Document Type
Poster Session
Department
Social Work
Faculty Mentor
Rachel Casey, PhD, MSW
Keywords
opioid use, harm reduction
Abstract
Calls for various harm reduction approaches to the opioid epidemic are increasing in activist communities (Chapkis, 2020; Kennedy-Hendricks et al., 2019; Sederer & Marino, 2018). Given that harm reduction approaches, if implemented, will be provided by people in various helping professions, the current study investigates the relationship between choice of human service-focused college major and level of support for harm reduction interventions for people who use opioid drugs. A quantitative survey that aims to measure knowledge and perceptions of harm reduction strategies has been disseminated to students in social work, counseling, public health and nursing departments at the University of Southern Maine. The researchers hypothesize that gaps in formal education about harm reduction will be found across students in all majors, and students in the social work department will perceive harm reduction interventions more favorably than students in other service/health care majors.
Open Access?
1
Included in
Public Health Commons, Rehabilitation and Therapy Commons, Social Justice Commons, Social Work Commons, Substance Abuse and Addiction Commons
Opioid Use and Harm Reduction
Calls for various harm reduction approaches to the opioid epidemic are increasing in activist communities (Chapkis, 2020; Kennedy-Hendricks et al., 2019; Sederer & Marino, 2018). Given that harm reduction approaches, if implemented, will be provided by people in various helping professions, the current study investigates the relationship between choice of human service-focused college major and level of support for harm reduction interventions for people who use opioid drugs. A quantitative survey that aims to measure knowledge and perceptions of harm reduction strategies has been disseminated to students in social work, counseling, public health and nursing departments at the University of Southern Maine. The researchers hypothesize that gaps in formal education about harm reduction will be found across students in all majors, and students in the social work department will perceive harm reduction interventions more favorably than students in other service/health care majors.
