Peer Support at the Intersection of Disability and Opioid (Mis)Use: Key Stakeholders Provide Essential Considerations

Joanne Nicholson (), Anne Valentine, Emily Ledingham and Sharon Reif
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Joanne Nicholson: Institute for Behavioral Health, The Heller School for Social Policy and Management, Brandeis University, Waltham, MA 02453, USA
Anne Valentine: Lurie Institute for Disability Policy, The Heller School for Social Policy and Management, Brandeis University, Waltham, MA 02453, USA
Emily Ledingham: Institute for Behavioral Health, The Heller School for Social Policy and Management, Brandeis University, Waltham, MA 02453, USA
Sharon Reif: Institute for Behavioral Health, The Heller School for Social Policy and Management, Brandeis University, Waltham, MA 02453, USA

IJERPH, 2022, vol. 19, issue 15, 1-13

Abstract: Individuals with disabilities may experience higher rates of opioid/substance use disorders (OUD/SUD) than other individuals and are likely vulnerable to unmet treatment needs. Peer support may be beneficial to these individuals, given the evidence of benefits in target populations with similar needs and the potential for overcoming barriers to treatment suggested in the available literature. The objective of this exploratory study was to specify essential considerations in adapting peer support for this population. Diverse key stakeholders ( n = 16) were interviewed to explore the experiences, needs, and available supports for individuals with disabilities and OUD/SUD. A Peer Support Work Group including members with lived experience advised each component of the study. Semi-structured interview data were content analyzed and memos generated to summarize themes related to the research question. Participants reported extensive professional and personal experience in human services, disability, and recovery. Emergent themes included the importance of accessibility and model fit, the notion of “peerness” and peer match, and essential aspects of peer recruitment, training, and support. An accessible, acceptable, effective model of peer support requires particular attention to the needs of this diverse and varied population, and the contexts in which they are identified, referred, and engaged in services.

Keywords: peer-led; interventions; substance use disorder; opioid use disorder; disability; well-being; intersectionality (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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