Community readiness for harm reduction approaches to drug use: A qualitative Pilot study in Nigeria

In Nigeria, drug abuse presents mounting public health challenges, understanding community readiness for harm reduction strategies is crucial yet understudied. This qualitative study examined community readiness to adopt harm reduction approaches and support the reintegration of individuals with drug use disorders. Through in-depth interviews with 18 participants, including parents of children with and without drug use disorders and healthcare providers from the Neuro-Psychiatric Hospital in Akure; the study revealed a complex interplay of factors affecting drug use and recovery. Despite identifying over seventy eligible households for this research, widespread stigma significantly limited participation, highlighting the deep-rooted social barriers facing intervention efforts. The findings uncovered that drug use is driven by an intricate web of factors: knowledge gaps about health risks, peer influence, economic hardship, and spiritual beliefs. Critical barriers to implementing harm reduction strategies emerged, including resource constraints and leadership buy-in. The study illuminates how strong family support systems, transformed social perceptions, and enhanced government policies could create pathways for effective harm reduction implementation. These insights suggest that successful intervention requires a nuanced, culturally attuned approach that combines stigma reduction, family empowerment, religious institution engagement, and policy advocacy offering a blueprint for community psychologists and healthcare providers working to build resilient, recovery-supportive communities in similar cultural contexts.