Department of Health, Behavior and Society, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, 624 N. Broadway, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA.
Department of Health Policy and Management, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, 615 N. Wolfe St, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA.
AIDS Behav. 2024 Sep;28(9):3051-3059. doi: 10.1007/s10461-024-04389-w. Epub 2024 Jul 13.
Until recently, most syringe services programs (SSPs) in the United States operated in metropolitan areas. This study explores how SSP implementers at rural health departments in Kentucky secured support for SSP operations. In late 2020, we conducted in-depth, semi-structured interviews with 18 people involved with rural SSP implementation in Kentucky. Participants were asked to reflect on their experiences building support for SSP operations among rural health department staff and community members. Participants reported that attitudes and beliefs about SSP implementation among rural health department staff shifted quickly following engagement in educational activities and interaction with SSP clients. Participants explained that successful SSP implementation at rural health departments required sustained educational activities among community members and authorizing authorities. Future work should explore how rural communities may advocate for low-threshold and evidence-based policies that support the provision of harm reduction services.
直到最近，美国大多数注射器服务项目（SSP）都在大都市区运营。本研究探讨了肯塔基州农村卫生部门的 SSP 实施者如何获得 SSP 运营的支持。在 2020 年底，我们对参与肯塔基州农村 SSP 实施的 18 人进行了深入的半结构化访谈。参与者被要求反思他们在农村卫生部门工作人员和社区成员中建立 SSP 运营支持的经验。参与者报告说，农村卫生部门工作人员对 SSP 实施的态度和信念在参与教育活动和与 SSP 客户互动后迅速转变。参与者解释说，在农村卫生部门成功实施 SSP 需要在社区成员和授权机构中持续开展教育活动。未来的工作应该探讨农村社区如何倡导支持提供减少伤害服务的低门槛和基于证据的政策。
