“As safe as possible”: a qualitative study of opioid withdrawal and risk behavior among people who use illegal opioids

Original research
par
Frank, David et al

Date de publication

2023

Géographie

USA

Langue de la ressource

English

Texte disponible en version intégrale

Oui

Open Access / OK to Reproduce

Oui

Évalué par des pairs

Yes

L’objectif

Examining withdrawal, and its role in people who use illicit opioids (PWUIO)’s willingness to engage in risk, may aid in the development of alternative theories of risk involvement and create discursive spaces for de-medicalizing and de-othering people who use illegal drugs.

Constatations/points à retenir

Participants described a strong relationship between withdrawal and their willingness to engage in risk-involved behavior that was exacerbated by the proliferation of fentanyl. Yet, their descriptions did not align with narratives of risk as a product of bad decisions made by individuals. Rather, data demonstrated the substantial role of social and structural context, particularly drug policies like prohibition and criminalization, in the kinds of risks that PWUIO faced and their ability to respond to them.

La conception ou méthodologie de recherche

Semi-structured interviews (n=32)

Mots clés

Withdrawal
About PWUD
Harm reduction