Assessing attitudes towards elements of the overdose response hotlines/applications (ORHAs)

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Digital Health
• Substance Use Research

Background:

• Novel Overdose Response Hotlines and Applications (ORHAs) are emerging as critical tools to combat the overdose epidemic.
• These digital platforms offer harm reduction support, including overdose monitoring and referrals to social and mental health services.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the perspectives of people who use unregulated substances (currently and previously) and addiction service providers on the importance of specific ORHA features.
• To inform the development and standardization of virtual harm reduction technologies.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of data from the Canadian National Questionnaire on Overdose Monitoring (CNQOM), a large national survey.
• Participants (people who use unregulated substances currently/previously, and addiction service providers) rated 33 ORHA service elements on a 5-point Likert scale.
• Descriptive statistics and ordinal logistical regression were used for data analysis.

Main Results:

• The majority of all respondent groups (971 total participants) considered all ORHA elements important, with generally similar rankings across groups.
• Top-ranked features included 24/7 availability, EMS resuscitation capability, non-judgmental support, access to mental health support, and feeling safer during substance use.
• High importance was consistently assigned to features promoting safety, accessibility, and compassionate care.

Conclusions:

• Multiple stakeholder groups place significant importance on various ORHA features, highlighting essential elements for standardization.
• Findings offer insights for enhancing virtual platforms to be more responsive, accessible, and trusted harm reduction resources.
• The study underscores the need for user-centered design in developing effective digital harm reduction tools.