for other purposes. Overall, there were 77 (1.18%) overdose events requiring a physical/ in-person intervention. Of the total calls, 3235 (49.5%) were from women, and 1070 (16.3%) were from people who identified as gender diverse. Calls mostly originated from urban locations (n = 5796, 88.7%) and the province of Ontario (n = 4137, 63.3%). Odds ratios indicate that using opioids (OR 6.72, CI 95% 3.69–13.52), opioids in combination with methamphetamine (OR 9.70, CI 95% 3.24–23.06), multiple consumption routes (OR 6.54, CI 95% 2.46–14.37), and calls occurring in British Columbia (B.C) (OR 3.55, CI 95% 1.46–7.33) had a significantly higher likelihood of a drug poisoning. No deaths were recorded and only 3 false callouts had occurred. The overall drug poisoning event incidence to phone calls was 1.2%.ConclusionNORS presents a complimentary opportunity to access harm reduction services for individuals that prefer to use alone or face barriers to accessing in-person supervised consumption services especially gender minorities with high-risk use patterns.

Yonder: Female genital mutilation, hand hygiene monitoring, supervised consumption services, and caring masculinities.

Yonder: Female genital mutilation, hand hygiene monitoring, supervised consumption services, and caring masculinities.

A scoping review of qualitative research on barriers and facilitators to the use of supervised consumption services.

A substantial body of evidence demonstrates that supervised consumption services (SCS) mitigate a variety of drug-related harms, including decreasing overdose deaths, infectious disease transmission, and connecting people who use drugs (PWUD) to various health and social services. Research on SCS has predominantly been quantitative, though qualitative research on these services has increased substantially over the last decade. Qualitative methods provide a framework for developing a richer and more nuanced understanding of meanings and contexts associated with drug use, health service implementation, and experience. We present findings from a scoping review of qualitative studies on experiences of PWUD with SCS published between 1997 and 2022. In total, forty-two papers were included in this analysis. Four primary themes emerged from our analysis: 1) Influence of SCS on health and wellbeing among PWUD, 2) the physical environment of SCS can be both a facilitator and barrier to use, 3) social resources can shape and reshape the context within which PWUD benefit from SCS, and 4) various intersecting forces at play both support and harm PWUD in relation to their experiences with SCS. We discuss the primary facilitators and barriers of SCS use and conclude with suggestions to inform future qualitative research, SCS implementation, and PWUD-centered approaches to drug policy.

Integrated supervised consumption services and hepatitis C testing and treatment among people who inject drugs in Toronto, Canada: A cross-sectional analysis.

Despite the availability of publicly funded hepatitis C (HCV) treatment in Canada, treatment gaps persist, particularly among people who inject drugs. We estimate correlates of HCV care cascade engagement (testing, diagnosis, and treatment) among people who inject drugs in Toronto, Canada and examine the effect of accessing differing supervised consumption service (SCS) models on self-reported HCV testing and treatment. This is a cross-sectional baseline analysis of 701 people who inject drugs surveyed in the Toronto, Ontario integrated Supervised Injection Services (OiSIS-Toronto) study between November 2018 and March 2020. We examine correlates of self-reported HCV care cascade outcomes including SCS model, demographic, socio-structural, drug use, and harm reduction characteristics. Overall, 647 participants (92%) reported ever receiving HCV testing, of whom 336 (52%) had been diagnosed with HCV. Among participants who reported ever being diagnosed with HCV, 281 (84%) reported chronic HCV, of whom 130 (46%) reported HCV treatment uptake and 151 (54%) remained untreated. Compared to those with no SCS use, participants who had ever injected at an integrated SCS model with co-located HCV care had greater prevalence of both ever receiving HCV testing (adjusted prevalence ratio [aPR]: 1.12, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.02-1.24) and ever receiving HCV treatment (aPR: 1.67, 95% CI: 1.04-2.69). Over half of participants diagnosed with chronic HCV reported remaining untreated. Our findings suggest that integrated SCS models with co-located HCV care represent key strategies for linkage to HCV care, but that more is needed to support scale-up.

Inpatient supervised consumption services: A nursing perspective

Harm reduction reduces the risk of negative effects of health behaviours. Supervised consumption services (SCS) provide clean, safe and supervised locations for substance use. They are one strategy to reduce unintentional overdose and spread of infectious disease. The first in-hospital SCS in Edmonton, Alberta continues to offer services to inpatients. Nurses provide supervision of substance use, health promotion and education to clients. SCS staff also provide education to hospital nursing staff who refer clients for SCS. Despite existing community and hospital SCS, nursing frameworks for SCS and federal and provincial policies that support SCS, implementation of SCS in hospitals is uncommon. Nurses should be informed about SCS and their potential for further implementation. Existing programs can be useful templates for future implementation in hospitals. Nurses can be advocates for harm reduction strategies in their workplace that include SCS.

