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American Public Health Association
133rd Annual Meeting & Exposition
December 10-14, 2005
Philadelphia, PA
APHA 2005
 
3385.0: Monday, December 12, 2005 - 4:55 PM

Abstract #110620

Grassroots Politics Plus Evidence-based Research Evaluating Harm Reduction Interventions Can Affect Federal Policies

Alexander H. Kral, PhD1, Jennifer Lorvick, MPH1, and Ricky N. Bluthenthal, PhD Bluthenthal2. (1) Urban Health Studies, UCSF, 3180 18th Street, Suite 302, San Francisco, CA 94110, (2) RAND Health, 1776 Main Street, PO Box 2138, Santa Monica, CA 90407, 310-393-0411 x6642, rickyb@rand.org

In the past two decades, morbidity and mortality associated with injection drug use in the U.S. have stemmed primarily from HIV, hepatitis C virus (HCV), and overdoses. Despite medical and epidemiological evidence that harm reduction programs effectively prevent these health-related complications, the Federal government continues to make its policy and funding decisions based upon ideology rather than science. Regardless of the barriers and lack of support from the Federal government, harm reduction programs have thrived locally. Programs have proliferated locally partially because underground organizations have been willing and able to conduct their work without governmental sanction, but also because local governments have based their policy and funding decisions utilizing evidence-based data rather than simply ideology. Since the founding of the Urban Health Studies (UHS) two decades ago, its researchers have been at the forefront of contributing evidence-based data regarding harm reduction interventions. Data provided by UHS researchers helped influence local governmental decisions regarding all of the major harm reduction interventions currently implemented in the US. From bleach and teach in the mid-1980's (Contemporary Drug Problems, 1987), to syringe exchange in the 1990's (JAMA, 1994), and naloxone prescription to IDUs for overdose prevention in the current decade (J Urban Health, in press), UHS empirical data have been used to affect local policies and funding of harm reduction programs. It may be possible to move Federal policies on harm reduction programs once there is a critical mass of local governments able to support programs that have been proven effective scientifically.

Learning Objectives:

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

I wish to disclose that I have NO financial interests or other relationship with the manufactures of commercial products, suppliers of commercial services or commercial supporters.

[ Recorded presentation ] Recorded presentation

Harm Reduction & Conservative Attempts to Discount Progressive Evidence: Integrating History, Politics of Public Health Data, and Progressive Pedagogy

The 133rd Annual Meeting & Exposition (December 10-14, 2005) of APHA