SUPPORT FOR HARM-REDUCTION AMONG STAFF OF SPECIALIZED ADDICTION TREATMENT SERVICES IN ONTARIO, CANADA

In a mail survey of staff of specialized addiction treatment services in Ontario, respondents from different types of services varied in the ir level of support for a variety of harm reduction initiatives. Acros s all types of services support was common for needle exchange service s (82-95% in favour) and for short-term non-abstinence goals for clien ts with alcohol or drug problems (51-98% in favour). However, mean rat ings for the effectiveness of methadone maintenance were negative or n ear zero, and only in assessment/referral and out-patient samples did the majority (61% in each case) have a positive view of methadone main tenance programmes. Only a minority of respondents (15% to 35%) indica ted support for the prescription of heroin to heroin addicts. In multi variate analyses, support for harm-reduction strategies was found to b e positively related to belief in the effectiveness of pharmacological and cognitive-behavioural interventions and working in an out-patient treatment service, and negatively related to belief in interventions based on the disease model.