Harm Reduction Services and Knowledge of Viral Infections - Term Paper Example

Name: Tutor: Title: Public opinion regarding harm reduction services Course: Date: Public opinion regarding harm reduction and knowledge on viral infections Introduction There are various physical harms related with the practice of injecting drug application. The most particularly infection associated with this practice is hepatitis C and HIV. The Australian Federal Government policy on illicit drug is harm minimization. This is a state approach to prevention of injecting and other various uses of illicit drugs and viruses that are blood borne. However the opinion of the public concerning the component of harm reduction policy regarding illegal drug use and injecting practice is mixed. This paper will therefore give a review of literature on the public opinion towards the services of harm prevention and their basic knowledge on viral infection particularly in Australia. Literature Review Harm prevention and reduction is a comparatively new movement within public health field. The aim of harm reduction is to decrease the unwanted consequences of health as a result of illegal drug use (Lenton & Single, 1998). Whichever intervention, strategy or program which can be illustrated to decrease the harms linked with illegal drugs, with no intention of making people terminate drug use, is a measure of harm reduction. These interventions, strategies or programs entail stuffs like pill-testing kits, injecting centers that are medically supervised and educative materials on harm reduction like pamphlets on injecting that is safe. Presently in Australia, the chief program on harm reduction is the needle and syringe program (NSP). NSP provides sterile injecting materials and information on harm reduction to individuals who inject. NSP has strategically outlets located within inner-urban locations of major towns where the concentration of individuals who inject is high. Initially, NSP wanted people to get fresh sterile materials in exchange of their used materials (Korner & Treloar, 2003). However, this condition has been calmed down over some years and currently NSP provide sterile injecting materials at no cost to whoever needs it. Considering the perspective from the health policy, this contentious plan has paid generous shares for the community of Australia in terms of prevention of viruses that are blood borne and investments to the budget of health. Research shows that by 2001, thousands of hepatitis C and HIV infections had been averted in Australia due to initiatives and practices of harm reduction. It is important to acknowledge that individuals who inject illegal drugs showed that they were able to transform their practice of injecting so as to decrease the possibility of being infected and to avert infecting others. Studies have shown that combining enhancement of accessibility of sterile material and education and instilling change of behavior amongst individuals who inject illicit drugs has turned out to be a form of practice that is superior for both developing and developed countries in averting viral hepatitis and HIV infections (Ritter & Cameron, 2006). Regardless of the proof for their effectiveness, services of harm reduction are still vulnerable to opinions of society disapproval. Studies have shown that in the past decade a lot of harm prevention services like NSP have been shut down or relocated, basically due to scandalous reporting by the media, community reaction and local government. The media is known to frequently shape social attitudes particularly around behaviors that are stigmatized like the use of injecting drugs (Korner & Treloar, 2003). The programs of needle exchange have been established to be cost-effective. They have also been demonstrated to contribute to the safety of community by decreasing the number of visibly discarded syringes and needles (Ritter & Cameron, 2006). Public Opinion Formal studies about public opinion of drug injection use have been insufficient, although it is evident that the topic can bring about powerful reactions amongst experts and lay people. This contributes to the stigma linked with drug use via injection, and restricts chances for development and improvement of effective reactions to the matter. Negative approaches to users of injection drug have added to insufficient support at both regional and central political level (Korner & Treloar, 2003). However, a number of concerns in medical experiments of supervised sites of injection seem to be growing amongst health ministers. In a number of towns, politicians have turned out to be advocates for harm reduction practices to use of injection drug. According to Roe (2005), the public feel the needle exchange program has not resulted into drug use increase. In contrast, programs of needle exchange have decreased rates of sharing needles among people and have associated several users of drug with health services. In Australia particularly, programs of needle exchange are a substantial policy in the approach of harm reduction to injecting drug use, although a couple of reports have established the need to enhance these programs in order to improve their availability (Korner & Treloar, 2003). This is specifically the case within correctional facilities and rural communities. Research indicates that high-risk injecting drug behaviors take place more often within particular groups because of complex economic, cultural and social factors, including individuals with child abuse history, as well as those with illness associated with mental health (Friedman et al, 2007). Street youth, the homeless and inmates within correctional units also have a high-risk behavior for drugs. The possibilities for women who practice drug injection is specifically high as a result of their frequent involvement in sex trade as well as sexual child abuse histories. A finding towards people’s opinion on harm reduction for viral infection showed that drug use through injection and its social and health consequences have turned out to be a progressively more significant matter for indigenous people within Australia in both urban and community settings (Panagakou, et al., 2011). It has also been noted that previous research has illustrated how public opinion concerning sensitive matters are likely to be influenced by the manner survey questions are brought forward (Hopwood et al, 2010). Item phrasing