![]() ![]() The study team found that participants’ perceptions of OAT were often shaped by their peers, family members and romantic partners, some of whom raised concerns about such things as side effects and the potential efficacy and long-term health implications of the therapy.ĭaily witnessed dosing at a pharmacy during limited hours of operation was also identified by youth as a significant barrier to accessing and sticking with OAT. There has been a lot of laughter and fun, along with tears.” “This work can be challenging and heartbreaking, but I always value my time with all the young people who have crossed my path. Many youth then concluded that OAT was irrelevant to their needs.” “But, when that did not happen despite repeated attempts, it made it harder for them to imagine a different future via OAT. “A lot of the youth I have spoken with believed that OAT would enable the positive unfolding of their lives,” says Fast. Interview topics included living conditions, drug use history, substance use treatment and service access across time, and also addressed how OAT impacted relationships with family, friends, health care professionals and romantic partners over time. The research team used an interview guide developed in collaboration with a Youth Advisory Council of eight youth with lived experience of substance use and mental health concerns. Improving youth access and adherence to OATįor her research, Fast interviewed 56 young people between the ages of 14 and 26 who reported using heroin or fentanyl two or more times per week and received some form of drug treatment therapy within the past six months. ![]() OAT can help manage withdrawal symptoms and lower the risk of drug-related harms, such as fatal overdose and the transmission of hepatitis C or HIV, leading to improved treatment retention and outcomes.ĭespite being recognized as a critical tool for the treatment of opioid use disorder and harm reduction among youth, previously published research has suggested that Canadian youth who use drugs are significantly less likely to access OAT than adults, notes Fast. “Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, I have seen a lot more cynicism and despair from these youth about their opportunities for housing, employment and education.”Īccording to BC Mental Health and Substance Use Services, OAT “is a safe and effective medication-based treatment for people who are dependent on opioid drugs,” including heroin, oxycodone and fentanyl, and is often combined with other supports, such as counselling. “When I first started working in this field, I would say that there was a lot more hopefulness among youth who use drugs,” she says. Danya Fast is a research scientist with the British Columbia Centre on Substance Use, as well as an assistant professor in the Department of Medicine and associate member in the Department of Anthropology at the University of British Columbia. ![]() “They are consumed for pleasure and as part of socialising, but also to treat physical, emotional, psychological and even economic pain, such as the pain of crushing, entrenched poverty.” Dr. “Youth use opioids for many different reasons,” explains Fast, who has over 15 years of experience working with young people. The study calls for improvements to treatment options, such as opioid agonist therapy (OAT), for young people who use illicit drugs. Danya Fast and published in the International Journal of Drug Policy highlights the importance of collaborating with youth who use drugs to find possible solutions to this crisis. A new study led by Vancouver Coastal Health Research Institute researcher Dr. The drug toxicity crisis in British Columbia has claimed the lives of over 130 youth between January and May 2022. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |