Building Community Capacity for Harm Reduction: An Adaptive Implementation Science Approach in Rural Appalachian Ohio.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Rural communities face significant implementation challenges addressing the overdose epidemic, including limited treatment capacity, pervasive stigma toward people who use drugs, and social and political opposition to evidence-based interventions.

Objectives

Rather than implementing prescribed harm reduction services that may face community resistance, the Ohio Opioid Project adopted a capacity-building approach to address structural barriers and enhance community readiness for future harm reduction and treatment innovation across 3 rural Appalachian Ohio counties.

Methods

This applied implementation project used the Evidence-Making Intervention framework with process evaluation. Mixed-methods formative research included interviews with stakeholders (n</

SUBMITTER: Sibley AL 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12852583 | biostudies-literature | 2026 Jan-Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature