Comprehensive Care for People Who Use Drugs: Combining Infectious Diseases Services, Harm Reduction, and Primary Care.

ABSTRACT:

Background

People who use drugs (PWUD) have not only increased risk of infectious diseases but also low uptake of primary care. Community-based harm reduction (HR) programs are trusted sources of care among this vulnerable population. Expansion of services offered through these programs may improve access and engagement; we assessed uptake of services within a pilot program in Chicago that offered comprehensive primary care, infectious diseases consultation, and substance use disorder (SUD) and HR services.

Methods

PWUD seeking HR services were referred by outreach workers with lived SUD experiences to primary care and infectious diseases providers embedded in the HR program. We reviewed all clinical encounters occurring from 19 October 2018 to 31 December 2021. We assessed

SUBMITTER: Knodle RD 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12039805 | biostudies-literature | 2025 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature