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Navigating the COVID-19 Risk Environment, Overdose Prevention, and Self Care Practices of People Who Use Illicit Opioids in New York City.

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Title: Navigating the COVID-19 Risk Environment, Overdose Prevention, and Self Care Practices of People Who Use Illicit Opioids in New York City.
Authors: Bennett, Alex S. (AUTHOR), McCollum Jr, Doug R. (AUTHOR), Elliott, Luther (AUTHOR)
Source: Substance Use & Misuse. 2025, Vol. 60 Issue 4, p504-514. 11p.
Subjects: Risk assessment, Drug overdose, Health self-care, Medical protocols, Research funding, Qualitative research, Interviewing, Health policy, Opioid abuse, Descriptive statistics, Psychology of drug abusers, Harm reduction, Research methodology, COVID-19
Geographic Terms: New York (State)
Abstract: Background: The concurrent opioid overdose crisis and COVID-19 pandemic created a perfect storm of risk for drug overdose mortality and other negative health outcomes. Methods: This study is based on semi-structured interviews with 29 adults in New York City who were using illicit opioids (heroin, fentanyl, and prescription opioids without prescription) between April and September 2020 to gain their perspectives on navigating COVID as the pandemic was unfolding. Interviews explored both challenges posed by the pandemic and participants' navigation of these challenges to prevent overdose, procure drugs, manage drug use, and maintain their health and safety. Results: Participants tried to adhere to best public health policies and practices and adapted as needed to protect their own and others' health. They procured larger amounts of drugs to reduce travel, arranged drop-offs, and adhered to social distancing mandates during transactions. Homeless participants formed supportive and protective "bubbles" with network members to ensure safety and maximize resources. Participants addressed service access challenges by stockpiling MOUD, injection equipment and naloxone and reported using drugs when protected by naloxone and someone to administer when possible. Conclusions: Despite the many challenges posed by COVID to people who use drugs in NYC, this research documents the ways people who use drugs drew on experiences of navigating stigma, structural violence, and social exclusion on a daily basis to enhance self-care and harm reduction practices. Powerful narratives of adaptation and resilience speak to the need to include people who use drugs in future public health and disaster planning initiatives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Copyright of Substance Use & Misuse is the property of Taylor & Francis Ltd and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
Database: Psychology and Behavioral Sciences Collection
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  Data: Navigating the COVID-19 Risk Environment, Overdose Prevention, and Self Care Practices of People Who Use Illicit Opioids in New York City.
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  Data: Background: The concurrent opioid overdose crisis and COVID-19 pandemic created a perfect storm of risk for drug overdose mortality and other negative health outcomes. Methods: This study is based on semi-structured interviews with 29 adults in New York City who were using illicit opioids (heroin, fentanyl, and prescription opioids without prescription) between April and September 2020 to gain their perspectives on navigating COVID as the pandemic was unfolding. Interviews explored both challenges posed by the pandemic and participants' navigation of these challenges to prevent overdose, procure drugs, manage drug use, and maintain their health and safety. Results: Participants tried to adhere to best public health policies and practices and adapted as needed to protect their own and others' health. They procured larger amounts of drugs to reduce travel, arranged drop-offs, and adhered to social distancing mandates during transactions. Homeless participants formed supportive and protective "bubbles" with network members to ensure safety and maximize resources. Participants addressed service access challenges by stockpiling MOUD, injection equipment and naloxone and reported using drugs when protected by naloxone and someone to administer when possible. Conclusions: Despite the many challenges posed by COVID to people who use drugs in NYC, this research documents the ways people who use drugs drew on experiences of navigating stigma, structural violence, and social exclusion on a daily basis to enhance self-care and harm reduction practices. Powerful narratives of adaptation and resilience speak to the need to include people who use drugs in future public health and disaster planning initiatives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
– Name: AbstractSuppliedCopyright
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  Data: <i>Copyright of Substance Use & Misuse is the property of Taylor & Francis Ltd and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract.</i> (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
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RecordInfo BibRecord:
  BibEntity:
    Identifiers:
      – Type: doi
        Value: 10.1080/10826084.2024.2434681
    Languages:
      – Code: eng
        Text: English
    PhysicalDescription:
      Pagination:
        PageCount: 11
        StartPage: 504
    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: Risk assessment
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Drug overdose
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Health self-care
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Medical protocols
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Research funding
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Qualitative research
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Interviewing
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Health policy
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Opioid abuse
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Descriptive statistics
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Psychology of drug abusers
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Harm reduction
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Research methodology
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: COVID-19
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: New York (State)
        Type: general
    Titles:
      – TitleFull: Navigating the COVID-19 Risk Environment, Overdose Prevention, and Self Care Practices of People Who Use Illicit Opioids in New York City.
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            NameFull: Bennett, Alex S.
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            NameFull: McCollum Jr, Doug R.
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            NameFull: Elliott, Luther
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            – D: 01
              M: 04
              Text: 2025
              Type: published
              Y: 2025
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              Value: 10826084
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              Value: 60
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            – TitleFull: Substance Use & Misuse
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