https://doi.org/10.4081/qrmh.2023.10868
It can save your life, that’s all I know. Barriers and facilitators for engagement in take-home naloxone for people receiving opioid substitution treatment in regional Australia: An explorative study
Submitted: 12 September 2022
Accepted: 7 May 2023
Published: 19 July 2023
Accepted: 7 May 2023
Abstract Views: 1529
PDF: 365
Supplementary Materials: 27
Supplementary Materials: 27
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All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.
Authors
Engagement in take-home naloxone (THN) programs by people receiving opioid substitution treatment (OST) in Australia is low despite methadone being a significant contributor to opioid overdose deaths. Our aim was to explore barriers and facilitators for OST patients to engage in THN. We used a descriptive qualitative design with thematic analysis to gain insight into naloxone uptake by people engaged in an OST program in regional Australia. Eleven participants were interviewed; eight had previously engaged with THN. Barriers to THN included limited knowledge and understanding, lack of information, and not personally experiencing an overdose. Facilitators included having a traumatic experience of overdose, knowledge and understanding of THN and overdose, empowerment in carrying naloxone, and expanding THN programs. Support for the expansion of THN programs is desired among participants, and widespread peer distribution is understood to be the key to success. This study found that prior traumatic experience of overdose facilitates acceptance of THN, and being offered THN was the most important factor in engagement. Less clear is how to engage people who lack a traumatic overdose experience.
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How to Cite
Natale, Isabella, Craig Harvey, Pene Wood, and Karen Anderson. 2023. “<i>It Can Save Your Life, that’s All I know</I>. Barriers and Facilitators for Engagement in Take-Home Naloxone for People Receiving Opioid Substitution Treatment in Regional Australia: An Explorative Study”. Qualitative Research in Medicine and Healthcare 7 (2). https://doi.org/10.4081/qrmh.2023.10868.
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