Harm Reduction Client Survey

BCCDC reports regularly on harm reduction and substance use topics.

Since 2012 the BCCDC Harm Reduction Services program has surveyed clients of harm reduction supply distribution sites across BC. BC has an established network of more than 350 harm reduction distribution sites.

Prior to 2012, knowledge about high-risk drug use was based primarily on data from two major cities, Vancouver and Victoria. The Harm Reduction Client Survey was introduced to obtain more comprehensive and province-wide information about drug use, related harms, stigma, and access to harm reduction services.

Data from the survey is used to inform harm reduction planning, confirm emerging issues, and to evaluate and improve quality of harm reduction services. The background and significant findings of the survey are summarised in the reports below. The 2023 survey was administered at sites across the province and data analyses are in progress. People with lived and living experience of substance use are engaged during survey development and interpreting findings. Infographic

The UBC Office of Research Ethics has reviewed and approved this study in accordance with the requirements of the Tri-Council Policy Statement: Ethical Conduct for Research Involving Humans (TCPS2, 2018). Regional Health Authority Research Offices have also approved the study for each region.BC Harm Reduction Client Survey: Background & Significant Findings throughout the Years

Annual Reports & Findings

A BCCDC Rounds presentation Sep 2021 highlights how survey findings have informed policy and programs, and how people with lived/living experience of substance use are engaged in all steps of survey development, administration and interpretation of the findings.

The harm reduction client survey: From small beginnings to influencing harm reduction policy and programs.

Findings and knowledge summaries for each year the survey was administered are described below.

2023

Summary infographics

Survey

2023 Harm Reduction Client Survey‎

2022

Summary infographics

Reports & Publications

Prescribed Alternatives to the Toxic Drug Supply

Prescribed Alternative Preferences

Knowledge update

Access and Barriers to Prescribed Alternatives

Knowledge update

Decriminalization

Awareness and knowledge of drug decriminalization among people who use drugs in British Columbia: a multi-method pre-implementation study (Feb 2024) Publication

Report: Findings from the 2022 Harm Reduction Client Survey related to BC’s Decriminalization Policy

Patterns of Purchasing and Possession of Drugs

Infographic | Knowledge update

Awareness of Decriminalization

Infographic | Knowledge update

Interactions with Law Enforcement

Infographic | Knowledge update

Hesitance to Seek Services

Infographic | Knowledge update

Survey

2022 Harm Reduction Client Survey

Maps

2022 Map of Participating Harm Reduction Distribution Sites

2021

Summary infographics

Reports & Publications

Drug Checking in British Columbia: Findings from the 2021 Harm Reduction Client Survey (May 2024) Knowledge Update

Factors associated with obtaining prescribed safer supply among people accessing harm reduction services: findings from a cross-sectional survey (Jan 2024) Publication

Motivators of and barriers to drug checking engagement in British Columbia, Canada: Findings from a cross-sectional survey (Jan 2024) Publication

Associations with experience of non-fatal opioid overdose in British Columbia, Canada: a repeated cross-sectional survey (Dec 2023) Publication

Preferred stimulant safer supply and associations with methamphetamine preference among people who use stimulants in British Columbia: Findings from a 2021 cross-sectional survey (Oct 2023) Publication

Identifying demographic, substance use, and health services characteristics associated with obtaining Prescribed Safer Supply: analysis from the Harm Reduction Client Survey (Jan 2023) Knowledge Update

Reported Substance Use, Overdose and Naloxone Kit Ownership 2012-2021

Changes to the Drug Supply and Public Drug Use during the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency (Sep 2023) Infographic

Findings from the 2021 Harm Reduction Client Survey on Witnessed Drug Consumption Services: Overdose Prevention Sites, Supervised Consumption Sites, and Cellphone Applications (Sep 2023) Knowledge Update

Smoking identified as preferred mode of opioid safe supply use: investigating correlates of smoking preference through a 2021 cross-sectional study in British Columbia (2023) Publication

Awareness, predictors and outcomes of drug alerts among people who access harm reduction services in British Columbia, Canada: findings from a 2021 cross-sectional survey (2023) Publication

Survey

2021 Harm Reduction Client Survey

Maps

2021 Map of Participating Harm Reduction Distribution Sites

2019

Summary Infographics

Smoking opioids

Preferred down (opioids)

Reports & Publications

Exploring motivations for concurrent use of uppers and downers among people who access harm reduction services in British Columbia: a thematic analysis (2022) Publication

Correlates of concurrent use of stimulants and opioids among people who access harm reduction services in British Columbia, Canada: Findings from the 2019 Harm Reduction Client Survey. (Apr 2022) Publication

Investigating Opioid Preference to Inform Safe Supply Services: A Cross Sectional Study (Jan 2022) Publication

Urine toxicology screening among 2018 and 2019 harm reduction client survey participants (Dec 2021) Report

Examining prevalence and correlates of smoking opioids in BC: Opioids are more often smoked than injected (Oct 2021) Publication

Good Samaritan Drug Overdose Act awareness among people who use drugs in British Columbia (Sep 2021) Publication

Crystal Methamphetamine Use in BC: A Cross-sectional Study of People Who Access Harm Reduction Services (May 2021) Publication