Health equity-oriented approaches to inform responses to opioid overdoses: a scoping review protocol

Abstract

The purpose of this scoping review is to systematically identify and describe literature that uses a health equity-oriented (HEO) approach for preventing and reducing the harms of stigma or overdose for people who use illicit drugs or misuse prescription opioids.

The question of the review is: What is currently known about the use of an HEO approach for preventing the harms of stigma or overdose when people use illicit or street drugs, or use prescription opioids for other than their intended purposes?

Specifically, the review objectives are:

i) To locate and map literature that describes or evaluates an HEO approach that emphasizes cultural safety, trauma- and violence-informed care, and harm reduction. ii) To describe the characteristics of the existing knowledge base (types of research or program evaluation) in this field and identify gaps in knowledge and areas for further research. iii) To identity recommendations for integrating, implementing or evaluating HEO approaches. Recommendations will be used to develop a comprehensive framework that informs equity-oriented responses to the drug-related harms of stigma or overdose.