and language can influence personal responses. This is why factors like basic knowledge factors about viral hepatitis C and HIV infection to evaluate participants’ knowledge of the risks of transmission, options of treatment and consequences on quality of life is very essential. With respect to the correctional facilities, attitudes of police differ amongst communities and lead police officials do not constantly share their superiors’ thoughts. On the other hand, at the superior levels, Australian police have always supported endeavors to substitute disciplinary mechanisms to injection drug addiction with rehabilitation and treatment. They have as well encouraged the policy of national aids for programs of needle exchange that are community-based and include education, outreach, counseling as well as testing (Hopwood et al, 2010). Police regard themselves as chief stakeholders in handling matters associated with the transmission of HCV and other viral infections via injection. With respect to the level of community, police have ascertained relationships with the programs of needle exchange, and with agencies and groups that enhance other initiatives of harm reduction (Treloar & Fraser, 2007). Knowledge on viral hepatitis and HIV It is approximated that 70% of latest hepatitis C virus (HCV) infections in Australia every year are linked with sharing syringes, swabs and water related with injecting drug use. There exist several practices of injection that enhance the possibility of blood-borne transmission like HCV and HIV. For instance, in a practice commonly known as back-loading or front-loading, one syringe is used to mix the drug, eventually the mixture is separated by spurting some drug into several other syringes. Even though the needle is not shared among the users, HCV is likely to be transmitted in case the syringe that is used for mixing has been contaminated previously (Korner & Treloar, 2003). Limited studies argue that individuals with inhaled or intranasal drug use history might be vulnerable for HCV infection. Since cocaine users frequently have ulcers and nasal erosions, cocaine straw sharing is likely to transmit HCV. Cracked and dehydrated lips which is another regular side effect of using injection drug, poses a potential risk for pipe sharing (Nelson & Williams, 2007). After a survey was conducted to assess people’s knowledge on fundamental knowledge factors concerning HIV and viral hepatitis C infection, it was noted that majority of the injecting drug users are under informed about the transmission risks, options of treatment and consequences on quality of life (Treloar & Fraser, 2007). This posed the concern that a lot needs to be done particularly in the regions where injecting drug users are concentrated. Initiatives and programs of injecting drug use should be implemented in the regions where people practice injecting drug use so as to educate them on the safer drug injecting thus reducing harm. However, another couple of group was well informed about the mode of transmission of the viral infection particularly HIV and HCV. This group felt contended with the initiatives and programs on practicing harm reduction and were willing to teach their mates so as to enhance the practice. The NSP was particularly cited as the best program in an effort to reduce transmission of viral infections like HIV and HCV (Treloar & Fraser, 2007). This is specifically because people are educated on the potential risks associated with sharing needles and syringes which is basically the chief mode of blood-borne diseases. With a clear knowledge on the transmission risks, options of treatment and consequences on quality of life concerning viral infection that is blood borne will enhance and support the services of harm reduction. Conclusion As discussed above, viral infection like HCV and HIV are the major blood borne infections and their mode of transmission is through sexual intercourse, sharing needles and injections. For this reason, various countries are trying to seek measure that would help reduce viral infection particularly within the injecting drug users where the practice of sharing syringes, pipes and needles is high. For instance, in Australia, the NSP is highly acknowledged because it is an initiative that aims to reduce viral infection thus enhancing the practice of harm reduction. However, despite this initiative, the public opinion on this practice is of great concern because it is influenced by factors like the way sensitive questions are presented, social, economic and political factors also play a role. All in all, viral infection control and prevention is of great importance regardless of these factors. Bibliography Bewley-Taylor, D., 2004, Harm reduction and the global drug control regime: contemporary problems and future prospects, Drug and Alcohol Review vol. 23, pp 483-489. Friedman, S. R., et al. 2007, Harm reduction theory: users’ culture, micro-social indigenous harm reduction, and the self-organization and outside-organizing of users’ groups, International Journal of Drug Policy, vol. 18, pp 107-117. Hopwood, M.,et al. 2010, Assessing community support for harm reduction services: Comparing two measures, Drug and Alcohol Review, vol. 29, pp 385-391. Korner, H. & Treloar, C. 2003, Needle and syringe programmes in the local media: ‘needle anger’ versus ‘effective education in the community.’ International Journal of Drug Policy, vol. 15, pp 46-55. Lenton, S., & Single, E. 1998, The definition of harm reduction, Drug and Alcohol Review, vol. 17, pp 213-220. Nelson K. E., Williams C. M., 2007, Infectious Disease Epidemiology: Theory And Practice, Jones & Bartlett Learning, NY. Panagakou, S. et al., 2011, Antibiotic use for upper respiratory tract infections in children: A cross-sectional survey of knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) of parents in Greece, BioMed Central Ltd, London. Roe, G. 2005, Harm reduction as paradigm: is better than bad good enough? The origins of harm reduction, Critical Public Health, vol. 15, pp 243-250. Ritter, A. & Cameron, J., 2006, A review of the efficacy and effectiveness of harm reduction strategies for alcohol, tobacco and illicit drugs, Drug and Alcohol Review, vol. 25, pp 611-624. Treloar, C., & Fraser, S. 2007, Public opinion on needle and syringe programmes: Avoiding assumptions for policy and practice, Drug and Alcohol Review, vol. 26, pp 355-361. Read More