...current policy of 1:1 needle exchange is restrictive for those individuals who may not have needles to begin with. In addition, the Baltimore NEP accepts neither broken needles nor needles that don’t come banded in sets of five. The current policy may be restrictive to some IDUs, and therefore it is possible that there is potential to still curb the incidence and prevalence of blood-borne pathogens if the current policy of 1:1 needle exchange is changed. In addition, by creating a NEP that also provides linkage to care, community outreach, and education, the full comprehensive approach can be implemented among IDUs, a historically underserved population, as well as a hard to reach one. Literature Review Injection drug users were first identified as a risk group for...
Words: 2610 - Pages: 11
...Harm Reduction: Why Drug Needle Exchanges are a Good Idea Drug needle exchanges programs in a bid to avoid reuse and sharing could be a way to curb HIV outbreaks like the one in rural Indiana, experts believe. The HIV “epidemic” in Indiana and a rise in Hepatitis C cases in Kentucky helped push those states to pass laws allowing communities to open drug needle exchanges. The spread of such diseases was traced to residents dissolving prescription painkillers and then injecting themselves sometimes up to 20 times a day with the same needle and passing it around. Policy makers have now decided that they cannot put politics above public health. Preventing HIV outbreaks among injection drug users “People didn't care whose needle was whose before; that's what started this," Tara Burton, 25, a HIV patient told Reuters. "It's a lot better now," she said referring to the Scott County clinic, which runs drug needle exchange...
Words: 466 - Pages: 2
...sharing of contaminated syringes and needles. In china, an estimated 780,000 people were living in HIV/AIDS by the year 2011 and use of intravenous drug accounted for 28.4% of the reported cases. Syringe and needle exchange programs are aimed at allowing IDUs access sterile injecting equipment and safe disposal of used syringes and needles. The first official needle and syringe exchange program (NSEP) was established in 1983 in Amsterdam and these programs have since been widely established in both developing and developed world. Studies have shown that NSEPs effectively reduce HIV risk behaviors and HIV seroconversion among IDUs (Luo et al, 2015). According to Abdul-Quader et al (2013), out of an estimated global 16 million IDUs approximately 3 million are HIV positive and about 90% are at a great risk of HCV infection. Therefore, NSEPs have been implemented in cities, countries and regions worldwide in an effort to address HCV and HIV infections among the IDUs. Although these programs have shown to be beneficial in reducing factors influencing transmission of the viruses and risky injection behaviors, they have also been associated with negative effects among IDUs. Access to sterile syringes and needles is included by centers for disease control and prevention (CDC) list of evidence based HIV prevention interventions. In 2013, a panel comprising of experts for infectious disease policy recommended improvement of access to sterile syringes and needles for IDUs who will not stop drug...
Words: 1222 - Pages: 5
...In Katherine McLean's article, Needle Exchange and the Geography of Survival in the South Bronx, the author attempts to explain how essential needle exchange programs (NEPs) are geographically to the South Bronx neighborhood of New York City (McLean, 2012). Although needle exchange programs do not have the authority or the funds to address certain factors associated with substance abuse, it has attracted many non-users such as the homeless as well for their basic survival amenities. Observations and interviews conducted by McLean produced four underlying aspects of needle exchange programs; obtaining basic necessities, hustling/income, safe space and sociality (McLean, 2012). Of these four aspects of needle exchange programs, obtaining the...
Words: 317 - Pages: 2
...2. (a) Describe briefly our society's underlying motivations for the establishment of governmental regulation and the control of drugs and drug use, differentiating between regulating drug use and taking a laissez-faire approach. In the 1800 the United States took a Laissez-faire approach to drug use by individuals. A laissez-faire approach would be considered as the theory or system of government that upholds the autonomous character, believing that government should intervene as little as possible. It was up to the buyer and seller of the drugs to conduct business without the government getting in the way. Substances such as heroin, morphine, and cocaine are readily available and sold as part of "patent" medicines to cure everything from menstrual cramps to toothaches in children. The United States government started to intervene is such transactions so they could regulate drugs. It was believed that sellers were taking advantage of people by not properly disclosing the drug information. In this country, the restriction of use and distribution of drugs on a Federal level is less than 100 years old. In 1906 Food and Drug Act enacted-- strictly a "labeling law"-- only affected misbranded foods and drugs. Main concern was "patent medicines" that could be made up of tar, animal secretions, cocaine, heroin, or whatever and no one would know. As far as the law was concerned, the medicine could contain all of these as long as it was labeled properly. Previous to 1906...
Words: 985 - Pages: 4
...| The Needle Exchange Program | | Drug epidemics have come and gone many times in the United States throughout its history, but the heroin epidemic of today has taken such a stronghold that we might have to switch to a less conventional and less popular approach to resolving this issue . Heroin use is mostly synonymous with famous actors, actresses and musicians and their untimely deaths. People such as John Belushi, Janice Joplin, Chris Farley, River Phoenix, Shannon Honn (lead singer of Blind Melon) and the most recent addition that has brought heroin back into the spotlight is the recent death of one of the most beloved actors and producers of his time, Phillip Seymour Hoffman. If we get away from the famous individuals that are in and out of rehab and can pay out incredible amounts of money towards the drug itself, and all the other associated risks involved, we get to the millions of nameless, faceless addicts that society doesn’t pay much attention to until unknowingly affected by it themselves, and when so many people can be affected by something they are not actively participating in, that is a problem that needs to be addressed and some sort of action is a must. This is where the debate of the needle exchange program, or NEP’s (community-based initiatives that allow intravenous (IV) drug users to exchange used syringes for clean, sterile ones in an effort to stem the spread of HIV/AIDS, hepatitis B, C and other blood-borne pathogens) enter the conversation...
Words: 1788 - Pages: 8
...establishing a new needle exchange program within Duluth, Minnesota. It has become apparent that the prevalence and incidence of Hepatitis C and HIV cases are steadily increasing, resulting in a strong need for a prevention facility such as this. Consequently, ARCW management must assess the overall readiness for change within the organization. By utilizing internal and external resources, identifying significant roles within this change process, providing various means of monitoring the implementation of this plan, and encouraging effective communication techniques, the change process will flow smoothly. After the change has been successfully executed, management must determine the effectiveness of the change post-implementation. In order to accomplish this, identifying and understanding outcome measurement strategies is essential. Most importantly, outcome strategies related to quality, cost, and satisfaction can give management clear insight into how far they’ve come and how far they have yet to go. Determining Effectiveness of Change after Implementation It is vital that the effectiveness of the new needle exchange program be determined after its implementation. Management should have established clear goals and objectives prior to the change. After the change has been implemented, it becomes important to assess whether these goals and outcomes have been met. It would be helpful for management to refer to baseline data regarding the Superior needle exchange program and use this...
Words: 1805 - Pages: 8
...establishing a new needle exchange program within Duluth, Minnesota. It has become apparent that the prevalence and incidence of Hepatitis C and HIV cases are steadily increasing, resulting in a strong need for a prevention facility such as this. Consequently, ARCW management must assess the overall readiness for change within the organization. By utilizing internal and external resources, identifying significant roles within this change process, providing various means of monitoring the implementation of this plan, and encouraging effective communication techniques, the change process will flow smoothly. After the change has been successfully executed, management must determine the effectiveness of the change post-implementation. In order to accomplish this, identifying and understanding outcome measurement strategies is essential. Most importantly, outcome strategies related to quality, cost, and satisfaction can give management clear insight into how far they’ve come and how far they have yet to go. Determining Effectiveness of Change after Implementation It is vital that the effectiveness of the new needle exchange program be determined after its implementation. Management should have established clear goals and objectives prior to the change. After the change has been implemented, it becomes important to assess whether these goals and outcomes have been met. It would be helpful for management to refer to baseline data regarding the Superior needle exchange program and use this...
Words: 1805 - Pages: 8
...Paula Bent Research Paper 12/19/2010 The Global AIDS crisis and Health Care in the Developing World The global epidemic of HIV/AIDS is rapidly becoming the worst infectious-disease catastrophe in recorded history, surpassing the bubonic plague of the fourteenth century and the influenza epidemic of 1917, each of which killed some 20 million people. (1) The HIV/AIDS epidemic, first identified in 1981, remains among the greatest threats to global health. (2) AIDS has an unprecedented impact on the economy and society because it kills so many adults in the prime of their working lives; it decimates the workforce, impoverishes families, and shreds communities. To summarize, in the worst affected areas it is actually reversing the development gains made over the last four decades. In many cases the disease threatens to eliminate around twenty percent of the workforce. AIDS has an overwhelming impact on developing economies because, unlike other diseases, it kills young and middle-aged adults who are often healthy and productive members of society. In sub-Saharan Africa and many other regions in the world, more women than ever before are living with HIV/AIDS. Further research that reflects the voices of these women is essential. (5). Because of this epidemic both adds to companies' labor costs and slows growth rates in many developing economies. The disease is shared by the developing world where eighty-five percent of AIDS cases are present in the world’s poorer countries...
Words: 1573 - Pages: 7
...Baltimore: A Community in Crisis Since the 19th century, the illicit drug, heroin, has been a part of American society. When heroin was first discovered it was thought to be a wonder drug because of the euphoric feeling a person is said to feel after using it. However, once the debilitating effects of this highly addictive drug was realized the anti-drug law, the Harrison Narcotics Act, was enacted that restricted its use to medicinal purposes only. In 1920, heroin was banned altogether through the Dangerous Drug Act (Habal, 2011). Heroin for the most part was thought to have gone underground until the Vietnam War. In 1971, two congressmen returned from visiting U. S. servicemen serving in Vietnam with an alarming revelation that “15 percent of U.S. servicemen in Vietnam… were actively addicted to heroin” (Spiegel, 2012, para. 3). The idea that American servicemen were addicted to such a horrible drug disgusted much of the American public. “It was thought to be the most addictive substance ever produced, a narcotic so powerful that once addiction claimed you, it was nearly impossible to escape” (Spiegel, 2012, para. 4). President Richard Nixon took swift action by creating, The Special Action Office of Drug Abuse Prevention which concentrated primarily on prevention and rehabilitation. In the late 70s and early 80s the use of heroin reached its peak when it seemed to take a backseat to the reappearance of cocaine and the subsequent crack epidemic that overwhelmed much...
Words: 3488 - Pages: 14
...Infectious Disease HIV/AIDS Julie Maple HCA/240 October 7, 2012 Elizabeth Day Infectious Disease HIV/AIDS The Human Immunodeficiency Virus was discovered in 1985. HIV is a virus that is transmitted from one person to another by many different ways. For example, HIV can be transmitted by bodily fluids. It could be fluids like blood or semen that transmits the virus, because they came from the infected person into the other person. HIV/AIDS is commonly spread by sexual intercourse. I have also seen people get HIV/AIDS by sharing needles when using them for street drugs. HIV/AIDS reproduces, and as it reproduces, it tears down the body’s immune system, thus leaving the body susceptible to other illnesses and infections. The only environmental factors that could make a person vulnerable to HIV/AIDS would be the lack of recreational activities in the environment. There are also places in our neighborhoods that allow people to use drugs and engage in sexual activity. In my hometown there was this place at the community park called the rock. It was this huge rock that all the “cool” kids went to so they wouldn’t get caught doing their drugs or having sex. With HIV/AIDS there are two inflammatory responses. According to Brown (1995), “the production by B cells of antibodies which circulate all around the body in the bloodstream, and eventually bind to the agent. There are mechanics available which are very good at destroying anything which has antibody bound to...
Words: 860 - Pages: 4
...Culture and Disease Paper The Southern United States is known for a slow, laid back pace of life. It is known for Southern hospitality and charm. It is also known for its historical Civil War battles and dark roots in slavery. The South is quickly gaining a reputation for something few people are talking about; it has become the center of the AIDS epidemic in the United States. The United States Census Bureau defines the south as the District of Colombia and the 16 states south of the Mississippi River. These states are Alabama, Arkansas, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia, Oklahoma, and Texas (Census Bureau, 2012). The region accounts for only 37% of the United States population, however in 2009, 46% of all new AIDS cases were in the south (Reif, Whetten, & Wilson, 2012). Furthermore, in 2008 43% of people living with HIV were from the southern region (Reif et al, 2012). The south also has the highest rate of HIV related deaths and the highest level of HIV morbidity (Reif et al, 2012). To fully understand impact of these numbers one must understand what HIV and AIDS are, the modes of HIV transmission, possible treatments, the methods available to control the spread of HIV, the factors that make this population vulnerable to the condition, what role social and cultural influences play in the disease, how these factors impact treatment, and what health and wellness strategies...
Words: 1688 - Pages: 7
...few department employees that have lost children to drug overdoses. The overdose problem is growing at alarming rates and so is the rate at which fire and EMS personnel are responding for these calls. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC), reports that in 2015 more than 52,000 people died in the U.S. from drug overdoses, or about 144 people each day, with most these deaths opioid-related (Roman, 2017). The CDC also reports fatal opioid overdoses has increased 652 percent from 2000 to 2015, and expected to grow worse in 2016 (Roman, 2017). Additionally, there are secondary problems associated with drug abuse that further negatively impact lives and communities such as the transmission of diseases like HIV and Hepatitis B from sharing needles and broken homes and broken communities. There is also a direct correlation between drug abuse rates and crime rates (Knoll, 2016). Frequently, a drug user resorts to illegal activities such as theft, prostitution, and drug sales to supply their habit. Perhaps the costliest side effect of drug abuse is the needless death of someone’s child or loved one. The opioid abuse problem can be traced to pain relievers where every day in the U.S. 2,500 youth abuse a prescription pain reliever for the first time ("Drug-free world," n.d.). These teens are part of a larger problem of 2.1 million people suffering from substance abuse related to opioid pain relievers and an estimated 467,000 addicted to heroin (Volkow, 2014). To paint a clear picture...
Words: 1234 - Pages: 5
...Studies show that the NEP has had positive affects with reducing or preventing the spread of blood borne diseases. However, the federal government does not fund any programs, and allows the states to finance and manage their own state NEP. C. Aaron McNeece and Diana M. DiNitto (2012) stated that the federal government still has not lifted the ban on the use of federal funds for the NEF, saying that it prefers to leave it to states and communities to decide the issue. Allowing states to create and manage their own NEP, may influence other states to draft an early version of a needle exchange policy for their state in the future. Those who are in favor may influence other health professionals and can argue that the NEP does have its advantages. M. Mofizul Islam (2010) stated that the NEP is likely to be further cost-saving and more cost-effective. A client who spends money on exchanging needles will pay much less, than a visit or stay in the hospital. However, those who are against the...
Words: 547 - Pages: 3
...Disposal of Hazardous Waste Micheal Walters HCS/430 July 25, 2013 Cliffornia J. Rolle Disposal of Hazardous Waste The way that huge amounts of hazardous waste are disposed of could be one of the most dangerous aspects of the health care industry, at least as it relates to security measures. Safe and proper disposal of hazardous and toxic waste is a primary issue for developing regulatory compliance because it affects not only the general populace, but the health care employees as well. “The focus of this kind of training often is almost remedial simply due to employees having little or no experience in dealing with these kinds of materials and not being fully cognizant of the extent of the potential risk.” (Timothy Sexton, Jan 30, 2007) It has also been made very important to make organizational hierarchies which are good at assigning responsibility for being capable of doing the proper disposal of hazardous waste. Also it is extremely important that the hazardous waste stream is able to be tracked. “And finally it is recommended that systematic evaluation and analysis of the process for disposing of hazardous waste be conducted in order to improve upon any flaws or gaps in the system.” (Timothy Sexton, Jan 30, 2007) Evaluations on hazardous waste disposal should be performed on a regular basis like emergency and fire drills. “It is recommended that systematic evaluation and analysis of the process for disposing of waste be conducted in order to improve...
Words: 801 - Pages: 4
