Research Projects
Quebec Node
Led by Dr. Didier Jutras-Aswad, M.D., M.Sc., the CRISM Quebec Node is housed within the CHUM Research Centre in Montréal. It benefits from an accessible, state-of-the-art, and agile research environment that fosters innovation, collaboration, and research excellence.
COVID-19
Assessing the Impact of COVID-19 on People Who Use Illicit Drugs: Extending In-Depth Interviews to Explore the Role of Telemedicine
This project examines how the COVID-19 pandemic has affected people who use illicit drugs, with a particular focus on access to care and support services. Through an extension of in-depth qualitative interviews, the study seeks to better understand the role of telemedicine, its perceived benefits and challenges, and its potential to improve access to health and harm reduction services for marginalized populations.
Context
As part of the Government of Canada’s funding program for research on mental health and substance use in the context of COVID-19, CRISM oversees a series of initiatives aimed at generating research evidence and guidance for healthcare professionals, service providers, and policymakers.
Among the national guidance documents developed by CRISM, telemedicine was identified as a key strategy for reducing risks associated with withdrawal, medication shortages, and other harms related to COVID-19 restrictions. Telemedicine also helped improve access to healthcare services and prevent disruptions in treatment for people who use drugs. However, many individuals had limited access to a telephone or the Internet, restricting their ability to benefit from these adapted services.
To address barriers to care during periods of lockdown and physical distancing, the Addiction Medicine Service at the Centre hospitalier de l’Université de Montréal (CHUM), in close partnership with the community organization CACTUS Montréal, developed and implemented a rapid telemedicine-based response within a community setting. This initiative aimed to maintain access to addiction care and support services for people who use drugs during the pandemic.
Objectives
To better understand the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on people who use drugs who benefited from adapted telemedicine programs delivered in collaboration with community organizations, and to explore how telemedicine may have influenced their experiences during the pandemic and/or their substance use through:
Qualitative interviews with individuals who benefited from this service.
Retrospective analyses of the medical records of service users who benefited from the program.
Funding
Supervised
Consumption
Services
Evaluation of Supervised Consumption Services (SCS) During the COVID-19 Pandemic
This project aims to evaluate the impact of Supervised Consumption Services (SCS) in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic through the development of an evidence-informed model designed to estimate and better understand overdose rates among individuals who accessed SCS in Montréal.
By drawing on available data and scientific evidence, the model will help assess the role of supervised consumption services in mitigating overdose risks and supporting the health and safety of people who use drugs during a period of unprecedented public health challenges.
Context
The COVID-19 pandemic has represented a major social disruption. Fatal overdose rates increased during the pandemic in many regions, including Canada. People who inject drugs have been particularly vulnerable to the impacts of such disruptions.
This study will use existing data from Supervised Consumption Services (SCS) as well as other provincial data sources to help reduce serious harms associated with injection drug use. These harms include overdose-related injuries, the transmission of infectious diseases, and bacterial infections. The study will examine how services such as emergency medical assistance, wound care supplies, and other supports tailored to the needs of people who inject drugs can help improve health outcomes and reduce harms within this population.
Objectives
Examine changes in Supervised Consumption Services since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, both in terms of service operations and among individuals accessing these services.
Model the impact of these changes on future overdose rates to help reverse current trends by improving engagement with and retention in Supervised Consumption Services.
Co-Investigators and Collaborations
- Julie Bruneau, M.D., M.Sc. (Université de Montréal, CRCHUM)
- Natasha Martin, Ph.D. (University of California San Diego)
- Elaine Hyshka, Ph.D. (University of Alberta)
- Pascale Leclerc, M.Sc. (Université de Montréal)
- Thomas Brothers, Ph.D. (Dalhousie University)
- Jean-François Mary, M.Sc.
- Carole Morissette, M.D. (Centre intégré universitaire de santé et de services sociaux du Centre-Sud-de-l’Île-de-Montréal)
Funding
Targeted
Interventions
Reducing polysubstance use among patients receiving opioid agonist treatment (OAT).
Evidence from randomized controlled trials demonstrates that personality-targeted interventions for individuals with elevated anxiety and impulsivity can significantly reduce substance use, anxiety symptoms, and criminal behaviour. Further research is needed to evaluate the effectiveness of these interventions among patients receiving opioid agonist treatment (OAT).
Context
The illicit use of prescribed and injectable substances is highly prevalent among patients receiving opioid agonist treatment (OAT) and is directly associated with increased disability, morbidity, and mortality. Personality traits such as impulsivity, heightened anxiety, depression, and sensation seeking are closely linked to the risk of problematic substance use and its associated harms.
The relationship between these personality traits and substance misuse among individuals receiving OAT has been well documented. In addition, findings from a randomized controlled trial suggest that certain personality traits may play a significant role in the development and persistence of severe substance use disorders.
Objectives
The primary objective of this two-phase project is to evaluate the feasibility of implementing personality-targeted interventions to address polysubstance misuse among patients receiving opioid agonist treatment (OAT).
Collect and analyze relevant information to inform the adaptation of existing intervention approaches for patients receiving opioid agonist treatment (OAT), ensuring their feasibility and appropriateness within this population.
The intervention protocols were revised based on findings from Phase 1, and the feasibility of implementing these approaches among patients receiving opioid agonist treatment (OAT) was assessed.
Funding
Publication
Chinneck, A., Thompson, K., Mahu, I. T., Davis-MacNevin, P., Dobson, K., & Stewart, S. H. (2018). Personality and prescription drug use/misuse among first year undergraduates. Addictive behaviors, 87, 122–130.
