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ABSTRACT: Introduction
Opioid overdoses are a major public health emergency in the United States. Despite effective treatments that can save lives, access to and utilization of such treatments are limited. Community context plays an important role in addressing treatment barriers and increasing access. The HEALing Communities Study (HCS) is a multisite community-level cluster-randomized trial that will study implementation and outcomes of a community coalition-based intervention (Communities that HEAL [CTH]) that implements evidence-based practices (EBPs) to reduce opioid overdose deaths in four states. To examine contextual factors critical to understanding implementation, we assessed the perspectives of community members about their communities, current substance use-related services, and other important issues that could impact intervention implementation.Methods
Researchers conducted 382 semi-structured qualitative interviews in the HCS communities. Interviews were audio-recorded and transcribed; researchers subsequently analyzed data using directed content analysis based on the constructs of the RE-AIM/PRISM implementation science framework to identify key themes within the external community context.Results
Despite the diversity in states and communities, four similar themes related to the external community context emerged across communities: These themes included the importance of understanding: 1) community risk perceptions, 2) levels of stigma, 3) the health services environment and the availability of substance use services, and 4) funding for substance use services.Conclusion
Understanding and addressing the external community context in which the CTH intervention and EBPs are implemented are crucial for successful health services-related and community engaged interventions. While implementing EBPs is a challenging undertaking, doing so will help us to understand if and how a community-based intervention can successfully reduce opioid overdose deaths and influence both community beliefs and the community treatment landscape.
SUBMITTER: Drainoni ML
PROVIDER: S-EPMC9167242 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Jul
REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature
Drainoni Mari-Lynn ML Knudsen Hannah K HK Adams Kathy K Andrews-Higgins Shaquita A SA Auritt Vanessa V Back Sandi S Barkowski Laura K LK Batty Evan J EJ Behrooz Melika R MR Bell Sydney S Chen Sadie S Christopher Mia-Cara MC Coovert Nicolette N Crable Erika L EL Dasgupta Anindita A Goetz Michael M Goddard-Eckrich Dawn D Hartman Jeanie L JL Heffer Holly H Iftikhar Pulwasha P Jones Latasha L Lang Samantha S Lunze Karsten K Martin Anna A McCrimmon Tara T Reedy-Johnson Melissa K MK Roeber Carter C Scalise Ariel L AL Sieck Cynthia J CJ Walker Daniel M DM Walt Galya G Wood Jennifer D JD Zito Priscilla P McAlearney Ann Scheck AS
Journal of substance abuse treatment 20220131
<h4>Introduction</h4>Opioid overdoses are a major public health emergency in the United States. Despite effective treatments that can save lives, access to and utilization of such treatments are limited. Community context plays an important role in addressing treatment barriers and increasing access. The HEALing Communities Study (HCS) is a multisite community-level cluster-randomized trial that will study implementation and outcomes of a community coalition-based intervention (Communities that ...[more]