Environmental factors

 

Environment factors include living circumstances such as homelessness and insecure accommodation, shelter of emergency accommodation, and living alone.

Homeless / No Fixed Address

Issues

  • No private space or hygienic space to inject
  • Reluctance to carry quantity of injecting equipment/sharps containers

Strategies

  • Referral and assistance with housing
  • Promote personal hygiene when injecting
  • Identifying safer places to inject
  • Encouraging young person to carry adequate supply of needles and sharps containers or provide numbers for after hours NSP services
Emergency Accommodation / Shelter

Issues include

  • Young person may not have private or safe space to inject
  • May face eviction for use on premises

Strategies

  • Assistance in obtaining more appropriate housing
  • Advocate on young person’s behalf with accommodation providers
  • Ensure safe disposal of injecting equipment
Own Accommodation

Issues

  • Using alone – heightens risk of undetected overdose

Strategies

  • Harm reduction work focusing on overdose risks and building in monitoring