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How do drug users define their progress in harm reduction programs? Qualitative research to develop user-generated
1New York Harm Reduction Educators, Inc (NYHRE), 903 Dawson St, Bronx, New York 10459. truefli@worldnet.att.net
Harm Reduction Journal
|August 31, 2004
Summary
Harm reduction programs can measure client progress using culturally relevant outcomes beyond just drug use quantity. This research defines 10 life areas important to drug users for better quality of life assessments.
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Sociology
- Addiction Studies
Background:
- Harm reduction is an emerging, debated approach for treating drug users with limited research.
- Existing research lacks understanding of how drug users perceive their own progress.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop culturally relevant, measurable, and hierarchical outcomes for harm reduction programs.
- To understand how drug users define progress and envision a better quality of life.
Main Methods:
- Utilized nominal group technique (NGT) for outcome development (Phase 1).
- Employed focus group interviews for validation (Phase 2).
- Recruited approximately 120 clients from a New York City harm reduction program for each phase.
Main Results:
- Developed 10 key life outcome areas with 10-15 incremental measures each.
- Identified outcomes in areas such as finances, food security, housing, family relations, services access, health, emotional well-being, legal issues, self-improvement, and drug use management.
- Challenged traditional drug use metrics, proposing measures based on life integration and negative impact.
Conclusions:
- Harm reduction programs should adopt client-centered outcome measures.
- Provider-defined solutions may not align with the lived experiences and values of marginalized populations.
- Outcomes should reflect the holistic impact of drug use on a user's life and their progress towards well-being.