Improving Access to Overdose Prevention via Pharmacy-Based Peer-Led Services in Atlanta, Georgia 

Principal Investigator:

Umed Ibragimov, MD, PhD, MPH | Emory University, Rollins School of Public Health

Co-Investigators:

Natalie Crawford, PhD, MPH | Emory University, Rollins School of Public Health

Jessica Sales, PhD | Emory University, Rollins School of Public Health

Henry Young, PhD | University of Georgia, College of Pharmacy

Collaborator:

Atlanta Harm Reduction Coalition

Why is this project important? 

The opioid crisis has led to a significant increase in overdose deaths, necessitating urgent public health responses. This project addresses this crisis by improving access to prevention services, particularly in underserved communities. The findings will contribute to the development of more effective overdose prevention programs, ultimately saving lives and enhancing community health outcomes.

Key Contribution to Science:

Pharmacies, community-based harm reduction organization, and peer support networks are important components of health systems serving individuals at risk for overdose. This study will evaluate implementation and adoption of a coordinated model for delivering an evidence-based intervention (Naloxone and Fentanyl test strips) across health systems. 

More than 384,000 opioid overdose deaths occurred in the past decade in the US, with the steepest surge in mortality seen among Black people. The overdose epidemic is currently driven by fentanyl and other synthetic opioids. These deaths were preventable: the CDC and other DHHS agencies have identified fentanyl test strips (FTS) as an effective evidence-based intervention (EBI) to prevent overdoses from fentanyl or its analogs, and identified community-based “take-home naloxone” (THN) programs as an effective intervention to reverse a potentially fatal overdose.

However, these effective responses to the overdose epidemic are limited due to an implementation chasm. There's a gap between knowing these methods work and them being accessible to people who use drugs (PWUD) in their communities. This project aims to bridge that gap for Take-Home Naloxone (THN) and possibly Fentanyl Test Strips (FTS) by improving coordination among three main sources of THN: pharmacies, harm reduction community-based organizations (HR-CBOs), and peer volunteers from PWUD networks.

The project will identify barriers like cost, accessibility, and stigma and develop strategies to overcome these challenges, thereby improving access to and engagement with prevention services. By focusing on underserved communities, the project aims to reduce overdose-related illnesses and deaths through tailored, community-informed approaches.

  1. Assess barriers and facilitators to implementing a coordinated overdose service delivery model.
  2. Develop a coordinated overdose service delivery model prototype.
  3. Pilot test the coordinated overdose service delivery model prototype developed in Aim 2.