Piercey Cianna J, Pince Claire L, Karoly Hollis C
Department of Psychology, Colorado State University, 1876 Campus Delivery, Fort Collins, CO, 80523-1876, USA.
Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA.
Harm Reduct J. 2025 Jun 24;22(1):110. doi: 10.1186/s12954-025-01252-6.
Fentanyl test strips (FTS) are a harm reduction tool used by individuals seeking to avoid unintentional fentanyl exposure while consuming other illicit substances (e.g., heroin, cocaine). While evidence speaks to the efficacy and acceptability of FTS, there are currently no standardized instructions for the use of FTS as a drug checking tool, and little is known about potential variability across instructions.
We sought to investigate variability in content across FTS instructions (N = 16) through conducting a thematic content analysis of instructions listed in the first three pages of a Google search. The search was conducted in May of 2024, with "fentanyl test strip instructions" entered as the search term. To be included in the present analysis, the information listed in the search result must have contained explicit instructions for how to use FTS and have been printed in English.
Thematic content analysis of FTS instructions yielded 26 codes and 4 themes. Themes included (1) Information about FTS (2) Testing Methods (3) Test Results and (4) Additional Resources. Overall, results indicated considerable variability across the 16 instructions examined, with the greatest variability observed within the testing methods theme.
Inconsistencies in online FTS instructions, such as those identified in the current study, could lead to distrust among people who use drugs and disengagement with this drug checking practice. Standardized and accessible instructions are critical to optimizing the efficacy of FTS as a harm reduction tool and reducing accidental fentanyl exposure.
芬太尼检测试纸（FTS）是一种减少伤害的工具，供那些在吸食其他非法物质（如海洛因、可卡因）时试图避免意外接触芬太尼的人使用。虽然有证据表明芬太尼检测试纸的有效性和可接受性，但目前尚无将其用作毒品检测工具的标准化使用说明，对于不同说明之间的潜在差异也知之甚少。
我们通过对谷歌搜索首页列出的说明进行主题内容分析，来调查芬太尼检测试纸说明（N = 16）中的内容差异。搜索于2024年5月进行，搜索词为“芬太尼检测试纸使用说明”。要纳入本分析，搜索结果中列出的信息必须包含如何使用芬太尼检测试纸的明确说明，并且必须是英文印刷的。
对芬太尼检测试纸说明的主题内容分析产生了26个代码和4个主题。主题包括：（1）关于芬太尼检测试纸的信息；（2）检测方法；（3）检测结果；（4）其他资源。总体而言，结果表明在所检查的16份说明中存在相当大的差异，其中在检测方法主题中观察到的差异最大。
在线芬太尼检测试纸说明中的不一致，如本研究中所发现的那些，可能导致吸毒者之间的不信任，并使他们不再参与这种毒品检测做法。标准化且易于获取的说明对于优化芬太尼检测试纸作为减少伤害工具的功效以及减少意外芬太尼暴露至关重要
