Would provision of Take Home Naloxone Kits by Emergency Medical Services be perceived as acceptable to people at risk of opioid overdose? A qualitative study

Hughes, Jane, Sampson, F. C., Buykx, Penny, Long, Jaqui, Edwards, Adrian ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6228-4446, Evans, B.A., Goodacre, Steve, Jones, Matthew B., Moore, Chris and Snooks, Helen A. 2024. Would provision of Take Home Naloxone Kits by Emergency Medical Services be perceived as acceptable to people at risk of opioid overdose? A qualitative study. Prehospital Emergency Care 10.1080/10903127.2024.2435034

PDF - Accepted Post-Print Version Download (849kB)

Abstract

OBJECTIVES Take home naloxone kits can reduce mortality, but we know little about how they are perceived by people with lived experience of opioid use. Provision of naloxone in the community has been shown to significantly reduce mortality from opioid overdose. Currently, this is predominantly through drug treatment support services but expanding provision through other services might be effective in increasing kit take-up and mortality reduction. This study aimed to examine participants' experiences of opiate overdose and acceptability of provision of naloxone kits through ambulance/paramedic emergency services (EMS) and hospital Emergency Departments (ED). METHODS Qualitative interviews were conducted with 26 people who had direct experience of opioid use. Participants were recruited at two substance-use treatment centres and a third sector support organisation in three large cities in the United Kingdom. Interviews examined respondents’ experiences of opioid use and opioid overdose, access and personal use of naloxone kits, and opinions about kit provision from EMS and hospital ED staff. Interview data were thematically analysed using a constant comparative method. RESULTS Four key themes were identified during analysis: 1) High levels of overdose experience and knowledge of naloxone and naloxone kits; 2) naloxone kits were perceived as effective and easy to use 3) There were some concerns around the risks of administering naloxone, such as peer aggression during withdrawal. 4) Participants supported much wider personal, family and peer provision of naloxone kits from community support organisations as well as from EMS. CONCLUSIONS Participants felt naloxone kits were an important resource and they wanted increased provision across a range of services including EMS and hospital ED staff as well as community pharmacies and needle exchange centres. Participants wanted naloxone kit provision to be extended to peers, family and friends.

Item Type:	Article
Date Type:	Published Online
Status:	In Press
Schools:	Medicine
Additional Information:	License information from Publisher: LICENSE 1: URL: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/, Start Date: 2024-12-19
Publisher:	Taylor and Francis Group
ISSN:	1090-3127
Date of First Compliant Deposit:	13 January 2025
Date of Acceptance:	21 November 2024
Last Modified:	13 Jan 2025 11:00
URI:	https://orca.cardiff.ac.uk/id/eprint/175215

Actions (repository staff only)

Edit Item