Peer Support and Overdose Prevention Responses: A Systematic ‘State-of-the-Art’ Review

Mercer, Fiona; Miler, Joanna Astrid; Pauly, Bernie; Carver, Hannah; Hnízdilová, Kristina; Foster, Rebecca; Parkes, Tessa

doi:10.3390/ijerph182212073

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Peer Support and Overdose Prevention Responses: A Systematic ‘State-of-the-Art’ Review

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Salvation Army Centre for Addiction Services and Research, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Stirling, Stirling FK9 4LA, Scotland, UK

Canadian Institute for Substance Use Research, University of Victoria, Victoria, BC V8P 5C2, Canada

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Joint first authors.

Academic Editors: Natasha Reid and Maike Neuhaus

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2021, 18(22), 12073; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph182212073

Received: 29 September 2021 / Revised: 8 November 2021 / Accepted: 11 November 2021 / Published: 17 November 2021

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Peer-Led Health and Wellbeing Interventions: Feasibility, Effectiveness and Future Potential)

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Abstract

Overdose prevention for people who use illicit drugs is essential during the current overdose crisis. Peer support is a process whereby individuals with lived or living experience of a particular phenomenon provide support to others by explicitly drawing on these experiences. This review provides a systematic search and evidence synthesis of peer support within overdose prevention interventions for people who use illicit drugs. A systematic search of six databases (CINAHL, SocINDEX, PsycINFO, MEDLINE, Scopus, and Web of Knowledge) was conducted in November 2020 for papers published in English between 2000 and 2020. Following screening and full-text review, 46 papers met criteria and were included in this review. A thematic analysis approach was used to synthesize themes. Important findings include: the value of peers in creating trusted services; the diversity of peers’ roles; the implications of barriers on peer-involved overdose prevention interventions; and the stress and trauma experienced by peers. Peers play a pivotal role in overdose prevention interventions for people who use illicit drugs and are essential to the acceptability and feasibility of such services. However, peers face considerable challenges within their roles, including trauma and burnout. Future interventions must consider how to support and strengthen peer roles in overdose settings. View Full-Text

Keywords: harm reduction; peer support; peer-involved interventions; illicit drug use; overdose prevention; lived experience; systematic review; state-of-the art review

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Mercer, F.; Miler, J.A.; Pauly, B.; Carver, H.; Hnízdilová, K.; Foster, R.; Parkes, T. Peer Support and Overdose Prevention Responses: A Systematic ‘State-of-the-Art’ Review. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2021, 18, 12073. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph182212073

AMA Style

Mercer F, Miler JA, Pauly B, Carver H, Hnízdilová K, Foster R, Parkes T. Peer Support and Overdose Prevention Responses: A Systematic ‘State-of-the-Art’ Review. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. 2021; 18(22):12073. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph182212073

Chicago/Turabian Style

Mercer, Fiona, Joanna A. Miler, Bernie Pauly, Hannah Carver, Kristina Hnízdilová, Rebecca Foster, and Tessa Parkes. 2021. "Peer Support and Overdose Prevention Responses: A Systematic ‘State-of-the-Art’ Review" International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 18, no. 22: 12073. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph182212073

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Author Biographies

Fiona Mercer

Fiona Mercer is a Research Fellow in the Salvation Army Centre for Addiction Services and Research (SACASR) at the University of Stirling. Her research interests include peer interventions; harm reduction; illicit substance use; and social inequality. Fiona completed her PhD at Glasgow Caledonian University in 2018, which explored the impact of family centre attendance on the creation and development of social networks and social capital in one deprived community in Glasgow, Scotland. Fiona specialises in qualitative research methodologies and has a background in social and health psychology.

Joanna Astrid Miler

Joanna Miler is a Knowledge Exchange Fellow in the Salvation Army Centre for Addiction Services and Research (SACASR) at the University of Stirling. Her background is in addiction research, particularly in smoking cessation and harm reduction. In the research centre, Joanna contributes to the ongoing research in problem substance use and related interventions as well as undertaking various knowledge exchange activities. Joanna has a PhD in Psychology from the University of Southampton.

Bernie Pauly

Bernie Pauly is a professor in the UVic School of Nursing, a scientist with the Canadian Institute for Substance Use Research (formerly CARBC), a member of the Renewal of Public Health Services Research Team, and a priority lead for the Canadian Observatory on Homelessness. The primary focus of her research is reducing health inequities associated with substance use, poverty, and homelessness. Bernie is a research collaborator with the Greater Victoria Coalition to End Homelessness, SOLID (Society of Living Illicit Drug Users), and Victoria Cool Aid Society.

Hannah Carver

Dr Hannah Carver is a Lecturer in Substance Use and Deputy Director of the Salvation Army Centre for Addictions Services and Research at the University of Stirling. She holds a PhD from Edinburgh Napier University (2017), a MSc in Health Psychology from Queen Margaret University (2009, distinction), and an MA (Hons) from University of Aberdeen (2008, 2:1). She joined the University of Stirling in 2017, working as a Knowledge Exchange Fellow, then as a Lecturer in 2019. Her research interests include substance use, homelessness, health inequalities, harm reduction, and qualitative methodology. Her PhD research looked at substance use communication between looked-after young people and their formal carers. She is a member of the British Psychological Society, Society for the Study of Addiction and Addiction, and the Family International Network.

Kristina Hnízdilová

Kristina Hnízdilová is a research assistant at the Salvation Army Centre for Addiction Services and Research. She contributes to research regarding homelessness and health services. Kristina is also a PhD candidate at the University of Dundee (MRC iCASE)

Rebecca Foster

Rebeca Foster is based in the Salvation Army Centre for Addiction Services and Research, part of the Faculty of Social Sciences. She was the Research Fellow for an NIHR funded study - ‘Supporting Harm Reduction through Peer Support’ (SHARPS) and for an NHS Fife funded study on prescription opioid overdose risk. Rebecca co-leads and works on a range of projects relating to problem substance, including intersections with homelessness, and also supervises undergraduate and postgraduate students. Rebecca completed her PhD in Criminology at the University in Glasgow (part of the Scottish Centre for Crime and Justice Research) and her PhD explored the experiences of imprisonment for families of prisoners.

Tessa Parkes

Tessa Parkes is Research Director for the Salvation Army Centre for Addiction Services and Research at the University of Stirling where she leads a number of research and knowledge exchange projects focused on the reduction of harms and promotion of health and well-being for those impacted by social and health inequalities. For 20 years Tessa's research activity has centred on enhancing the experience of people who use health/social care services, with a clear commitment to social justice, health equity. and advocacy for poorly serviced groups, including people who use alcohol and drugs.

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Peer Support and Overdose Prevention Responses: A Systematic ‘State-of-the-Art’ Review

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