title: Harm Reduction: Front Line Public Health.
abstract: Drug use is a public health problem associated with high mortality and morbidity, and is often accompanied by suboptimal engagement in health care. Harm reduction is a pragmatic public health approach encompassing all goals of public health: improving health, social well-being, and quality of life. Harm reduction prioritizes improving the lives of people who use drugs in partnership with those served without a narrow focus on abstinence from drugs. Evidence has shown that harm reduction oriented practice can reduce transmission of blood-borne illnesses, and other injection related infections, as well as preventing fatal overdose.
authors.affiliation: a Harm Reduction Coalition, New York , New York , USA.
authors.forename: Sharon
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Stancliff
authors.forename: Benjamin W
authors.initials: BW
authors.lastname: Phillips
authors.forename: Nazlee
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Maghsoudi
authors.forename: Herman
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Joseph
mesh_terms: D002047:Buprenorphine / Q000008:administration & dosage; D062787:Drug Overdose / Q000517:prevention & control; D040261:Harm Reduction; D006801:Humans; D008691:Methadone / Q000008:administration & dosage; D009270:Naloxone / Q000008:administration & dosage; D009292:Narcotic Antagonists / Q000008:administration & dosage; D009294:Narcotics / Q000008:administration & dosage; D018671:Needle-Exchange Programs; D011634:Public Health / Q000379:methods*; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000517:prevention & control*
chemical_list: D009292:Narcotic Antagonists; D009294:Narcotics; D009270:Naloxone; D002047:Buprenorphine; D008691:Methadone
keywords: Harm reduction; buprenorphine; drug treatment; injection drug use; methadone; naloxone; needle and syringe programs; opioid overdose; public health; safe injection facilities; syringe access