ABSTRACT
People who use psychoactive substances and who attend drug treatment and harm reduction services represent groups whose vulnerabilities are exacerbated during a pandemic. We study the pandemic experience of people with problematic substance use and its impact on professional practices and policies, with an eye towards vulnerability and innovations. This comparative study was conducted in France and Quebec via semi-structured interviews with substance users (France, n=25;Quebec, n=15) and care and harm reduction providers (France, n=25;Quebec, n=18). We employ a pragmatist theoretical approach that reflexively analyzes the macro and micro levels together. During the first lockdown, professionals tried their best to organize a continuity of service to meet the needs of people in a context of a health emergency via the deployment of access to accommodation and the development of teleconsultation to ensure continuity of care. Innovative collaborations between actors occurred related to accommodation or the inclusion of harm reduction (alcohol and safe supply) in shelters. Difficulties were observed stemming from organizational constraints. Individuals adopted the preventive measures and had to endure social control both in the health and repressive fields. Beyond the vulnerabilities produced by COVID-19, adaptations also constitute opportunities for: solidarity between users and professionals, professional innovations, as well as new modes of collaboration and inter-actor organization. © 2022 Criminologie. All rights reserved.
ABSTRACT
Background To mitigate the adverse effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on financial resources, governments provided financial support (e.g., emergency aid funds) as well as family via personal assistance. This study aims to assess the moderating effect of financial support from the government or from family on the association between income loss and depression among young adults. Methods Two online cross-sectional surveys among young adults (18-29) living in Canada and France were conducted in October-December 2020 (n = 4511) and July-December 2021 (n = 3329). Depressive symptoms were measured using PHQ-9 score+10. Two logistic regression models were performed for each survey with an interaction term between income loss and financial support (government or family modeled separately), controlling for demographics (e.g., country, age, gender, income, living conditions). Results In the total sample, half reported depressive symptoms (2020/2021: 53%/46%), and over a third lost income (2020/2021: 10%/12% all income, 38%/22% some income). In 2020, 41% received government financial support (2021: 18%) while family/friends support was constant (12%). In both surveys, among those who received government support, income loss was associated with depression, whether participants lost all income (2020: AOR 1.75 [1.29-2.44];2021: AOR 2.17 [1.36-3.44]), or some income (2020: AOR 1.31 [1.17-1.81];2021: AOR 1.46 [0.99-2.16]). However, among those who received family support, income loss was no longer significantly associated with depression, whether participants lost all income (2020: AOR 1.37 [0.78-2.40];2021: AOR 1.51 [0.88-2.56]), or some income (2020: AOR 1.31 [0.86-1.99];2021: AOR 1.10 [0.67-1.81]). Conclusions Association between income loss and depression was moderated by receipt of family financial support but not by receipt of government support. Financial support may help to mitigate the negative effects of income loss on young adults mental health during public health crisis. Key messages • Financial support may help to minimize risk of depressive symptoms among youth who lost income related to the COVID-19 pandemic. • Financial support through personal assistance (e.g., family, friends) appears to have a greater impact on youth mental health than COVID-specific government assistance funds.
ABSTRACT
F. Kapadia and K. R. de Camargo Jr oversaw peer reviewer selection and evaluated peer reviews, and Alfredo Morabia, AJPH Editor-in-Chief, made final decisions on editorials selected for inclusion in the supplement. All editors jointly reviewed the main research articles, and commissioned and invited the accompanying editorials. Ryan McNeil, Marie Jauffret-Roustide, and Helena Hansen authored the introductory editorial "Reducing Drug-Related Harms and Promoting Health Justice Worldwide During and After COVID-19: An AJPH Supplement". © 2022 American Public Health Association Inc.. All rights reserved.
ABSTRACT
Based on data from mandatory HIV declarations in France, this article presents the characteristics of new HIV diagnoses among people who inject drugs (PWID), by their birthplace, for the period 2016-2019, and the evolutions of these characteristics since the 2004-2007 period. For 2016-2019, PWID represented 0.8% of all new HIV diagnoses declared, a decreased percentage compared to 2004-2007 (1.7%). The main evolutions observed are an increasing trend of PWID aged 50 years or over, an increase of unemployed PWID, a sharp rise in PWID from Eastern Europe and a decrease in those born in France, as well as an improvement in the early diagnosis indicator for PWID born in France that was not observed for those born abroad. Almost three-quarters of PWID had never been tested before their diagnosis. The rising proportion of unemployed PWID probably reflects worsened levels of precarity. The very high proportion of PWID never tested before the HIV diagnosis indicates that part of this population remains distant from the health system. These conclusions show the need to enhance targeted screening and support policies for PWID and migrants.
ABSTRACT
The Global Drug Survey is an online survey that aimed to explore the experience of people who use drugs in general population. This survey is conducted annually between November and December. This special Covid-19 component was conducted over seven weeks, from May to June 2020. The objective of the survey was to retrospectively explore the impact of confinement and the first weeks after lockdown on the consumption of psychoactive products in the general population. The results of the survey show an increase in the number of drinking days, but no increase in binge drinking. For cannabis, use remained relatively stable, although a relative increase compared to other countries was observed. The trends of ecstasy and cocaine uses in particular declined. Finally, benzodiazepines have seen their use increase. The Global Drug Survey notes that the pandemic has changed the patterns of use of psychoactive products, without an increase in deregulated behaviours being observed. People who use drugs have adapted their practices in line with changes in their social environment.
ABSTRACT
To face the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, the French government decided to adopt eight weeks of generalized lockdown from March to May 2020. This unique situation had an impact on the mental health of the general population. The aim of this article is to study the impact beyond the psychopathological aspects, focusing on the overall balance of individuals' functioning. During lockdown, we measured direct indicatorsofpsychological distress and more weak and subtle indicators through an online questionnaire. Out of the 6,545 people questioned, representing the French population, only 22 % seemed to be impacted when the measure was direct and concerned psychological states, compared to 39 % when the measure concerned subtle indicators. Beyond psychological distress, various less visible aspects should not be neglected;they affect more individuals and are linked to the suddenness and simultaneity of many changes in everyday life. These elements are important for understanding the impact of the crisis because they are a source of vulnerability in the long term, questioning the ability to cope with other health measures in the near future. © 2020 John Libbey Eurotext. All rights reserved. La pandémie du SARS-CoV-2 a plongé la France dans 8 semaines de confinement généralisé. Cette situation a et aura un impact sur la santé psycho-logique de la population générale. Le but de cet article est d'étudier l'impact au-delà des aspects psychopathologiques, sur l'équilibre global du fonctionnement des individus. Durant le confinement, nous avons mesuré des indicateurs directs de la détresse psychologique et des indicateurs plus faibles et fins. Sur plus de 6545 répondants, 22 % semblent impactés lorsque la mesure directe concerne les états psychologiques, contre 39 % lorsque la mesure concerne des indicateurs fins. Au-delà de la détresse psychologique, différents aspects moins visibles ne doivent pas être négligés;ils touchent plus d'individus et sont liés à la soudaineté et la simultanéité de nombreux changements de la vie quotidienne. Ces éléments sont sources de vulnérabilité à long terme et questionnent la capacité à gérer d'autres mesures sanitaires. © 2020 John Libbey Eurotext. All rights reserved.