Community-Based Co-Design of Public Health Messaging for Harm Reduction and Overdose Response Technology

The overdose crisis remains a major public health emergency across North America, exacerbated by the presence of highly potent synthetic opioids and disproportionate access to harm reduction resources. To improve engagement with overdose response technology, this study employs a community co-design approach to develop and evaluate naloxone kit-based messaging, aiming to enhance awareness and uptake among people who use substances.

An online workshop was conducted with eight participants to generate insights for improving public health messaging and engagement with overdose response technology. Using co-design-based methods and thematic analysis to interpret the results, the study identified several key messaging strategies and refined naloxone kit-based messaging through an iterative design process.

Participants highlighted a significant gap in public awareness of overdose response technology, particularly outside of harm reduction circles, and emphasized the need for messaging that conveys safety, support, and empathy. Preferred dissemination strategies included social media campaigns, naloxone kit inserts, and partnerships with community organizations, while participants also called for increased public awareness of harm reduction resources.

This study highlights critical gaps in public awareness of overdose response technology and emphasizes the need for strategic messaging to enhance accessibility. Participants stressed the importance of expanding outreach beyond harm reduction communities, using non-judgmental, supportive language, and leveraging digital and community-based dissemination methods to reach high-risk populations effectively.