Grant: Patient-Oriented Research Collaboration Grants

The stigma associated with substance use affects the health and well-being of people who use drugs, particularly those who are also experiencing disadvantages like homelessness, racism, classism, and poverty. It also bars people from accessing health care services, including primary care, and from participating in the development and implementation of health services. In the past few months, a group of community-based researchers, service providers, and people who use substances has gotten together regularly to discuss opportunities for collaborating on research projects and for improving access to health care services for this population. We propose to use this funding opportunity to develop processes for working together going forward, and to develop ways of improving primary care for people who use substances and who are struggling with social disadvantages. Our work is supported by the local health authority, the university, and the association of primary care physicians. Findings from this project will help to improve understandings of culturally safe and equitable primary care for people who use substances. They will also build local capacity for participatory research among people who use substances, and will yield insights into processes for successful patient-oriented research that will be of high value to the broader field.