Response to an intervention to promote parental involvement in harm reduction for young injection drug users

Aims: This study examined parents’ responses to a family-based harm reduction intervention for young injection drug users (YIDUs). Methods: The intervention was comprised of group education sessions for parents, and three case-management sessions: for the parent only, YIDU only, and for parent and YIDU together. The design included a delayed intervention control group. Baseline interviews were conducted with 843 YIDUs; 41% (n=350) consented to have their parents contacted. About half of the parents (n=168) completed a baseline interview. Findings: Among the parents assigned to the first-stage intervention (n=94), 53% attended at least one intervention session, and 46% completed the entire intervention. Parents who supported the use of needle exchange at baseline and those who had a history of prescription drug misuse were more likely to attend the intervention. Parents who attended the intervention had a more positive attitude toward harm reduction for their child and were more likely to support the use of needle exchange at follow-up compared to baseline. Conclusions: Parents who had personal experience with substance misuse, and those with a more positive view of harm reduction were more likely to participate. Participation was associated with increased support for harm reduction efforts. There were no changes in reported service use or in parent-child relationship measures.