TY - JOUR
T1 - Exploring stakeholder perceptions of acceptability and feasibility of needle exchange programmes, syringe vending machines and safer injection facilities in Tijuana, Mexico
AU - Philbin, Morgan M.
AU - Mantsios, Andrea
AU - Lozada, Remedios
AU - Case, Patricia
AU - Pollini, Robin A.
AU - Alvelais, Jorge
AU - Latkin, Carl A.
AU - Magis-Rodriguez, Carlos
AU - Strathdee, Steffanie A.
N1 - Funding Information:
Proyecto El Cuete was funded by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) (R01 DA019829). Dr. Pollini is funded under a K01 grant from the National Institute on Drug Abuse (DA022923). Ms. Philbin was partially supported by grant number 5R25TW007506 from the Fogarty International Center at the National Institutes of Health. The authors gratefully acknowledge the contributions of study participants and PRO-COMUSIDA and Prevencasa staff for assistance with data collection; Centro Nacional para la Prevención y el Control del VIH/SIDA (CENSIDA); and Instituto de Servicios de Salud de Estado de Baja California (ISESALUD). We also want to thank Zita Lazzarini, for her contribution in editing the manuscript.
PY - 2009/7
Y1 - 2009/7
N2 - Background: Injection drug use is a growing public health crisis along the U.S.-Mexican border and rising rates of blood-borne infections highlight the pressing need for harm reduction interventions. We explored the acceptability and feasibility of such interventions in Tijuana, a city adjacent to San Diego, California. Methods: Using in-depth qualitative interviews conducted from August 2006-March 2007 with 40 key stakeholders - pharmacists, legal professionals, health officials, religious officials, drug treatment providers, and law enforcement personnel - we explored the acceptability and feasibility of interventions to reduce drug-related harm in Tijuana, Mexico. Interviews were taped with consent, transcribed verbatim, and translated. Content analysis was conducted to identify themes which included barriers, structural limitations, and suggestions for implementation. Results: Topics included acceptance and feasibility of needle exchange programmes (NEPs), syringe vending machines, and safer injection facilities (SIFs), structural barriers and suggestions for implementation. Of these interventions, NEPs were deemed the most acceptable (75%); however, only half believed these could be feasibly implemented, citing barriers involving religion, police, and lack of political will, public awareness, and funding. Conclusions: Increasing HIV infection rates among injection drug users in Tijuana have prompted interest in public health responses. Our results may assist policy strategists in implementing social-structural interventions that will help create enabling environments that facilitate the scale-up and implementation of harm reduction in Tijuana.
AB - Background: Injection drug use is a growing public health crisis along the U.S.-Mexican border and rising rates of blood-borne infections highlight the pressing need for harm reduction interventions. We explored the acceptability and feasibility of such interventions in Tijuana, a city adjacent to San Diego, California. Methods: Using in-depth qualitative interviews conducted from August 2006-March 2007 with 40 key stakeholders - pharmacists, legal professionals, health officials, religious officials, drug treatment providers, and law enforcement personnel - we explored the acceptability and feasibility of interventions to reduce drug-related harm in Tijuana, Mexico. Interviews were taped with consent, transcribed verbatim, and translated. Content analysis was conducted to identify themes which included barriers, structural limitations, and suggestions for implementation. Results: Topics included acceptance and feasibility of needle exchange programmes (NEPs), syringe vending machines, and safer injection facilities (SIFs), structural barriers and suggestions for implementation. Of these interventions, NEPs were deemed the most acceptable (75%); however, only half believed these could be feasibly implemented, citing barriers involving religion, police, and lack of political will, public awareness, and funding. Conclusions: Increasing HIV infection rates among injection drug users in Tijuana have prompted interest in public health responses. Our results may assist policy strategists in implementing social-structural interventions that will help create enabling environments that facilitate the scale-up and implementation of harm reduction in Tijuana.
KW - HIV/AIDS
KW - Harm reduction
KW - Injection drug use
KW - Mexico
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U2 - 10.1016/j.drugpo.2008.09.002
DO - 10.1016/j.drugpo.2008.09.002
M3 - Article
C2 - 18963906
AN - SCOPUS:67349268780
SN - 0955-3959
VL - 20
SP - 329
EP - 335
JO - International Journal of Drug Policy
JF - International Journal of Drug Policy
IS - 4
ER -