Interventions to reduce the stigma of substance use disorders by health professionals often include didactic instruction combined with an interactive component that includes a guest speaker in recovery. Few interactive studies have focused on pharmacy students. Community pharmacists are moving to the front lines to battle the opioid epidemic; therefore, pharmacy students should be included in interventions aimed at reducing stigma by health professionals. This study examined the effects of a contact-based interactive intervention delivered by a peer recovery support specialist on perceived stigma of opioid use disorder among third-year pharmacy students (N = 115) enrolled in an integrative psychiatry course. Stigma was measured using the Brief Opioid Stigma Scale. Our study found significant differences in students' perceived stigma, both with their personal beliefs and their beliefs regarding the public, supporting the use of interactive presentations by peer recovery support specialists to decrease perceived stigma of opioid use disorder by health professionals. This type of intervention for pharmacy students shows promise in reducing substance use disorder stigma and should be further explored.

Pharmacy Practice is a free full-text journal with a scope on the practice of pharmacy. Pharmacy Practice covers pharmaceutical care, social pharmacy, pharmacy education, process and outcome research, health promotion and education, health informatics, pharmacoepidemiology

Community-clinic linkages may help communities increase HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) uptake. Referrals from community-based organizations may be particularly important for linking Black men who have sex with men (MSM) to PrEP. This study describes PrEP referral and HIV/STI prevention networks among organizations that serve MSM in Houston, TX (N = 40), and Chicago, IL (N = 28), and compares network positions of organizations based on percentage of Black/African American clients. A majority of organizations conducted PrEP awareness/promotion activities, but fewer made PrEP referrals, with little overlap between the collaboration and referral networks. The networks tended to have a densely connected core group of organizations and more a peripheral group of organizations linking into the core with relatively few times among themselves; this core/periphery structure is efficient, but vulnerable to disruptions. The percentage of Black/African American clients organizations served was not related to most measures of network centrality. However, in Houston’s collaboration network, higher Black-serving organizations tended not to hold as influential positions for controlling communications or flows of resources. The findings indicate a potential to leverage collaborations into PrEP referral pathways to enhance PrEP promotion efforts and identify opportunities to address racial disparities in PrEP uptake.

Background: This study is part of a state-wide effort to promote the safe disposal of prescription medications and mitigate prescription drug misuse. The objective of this study was to evaluate the implementation of a two-component prevention intervention through Community Prevention Organizations (CPOs) in Texas. The first component involved the distribution of in-home disposal products (IHDP) and the second focused on providing education of the risks of prescription drug misuse. Methods: This study followed a mixed methods sequential explanatory study design. In the quantitative phase, the extent to which CPOs carried out the intervention was determined by the distribution rate – a proportion representing the number of IHDP distributed to end users from the amount of IHDP the CPO was shipped. This measure was used to organize the CPOs in to one of three performance categories. In the qualitative arm of the study, stratified random sampling was used to select five CPOs from each performance strata to participate in an in-depth, semi-structured interview about their distribution activity. The interview guide and the data analysis were guided by Bowen’s Feasibility Framework. The interviews were transcribed and analyzed using a content analysis approach by two research team members. All qualitative analyses were conducted in ATLAS.ti© V7. Results: There was a total of 47 CPOs contacted and asked to be part of this study. Of them, 44 CPOs participated in the quantitative phase of the study. This phase revealed that all CPOs had existing relationships with organizations throughout the community such as pharmacies and schools that could act as points of distribution. Following the quantitative phase, 15 CPOs were selected for more in-depth interviews about their distribution practices. In the qualitative phase, this finding was reinforced through the theme “partnerships with local institutions and ability to implement the intervention at community events”. Similarly, education promotion efforts were unanimously emphasized as a strategy to increase utilization of IHDP among end users. All CPOs indicated that the intervention was supplemental to their overall goals. Conclusion: CPOs have unparalleled access to community events, local institutions, and the general population they serve, thus, they have the potential to be active facilitators in implementing prevention interventions.

The current body of literature on the HIV knowledge related to young adult Middle Eastern and North African (MENA) individuals residing in the United States is substantially underdeveloped. As the number of MENA individuals residing in the US continues to rise, there remains a need for research investigating the levels of general HIV knowledge for this unique group. An exploratory cross-sectional design was used for an anonymous online survey of MENA adults ages 18–35 (n = 198) residing in the United States concerning their levels of HIV knowledge. Results showed that less than fifty percent (46.40%) of the sample reported adequate knowledge of HIV transmission and prevention methods. Multiple regression analyses indicate that prior sexual health education, prior HIV testing, a four-year college degree and identification as a Muslim predicted higher HIV knowledge. These findings may assist with the development of MENA specific HIV prevention and education programs.