Grant: Doctoral Research Award: Canada Graduate Scholarships

The opioid epidemic in Canada is well known to the general public, as well, to the health care providers (HCP) caring for this patient population. People who inject drugs (PWID) suffer from significant adverse health outcomes, such as high rates of infectious diseases, injection related infections and fatal and non-fatal overdoses which, at times, require hospitalization. While in hospital, most patients will receive a vascular access device for the administration of fluid, medication, and/or blood products depending on their treatment regimen. As such, these devices can be used by patients for the self-administration of non-prescribed drugs. The purpose of this research is to examine health care provider's attitudes/beliefs/views on in-hospital harm reduction policies related to the care of PWID drugs through a hospital acquired vascular access device. These findings will help to further address (1) the attitudes/beliefs/views of HCP on the adoption of intravenous drug use policies in the hospital setting and how to approach/educate/support them (2) to help guide policy creation and implementation for this patient population in the hospital setting. This study employs a qualitative design, a phenomenological approach, in which interviews will be conducted with HCP's regarding the creation and implementation of harm reduction policies and associated attitudes/beliefs/views. Further, thematic analysis will be conducted to recognize and understand themes. The creation of such policies can improve the overall health of PWID by preventing additional length of stay in hospital due to conditions/diseases associated with contaminated injection supplies. This could result in more patients completing their prescribed medical therapy as inadequately treated medical problems may result increased morbidity and hospital readmission. Furthermore, this would give guidance to help support health care professionals in caring for this patient population.