Psychosocial health and wellbeing of people who inject drugs

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Kaisa Mishina, RN, PhD
Post doctoral researcher, university teacher, senior researcher
kaemka@utu.fi+358 50 310 1358

AIM

This study focuses on PWID entering a needle exchange program assessing their psychosocial health, wellbeing and use of health services. More specifically, this study explores physical health, mental health, perceived wellbeing, discrimination, substance use habits and use of health care services among people who uses inject drugs.

CONTENT

• Mixed-method study including survey, time-trend assessment, cross-cultural comparison and qualitative interviews.

IMPLICATIONS

• Knowledge about indicators of self-perceived psychosocial health and wellbeing as well as needs of PWID.
• Information about gaps existing in our health care service system that are possibly neglecting this population.
• Insight that could help to design and implement new interventions to substance use treatment that can effectively target needs of PWID and possible further reduce risks associated with the iv-use of drugs.

COLLABORATORS

• Associate Professor Solja Niemelä, Department of Psychiatry, University of Turku
• Caroline Shalom, Institute for Social Science Research, University of Queensland
• Sakari Kainulainen, Diaconia University of Applied Sciences (Diak)
• Professor Juho Saari, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Tampere
• Professor Helena Leino-Kilpi, Department of Nursing Science, University of Turku

FUNDERS

Sairaanhoitajien koulutussäätiö, TYKS Foundation, University of Turku Foundation