Injection Drug Users’ Access to a Supervised Injection Facility in Vancouver, Canada: The Influence of Operating Policies and Local Drug Culture
North America’s first supervised injection facility (SIF) was established in Vancouver, Canada, in 2003. Although evaluation research has documented reductions in risk behavior among SIF users, there has been limited examination of the influence of operational features on injection drug users’ acces...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
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| Format: | Journal Article |
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Sage Publications, Inc
2011
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| Online Access: | http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/14374 |
| _version_ | 1848748606028251136 |
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| author | Small, W. Shoveller, J. Moore, David Tyndall, M. Wood, E. Kerr, T. |
| author_facet | Small, W. Shoveller, J. Moore, David Tyndall, M. Wood, E. Kerr, T. |
| author_sort | Small, W. |
| building | Curtin Institutional Repository |
| collection | Online Access |
| description | North America’s first supervised injection facility (SIF) was established in Vancouver, Canada, in 2003. Although evaluation research has documented reductions in risk behavior among SIF users, there has been limited examination of the influence of operational features on injection drug users’ access to these facilities. We conducted an ethnographic study that included observational research within the SIF, 50 in-depth individual interviews with SIF users, and analysis of the regulatory frameworks governing the SIF. The government-granted exemption allowing the facility to operate legally imposes key operating regulations, as well as a cap on capacity, which results in significant wait times to enter the injecting room. Regulations that prohibit practices that are common in the local drug culture also negatively affect SIF utilization. Restructuring policies that shape the operation of the SIF could enhance access to the facility and permit SIF services to better accommodate local drug use practices. |
| first_indexed | 2025-11-14T07:07:43Z |
| format | Journal Article |
| id | curtin-20.500.11937-14374 |
| institution | Curtin University Malaysia |
| institution_category | Local University |
| last_indexed | 2025-11-14T07:07:43Z |
| publishDate | 2011 |
| publisher | Sage Publications, Inc |
| recordtype | eprints |
| repository_type | Digital Repository |
| spelling | curtin-20.500.11937-143742017-09-13T15:57:06Z Injection Drug Users’ Access to a Supervised Injection Facility in Vancouver, Canada: The Influence of Operating Policies and Local Drug Culture Small, W. Shoveller, J. Moore, David Tyndall, M. Wood, E. Kerr, T. semistructured HIV/AIDS prevention substance use addiction interviews ethnography North America’s first supervised injection facility (SIF) was established in Vancouver, Canada, in 2003. Although evaluation research has documented reductions in risk behavior among SIF users, there has been limited examination of the influence of operational features on injection drug users’ access to these facilities. We conducted an ethnographic study that included observational research within the SIF, 50 in-depth individual interviews with SIF users, and analysis of the regulatory frameworks governing the SIF. The government-granted exemption allowing the facility to operate legally imposes key operating regulations, as well as a cap on capacity, which results in significant wait times to enter the injecting room. Regulations that prohibit practices that are common in the local drug culture also negatively affect SIF utilization. Restructuring policies that shape the operation of the SIF could enhance access to the facility and permit SIF services to better accommodate local drug use practices. 2011 Journal Article http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/14374 10.1177/1049732311400919 Sage Publications, Inc restricted |
| spellingShingle | semistructured HIV/AIDS prevention substance use addiction interviews ethnography Small, W. Shoveller, J. Moore, David Tyndall, M. Wood, E. Kerr, T. Injection Drug Users’ Access to a Supervised Injection Facility in Vancouver, Canada: The Influence of Operating Policies and Local Drug Culture |
| title | Injection Drug Users’ Access to a Supervised Injection Facility in Vancouver, Canada: The Influence of Operating Policies and Local Drug Culture |
| title_full | Injection Drug Users’ Access to a Supervised Injection Facility in Vancouver, Canada: The Influence of Operating Policies and Local Drug Culture |
| title_fullStr | Injection Drug Users’ Access to a Supervised Injection Facility in Vancouver, Canada: The Influence of Operating Policies and Local Drug Culture |
| title_full_unstemmed | Injection Drug Users’ Access to a Supervised Injection Facility in Vancouver, Canada: The Influence of Operating Policies and Local Drug Culture |
| title_short | Injection Drug Users’ Access to a Supervised Injection Facility in Vancouver, Canada: The Influence of Operating Policies and Local Drug Culture |
| title_sort | injection drug users’ access to a supervised injection facility in vancouver, canada: the influence of operating policies and local drug culture |
| topic | semistructured HIV/AIDS prevention substance use addiction interviews ethnography |
| url | http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/14374 |