Open AccessDistribution of Harm Reduction Kits in a Specialty HIV Hospital
Author(s) -
Miroslav Miskovic,
Soo Chan Carusone,
Adrian Guţă,
Bill O’Leary,
Karen dePrinse,
Carol Strike
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
american journal of public health
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.284
H-Index - 264
eISSN - 1541-0048
pISSN - 0090-0036
DOI - 10.2105/ajph.2018.304600
Subject(s) - specialty , medicine , human immunodeficiency virus (hiv) , harm reduction , harm , distribution (mathematics) , family medicine , emergency medicine , environmental health , psychology , mathematics , social psychology , mathematical analysis
Casey House, a small Toronto, Ontario, hospital for people living with HIV, implemented a harm-reduction kit distribution program in October 2014 to decrease harms from reuse of injection and smoking equipment among its clients-inpatients and outpatients. Program statistics (November 2014-June 2017) show an increase in the number of kits-injection and smoking-distributed each year. The program is perceived by staff to communicate openness and increased willingness of clinicians and clients to discuss drug-related harms.