Tackle Concurrent Addictions in At-Risk Youth in Downtown Ottawa

Summary

Participation Requirements

Description

Aim: A 6- to 8-month prospective cohort study to understand the root causes or facilitators of poly-substance use among at-risk youth and designing an individualized, youth-specific, community-based social intervention to reduce overall poly-substance use. Background: According to the 2015 Ontario S...

Aim: A 6- to 8-month prospective cohort study to understand the root causes or facilitators of poly-substance use among at-risk youth and designing an individualized, youth-specific, community-based social intervention to reduce overall poly-substance use. Background: According to the 2015 Ontario Student Drug Use and Health Survey (OSDUHS), there has been a significant increase in the number of secondary school youth who use poly-substances. Not all youth have the same risk for problematic substance use. Health literature documents a high level of comorbidity between mental health and substance use, which is exacerbated in homeless youth populations. With addiction research speaking to the entangled nature of poly-substance use strengthened by shared neurobiological processes, the need to address poly-substance use is important. Using a Community-Based Participatory Action Research (CBPAR) approach can enhance intervention design as at-risk youth feel safe and comfortable enough to provide personal information about their poly-substance use and engagement with treatment or harm reduction programs. This type of research is especially important given the growing opioid use crisis in the US and Canada, and the urgent need for novel strategies to deal with the synchronicity of co-addictions, especially in high risk youth populations. Study Population: 20 at-risk homeless youth between the ages of 13-17, including street-involved, indigenous, LGBTQ and other non-mainstream youth Primary Patient-Oriented Outcome: Improved engagement and quality of life in participants. As well, reduced self-reported poly-substance use. Study Design: Phase 1 will involve gathering information on the root causes or facilitators of poly-substance use among at-risk youth, the types of drug use that is most prevalent among at-risk youth, and the early and ongoing points of access to licit and illicit substances. Following Phase I, Phase II will involve a single arm prospective cohort study looking to tackle poly-substance use in marginalized youth by providing an individualized, youth-tailored (i.e. based on qualitative results obtained in phase I), social-based intervention with optional access to an licensed mental health and substance use nurse counselling. Setting: 1) The Bridge Engagement Centre, Ottawa and 2) Operation Come Home, Ottawa Expertise: The PI is well versed in community-based research. Dr. Pakhale led the PROMPT project, a community-based smoking cessation project engaging a similar target population. Partnering with Operation Come Home and Ms. Elspeth McKay, the executive director of Operation Come Home, provides the PI with expert experience in engaging this marginalized youth population. Together the team is very experienced in substance dependence and the target population. The investigators collective expertise with links to the target community will support the implementation of the trial. Outcomes: Community-based participatory and peer-led research holds a tremendous potential in investigating solutions 'for the people, by and with the people'. Outcomes of this trial will aid policy makers in designing and implementing effective programs to treat substance dependence in marginalized youth populations. Timeline: The trial will require 6-8 months to complete.

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