Treloar Carla, Fraser Suzanne
National Centre in HIV Social Research, University of New South Wales, Australia.
Drug Alcohol Rev. 2007 Jul;26(4):355-61. doi: 10.1080/09595230701373867.
Despite evidence for their effectiveness, harm reduction services such as needle and syringe programmes (NSPs) are highly vulnerable to perceptions of community disapproval. This paper reviews Australian research on community attitudes to harm reduction services and its impact on research, policy and practice. The literature on community attitudes to NSPs in Australia comprises a small number of representative national samples and surveys of local communities affected by specific services. Despite these extremely limited data, negative community attitudes are often cited by policy-makers and health professionals as a primary constraint on policy-making. The main finding of this literature review is that community perceptions of NSPs are largely positive. Also, support for NSPs was not synonymous with condoning drug use. The failure of policy-makers and politicians to recognise positive community attitudes to NSPs has led in some instances to hasty political responses to adverse media reports, including the closure of services. This literature review showing positive community attitudes to harm reduction services should embolden researchers, practitioners and policy-makers to challenge such reactionary responses. Further, this evidence should be used in countering negative publicity surrounding these services.
尽管有证据表明减少伤害服务（如针头和注射器项目，NSPs）具有有效性，但这类服务极易受到社区负面看法的影响。本文回顾了澳大利亚关于社区对减少伤害服务的态度及其对研究、政策和实践的影响的研究。澳大利亚有关社区对针头和注射器项目态度的文献包括少数具有代表性的全国样本以及对受特定服务影响的当地社区的调查。尽管数据极为有限，但政策制定者和卫生专业人员经常将社区的负面态度作为政策制定的主要制约因素。这篇文献综述的主要发现是，社区对针头和注射器项目的看法大多是积极的。此外，对针头和注射器项目的支持并不等同于纵容吸毒。政策制定者和政治家未能认识到社区对针头和注射器项目的积极态度，在某些情况下导致了对负面媒体报道的仓促政治回应，包括关闭服务。这篇显示社区对减少伤害服务持积极态度的文献综述应鼓励研究人员、从业者和政策制定者挑战这种反动回应。此外，这一证据应被用于应对围绕这些服务的负面宣传。