Difficulty accessing supervised consumption services during the COVID-19 pandemic among people who use drugs in Vancouver, Canada

BackgroundThe overdose crisis in Canada has worsened since the emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic. Although this trend is thought to be driven in part by closures or reduced capacity of supervised consumption services (SCS), little is known about the factors that may impede access to such services during the COVID-19 pandemic among people who use drugs. This study sought to characterize the prevalence and correlates of having difficulty accessing SCS during the COVID-19 pandemic among people who use drugs in Vancouver, Canada.MethodsCross-sectional data from two open prospective cohorts of people who use drugs were collected via phone or videoconferencing interviews conducted between July 2020 and November 2020. Multivariable logistic regression analyses were used to examine factors associated with experiencing difficulty accessing SCS.ResultsAmong the 428 people who use drugs who participated in the study, 223 (54.7%) self-identified as men and the median age was 51 years (1st to 3rd quartile: 42–58). A total of 58 (13.6%) participants reported experiencing difficulty accessing SCS. In a multivariable analysis, factors positively associated with difficulty accessing SCS included daily crystal methamphetamine use (Adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 2.60; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.28–5.30), active injection drug use (AOR = 4.06; 95% CI 1.38–11.90), recent non-fatal overdose (AOR = 2.45; 95% CI 1.24–4.85), and unstable housing (AOR = 2.14; 95% CI 1.08–4.23). Age was inversely associated with the outcome (AOR = 0.96; 95% CI 0.93–0.99) in multivariable analyses. The most commonly reported reasons for experiencing difficulty accessing SCS were: COVID-19-related site closure or shortened hours (42.9%) and having to wait too long to use a site (39.3%).ConclusionsWe found that people who use drugs with markers of structural vulnerability and drug-related risk were more likely to experience difficulty accessing SCS during the COVID-19 pandemic. These findings point to the need for strategies to support access to such services as part of pandemic response efforts.

Philanthropic donor perspectives about providing harm reduction services for people living with HIV/AIDS in a hospital setting

BackgroundHospital-based harm reduction services are needed to reduce drug-related harms, facilitate retention in care, and increase medical treatment adherence for people who use drugs. Philanthropic donor support plays a key role in delivering such innovative services which might fall outside current funding streams. However, little is known about how the principles, implementation, and practice of harm reduction services, which are often highly stigmatized, may impact donor behaviours. We explored this issue within Casey House, a speciality hospital in Toronto, Canada.MethodsOur mixed methods study utilized an explanatory sequential design. A convenience sample of n = 106 philanthropic individual donors, recruited via email, completed an anonymous web-based survey, between July and October 2020, which assessed their knowledge of harm reduction services and the potential impact of implementing new hospital-based harm reduction services on donors’ future support. Following this, we conducted semi-structured qualitative interviews with n = 12 of the donors who completed a survey and volunteered to be interviewed. Interviews examined donors’ perspectives about harm reduction and their hopes/concerns for such programming at Casey House. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics and participatory-based thematic analysis.ResultsSurvey data show a high level of support for hospital-based harm reduction services, with participants reporting that they “strongly agree/agree” with providing harm reduction equipment (85%), supervised consumption services (82%), and prescription opioid treatment (76%) at Casey House. A majority of participants (66%) claimed that implementing new harm reduction services at the hospital would not impact their future donation, while 6% said they would be less inclined to donate. Interview participants were supportive of harm reduction services at Casey House, recognizing the benefits of providing such services for hospital clients and the wider community. However, some spoke of the potential impact that implementing hospital-based harm reduction services may have on “other” donors who might be opposed. Although some believed harm reduction services should be fully funded by the government, most saw a role for donors in supporting such services.ConclusionsOur findings show support of hospital-based harm reduction services among philanthropic donors and provide insight into how donor support may be affected when such services are introduced.

A rejoinder to Brooks etal. "Response to operational and contextual barriers to accessing supervised consumption services in two Canadian cities".

Increased drug-related harms, including overdoses (poisonings), have been reported in the days around income assistance payments, yet little is known about changes in the unregulated drug supply during this time. In this exploratory analysis, we investigated whether changes in the unregulated opioid drug supply are associated with income assistance payment weeks.Using data from drug checking services in Vancouver, BC, we conducted modified Poisson and linear regression models to examine the association between income assistance payment weeks and three key outcomes: (1) proportion of fentanyl positivity among expected opioid samples, (2) fentanyl concentration among fentanyl-positive expected opioid samples, and (3) proportion of benzodiazepine positivity among expected opioid samples.Between October 2017 and December 2019, 4306 (90.41%) of expected opioid samples tested positive for fentanyl, and the median fentanyl concentration was 7.0% (quartile [Q]1 – Q3: 5.1% - 9.8%). Income assistance payment week was associated with an increased prevalence of fentanyl positivity among expected opioid samples (prevalence ratio [PR]: 1.03; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.00, 1.05); however, we failed to find a statistically significant association between income assistance payment week and fentanyl concentration (regression coefficient: 0.70; 95% CI: 0.44, 1.09). Additionally, income assistance payment week was associated with an increased prevalence of benzodiazepine positivity among expected opioid samples (PR: 1.86; 95% CI: 1.07, 3.24).These findings suggest that during income assistance payment weeks, there may be more fentanyl and benzodiazepines circulating in the unregulated opioid drug supply. The rise in fentanyl and benzodiazepine-adulterated opioids during income assistance payment weeks may be contributing to the increase in illicit drug overdoses seen during this time of the month.

