A drug-related Good Samaritan Law and calling emergency medical services for drug overdoses in a Canadian setting.

ABSTRACT:

Background

People who use drugs (PWUD) are known to fear calling emergency medical services (EMS) for drug overdoses. In response, drug-related Good Samaritan Laws (GSLs) have been widely adopted in the USA and Canada to encourage bystanders to call emergency medical services (EMS) in the event of a drug overdose. However, the effect of GSLs on EMS-calling behaviours has been understudied. We sought to identify factors associated with EMS-calling, including the enactment of the Canadian GSL in May 2017, among PWUD in Vancouver, Canada, a setting with an ongoing overdose crisis.

Methods

Data were derived from three prospective cohort studies of PWUD in Vancouver in 2014-2018. Multivariable logistic regression was used to determine factors associated with EMS-calling among PWU

SUBMITTER: Moallef S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8393452 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature