"I felt like a superhero": the experience of responding to drug overdose among individuals trained in overdose prevention.
BACKGROUND
Overdose prevention programs (OPPs) train people who inject drugs and other community members to prevent, recognise and respond to opioid overdose. However, little is known about the experience of taking up the role of an "overdose responder" for the participants.


METHODS
We present findings from qualitative interviews with 30 participants from two OPPs in Los Angeles, CA, USA from 2010 to 2011 who had responded to at least one overdose since being trained in overdose prevention and response.


RESULTS
Being trained by an OPP and responding to overdoses had both positive and negative effects for trained "responders". Positive effects include an increased sense of control and confidence, feelings of heroism and pride, and a recognition and appreciation of one's expertise. Negative effects include a sense of burden, regret, fear, and anger, which sometimes led to cutting social ties, but might also be mitigated by the increased empowerment associated with the positive effects.


CONCLUSIONS
Findings suggest that becoming an overdose responder can involve taking up a new social role that has positive effects, but also confers some stress that may require additional support. OPPs should provide flexible opportunities for social support to individuals making the transition to this new and critical social role. Equipping individuals with the skills, technology, and support they need to respond to drug overdose has the potential to confer both individual and community-wide benefits.
Division of Global Public Health, Department of Medicine, University of California San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, MC 0507, San Diego, CA 92093-0507, USA. Electronic address: kdwagner@ucsd.edu.
Karla D
KD
Wagner
Division of Global Public Health, Department of Medicine, University of California San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, MC 0507, San Diego, CA 92093-0507, USA.
Peter J
PJ
Davidson
Division of Adolescent Medicine, Children's Hospital Los Angeles, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, 4650 Sunset Boulevard, MS 2, Los Angeles, CA 90027, USA.
Ellen
E
Iverson
Department of Sociology, Loyola Marymount University, One LMU Drive, Suite 4314, Los Angeles, CA 90045-2659, USA.
Rachel
R
Washburn
Department of Community Health and Prevention, Drexel University School of Public Health, 1505 Race Street, Bellet Building, Philadelphia, PA 19102-1192, USA.
Emily
E
Burke
Urban Health Program, RTI International, San Francisco Regional Office, 114 Sansome Street, Suite 500, San Francisco, CA 94104, USA.
Alex H
AH
Kral
Community, Health Outcomes and Intervention Research Program, The Saban Research Institute, Children's Hospital Los Angeles, 4650 Sunset Boulevard, MS 30, Los Angeles, CA 90027, USA.
Miles
M
McNeeley
Division of Adolescent Medicine, Children's Hospital Los Angeles, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, 4650 Sunset Boulevard, MS 2, Los Angeles, CA 90027, USA.
Jennifer
J
Jackson Bloom
Department of Community Health and Prevention, Drexel University School of Public Health, 1505 Race Street, Bellet Building, Philadelphia, PA 19102-1192, USA.
Stephen E
SE
Lankenau
D000328:Adult; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D062787:Drug Overdose / Q000517:prevention & control*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D055815:Young Adult
Injection drug use; Overdose; Qualitative methods