British Columbia Centre on Substance Use (BCCSU), Vancouver, BC, Canada (JH, LT, SN); Department of Medicine, University of British Columbia, St. Paul's Hospital, Vancouver, BC, Canada (LT, SN); School of Population and Public Health, Collaborating Centre for Prison Health and Education University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada (MK).
J Addict Med. 2022;16(2):132-134. doi: 10.1097/ADM.0000000000000866.
In the wake of North America's worsening overdose crisis, the overrepresentation of individuals incarcerated with an opioid use disorder (OUD) constitutes a population at an incredibly high risk for adverse health outcomes, including death. In response, a number of important initiatives such as the provision of opioid agonist therapy to individuals with opioid addiction while incarcerated have been implemented. Although improving access to evidence-based treatment for OUD is an obvious urgent need, equally important is the need to implement novel interventions to help reduce morbidity and mortality among this high-risk group. Peer support specialists (ie, individuals with lived or shared experience) have previously been demonstrated to effectively help clients navigate the healthcare system, reintegrate within their community, and successfully adhere to their individual treatment and recovery goals. Given the known association between individuals with an OUD and exposure to the criminal justice system, routine inclusion of peer support specialists as part of the addiction interdisciplinary care team in these settings may be an effective opportunity to improve health outcomes and prevent death among incarcerated individuals with an OUD.
在北美阿片类药物过量危机加剧的情况下，因阿片类药物使用障碍（OUD）而被监禁的人数过多，构成了一个健康状况极差（包括死亡）的人群。有鉴于此，实施了许多重要的举措，例如为监禁中的阿片类药物成瘾者提供阿片类激动剂治疗。尽管改善获得 OUD 循证治疗的机会是一个明显的迫切需求，但同样重要的是需要实施新的干预措施，以帮助减少这群高风险人群的发病率和死亡率。同伴支持专家（即具有亲身体验或共同体验的人）此前已被证明能够有效地帮助客户在医疗保健系统中进行导航，重新融入社区，并成功遵守个人治疗和康复目标。鉴于已知 OUD 患者与接触刑事司法系统之间的关联，在这些环境中，将同伴支持专家作为成瘾跨学科护理团队的一部分纳入常规，可能是改善监禁中 OUD 患者健康结果和预防死亡的有效机会。