Response to "Operational and contextual barriers to accessing supervised consumption services in two Canadian cities".

Response to "Operational and contextual barriers to accessing supervised consumption services in two Canadian cities".

A qualitative comparison of how people who use drugs' perceptions and experiences of policing affect supervised consumption services access in two cities.

Police presence near Supervised Consumption Services (SCS) and other harm reduction services has been shown to hamper access to these critical facilities for People Who Use Drugs (PWUD). However, few studies document the empirical nuances of these contextually dependant police-PWUD relationships, and how PWUD' experiences and perceptions of policing near harm reduction services shape SCS access. If the goal is to increase SCS uptake, understanding the complexities of PWUD-police relations near SCS is imperative for guiding both formal policy and informal best-practices. We report findings from a larger qualitative study on PWUD' experiences with SCS in two Canadian cities. Data were collected through 75 face-to-face interviews and observations with street-involved PWUD near local SCS in Edmonton and Calgary, Alberta. Participants' perceptions of and experiences with policing varied across jurisdictions. Participants in Calgary reported concentrated police presence in and near SCS, in addition to harassment, negative encounters, fears about getting arrested, and experiences of being displaced from the area. Participants in Edmonton, despite also reporting heavy police presence near SCS, reported feeling relatively safe from police intervention and harassment, within SCS and the surrounding area. Rather than the presence/absence and quantity of policing near SCS, our findings show that the quality of policing experienced in the community shapes PWUD' perceptions, experiences, and willingness to access SCS.

Requiring help injecting among people who inject drugs in Toronto, Canada: Characterising the need to address sociodemographic disparities and substance-use specific patterns.

Those requiring help injecting are at an elevated risk of injection-related injury and blood-borne infections and are thus a priority group for harm reduction programs. As supervised consumption services (SCS) are scaled-up across Canada, information on those who require help injecting is necessary to inform equitable service uptake. We characterised the sociodemographic, structural and drug use correlates of needing help injecting among a cohort of people who inject drugs in Toronto, Canada. A cross-sectional baseline survey was administered between November 2018 and March 2020. Unadjusted and multivariable logistic regression models examined associations with requiring help injecting in the past 6 months. A gender-stratified sub-analysis described characteristics of receiving help among those requiring it. Of 701 participants (31.0% cisgender women), 294 (41.9%) needed recent help injecting. In unadjusted analyses, being a racialised, non-Indigenous person (odds ratio [OR] 1.79, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.13-2.86) or a cisgender woman (OR 1.72, 95% CI 1.24-2.39) were associated with needing help. In multivariable analyses, requiring assistance was associated with needing frequent help preparing drugs (adjusted OR [AOR] 9.52, 95% CI 4.78-21.28), fewer years since first injection (AOR for 1 year increase: 0.97, 95% CI 0.95-0.99) and injecting stimulants. Among those who required help, cisgender women reported needing assistance more often than cisgender men (P=0.009). Over two-fifths of the sample required help injecting; requiring assistance was associated with sociodemographic indicators and substance use-specific patterns. Findings highlight the need to scale-up educational resources for those who receive or provide help injecting, as well as SCS that accommodate onsite injection assistance.

The state of science on including inhalation within supervised consumption services: A scoping review of academic and grey literature.

Internationally, many supervised consumption services (SCS) include drug inhalation (smoking). However, most research is focused on SCS for people who inject drugs. We aimed to: (1) synthesize the literature on including inhalation or other forms of non-injection drug use (e.g., oral, intranasal) within SCS; (2) describe the state of the science on the feasibility of this practice and its outcomes; and (3) outline an agenda for future evaluation research in this area. We searched 9 academic and 13 grey literature databases and ultimately included 40 studies. Thirty-two studies (80%) reported findings from feasibility or needs assessments. From these studies, we extracted information on willingness to use these services, perspectives of people who use drugs and other stakeholders, and recommendations for implementation. Eight studies (20%) evaluated including inhalation in SCS, from which we extracted data on associated outcomes. Data were analysed using narrative synthesis and descriptive statistics. We found high willingness to use SCS including inhalation among people who use drugs, especially those experiencing structural vulnerability. Research emphasized a need for implementation to account for the social nature of drug inhalation, and to limit potential occupational hazards associated with passive inhalation. Positive outcomes associated with inhalation within SCS included improved health and safety of people who use drugs and decreased public drug use. However, this evidence was based primarily on a limited number of studies with designs of mixed quality. Our review demonstrates feasibility of, and need for, implementing SCS including inhalation, and some potential positive outcomes associated with this practice. However, more comprehensive and systematic evaluations of including inhalation as well as other forms of non-injection drug use (e.g., oral, intranasal, rectal) within SCS should be conducted.