Table 2 Overview of included literature on data monitoring of substance use-related harms, purpose of the study/report, and engagement of people who use drugs
Article | Document type | Summary of purpose | Involvement of PWUD |
|---|---|---|---|
Bardwell et al. [32] | Peer-Reviewed Paper | Examines the level of trust PWUD have in their drug dealers Provides perspectives on the potential for drug dealers to use DCTs for customers | Participants |
Bardwell et al. [29] | Peer-Reviewed Paper | Examines the willingness to use various DCT among structurally-vulnerable PWUD | Participants |
Betsos et al. [30] | Peer-Reviewed Paper | Explores drug sellers’ negotiation of and engagement with DCT | Participants |
British Columbia Centre for Disease Control [16] | Report | A brief literature review conducted to examine the perceptions of people who use drugs on adulteration practices and drug quality assessment techniques | Participants |
Buxton et al. [20] | Peer-Reviewed Paper | Describes the formation and surveillance system of the British Columbia Drug Overdose and Alert Partnership Uses examples of fentanyl-associated overdoses and deaths to describe the attributes that make the system effective | Consultants |
Carroll et al. [9] | Peer-Reviewed Paper | Explores the social and relational factors that shape the current opioid overdose epidemic | Participants |
Cook [31] | Report | Provides an overview of problematic substance use demonstrating the need for enhanced harm reduction services Presents options for addressing the current opioid crisis, including exploring the feasibility of supervised injection services | Consultants |
Gomes et al. [26] | Report | Reviews the circumstances surrounding opioid-related deaths during the pandemic Reviews patterns of opioid-related mortality and morbidity to inform interventions | Authors |
Gomes et al. [27] | Report | Describes the characteristics and healthcare patterns of people who died of an accidental opioid-related toxicity prior to and during the pandemic Focuses people who were experiencing homelessness in order to inform supportive approaches | Authors |
Kolla and Penn [37] | Report | Provides evaluation of a program designed to reduce barriers to access of harm reduction equipment, supplies, and education, and to reduce social isolation Describes program linkages to health care and social services among PWUD, who were otherwise unconnected to services and care | Participants |
Kolla and Strike [17] | Peer-Reviewed Manuscript | Examines the integration of people who sell drugs directly into harm reduction service provision, and their practices of care with other PWUD in their community | Participants and Advisory Members |
Loyal and Buxton [33] | Report | Identifies methods and modes of communicating drug alerts, how they can be improved, and how they affect drug choice and use behaviours Explores how peers receive information about toxic drugs and the needs of those who do not access harm reduction supply distribution sites | Participants |
Ontario Agency for Health Protection and Promotion et al. [18] | Report | Summarizes the characteristics of persons and the circumstances surrounding their deaths from completed investigations of confirmed opioid-related deaths | Advisory Members |
Palamar et al. [34] | Peer-Reviewed Manuscript | Investigates the research gap between formal drug checking services and personal test kits Provides important information regarding the provision of these harm reduction initiatives and identifying potential areas for improvement | Participants |
Parkinson et al. [19] | Report | Provides information related to substance use trends, drug-related health issues and risk behaviors/needs of PWUD Discusses barriers and supports to accessing health care and supportive services to improve the health of PWUD | Participants and Advisory Members |
Region of Peel [22] | Report | Reports on the local response efforts focused on better understanding and monitoring and responding to local opioid use and overdose Discusses bringing together stakeholders, enforcement, and justice related to opioid/substance use around one table | Consultants |
Scarfone et al. [28] | Peer-Reviewed Manuscript | Presents trends of samples analyzed early during DCS implementation, along with reported negative effects Identifies the prevalence of high-potency opioids in the unregulated drug supply as well as combinations with stimulants, benzodiazepines, and synthetic cannabinoids | Authors |
Shepherd and Caldwell [23] | Report | Describes a comprehensive set of actions to prevent and respond to overdoses, focusing on actions at the local level Discussion combining the knowledge and expertise of PWUD, their family and friends, and people working in the field, with best practices and research | Consultants |
Soukup-Baljak et al. [35] | Peer-Reviewed Manuscript | Describes the perspective of PWUD to characterize the practices used to assess the quality of street drugs and to reduce harms from adulterants Develops recommendations on how to effectively communicate drug alerts to PWUD | Participants |
Wallace et al. [36] | Peer-Reviewed Paper | Examines the potential impacts of community DCS through a socio-ecological model, from the perspective of service users Evaluates harm reduction and social justice through effectiveness of DCS within the context of illicit drug criminalization, stigmatization, and the overdose crisis | Participants |
Windsor-Essex Country Health Unit [24] | Report | Provides recommendations categorized under the Four Pillars approach Discusses the role for enforcement agencies and first responders to build partnerships for a safer and healthier community | Consultants |
York Region Public Health [25] | Report | Describes strategies for harm reduction under the Four Pillars approach, with feedback from PWUD | Consultants |