British Columbia Centre on Substance Use, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
Department of Family Practice, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
Health Soc Care Community. 2022 Nov;30(6):e5062-e5073. doi: 10.1111/hsc.13921. Epub 2022 Jul 19.
Marginally housed people who use drugs and alcohol (PWUD/A) face barriers in accessing healthcare services, which may be improved by providing healthcare in housing settings. This case study examines the experiences of healthcare access amongst PWUD/A who live in a permanent supportive housing model in Vancouver, Canada. This model has an embedded multidisciplinary clinic providing in-reach services. Thirty participants were recruited via posters placed throughout the building and semi-structured qualitative interviews were conducted remotely. Interviews were conducted with participants who accessed onsite care regularly (n = 15) and those who do not (n = 15). Data were analysed to identify both a priori and emerging themes. Participants who accessed the onsite clinic reported benefiting from stigma-free care. Close proximity and convenience of drop-in appointments enabled participants to engage with healthcare services more consistently, though hours of operation and privacy concerns were barriers for others. Participants who did not use the onsite clinic highlighted the importance of continuity of care with their pre-existing primary care team, particularly if their clinic was in close geographic proximity. However, they also described utilising these services for urgent health needs or as an occasional alternative source of care. Shared perspectives across all participants emphasised the importance of low-barrier services, including medication delivery, convenience and positive therapeutic relationships. Our findings suggest that embedding access to primary care within supportive housing benefits PWUD/A who have previously encountered barriers to healthcare access. This model could be implemented to prevent utilisation of acute healthcare resources and improve health outcomes amongst PWUD/A.
边缘性住房的吸毒和酗酒者(PWUD/A)在获得医疗保健服务方面面临障碍,通过在住房环境中提供医疗保健服务可以改善这一状况。本案例研究考察了生活在加拿大温哥华永久性支持性住房模式中的 PWUD/A 获得医疗保健的经历。该模式设有一个嵌入式多学科诊所,提供上门服务。通过在整个建筑内张贴海报招募了 30 名参与者,并通过远程进行半结构化定性访谈。对定期(n=15)和不定期(n=15)使用现场护理的参与者进行了访谈。对使用现场诊所的参与者进行了数据分析,以确定预先确定和新出现的主题。使用现场诊所的参与者报告称,他们受益于无污名化的护理。就近和便利的随到随诊使参与者更能持续地接受医疗保健服务,但营业时间和隐私问题对其他人构成了障碍。不使用现场诊所的参与者强调了与之前的初级保健团队保持连续性护理的重要性,特别是如果他们的诊所地理位置相近。然而,他们也描述了在紧急健康需求时或偶尔替代来源的护理时使用这些服务。所有参与者的共同观点都强调了低障碍服务的重要性,包括药物输送、便利性和积极的治疗关系。我们的研究结果表明,将初级保健纳入支持性住房中,可以使以前在获得医疗保健方面遇到障碍的吸毒和酗酒者受益。可以实施这种模式来防止急性医疗资源的利用,并改善吸毒和酗酒者的健康结果。