Primary health care nursing interventions for people who use drugs: a scoping review
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.15649/cuidarte.5254Keywords:
Nursing, Primary Health Care, Harm Reduction, Psychotropic DrugsAbstract
Highlights
- Nurse-led primary care interventions play a central role in harm reduction strategies for people who use drugs.
- This approach provides a comprehensive and effective response to the needs of people who use drugs, promoting equity and inclusion.
- By raising awareness among nursing professionals about their role in implementing strategies for this population, we can help reduce the stigma associated with drug use.
- It is essential to implement multidisciplinary teamwork to optimize resources and provide holistic care that takes into account all dimensions of the human being.
Introduction: Drug use is a public health concern due to its high prevalence and associated biopsychosocial consequences. Despite the importance of harm reduction in primary health care, a knowledge gap exists regarding the specific interventions implemented by nurses. Objective: To describe the nursing interventions that can be implemented within primary health care for people who use drugs to reduce harm associated with drug use. Materials and Methods: A scoping review was conducted following the Arksey and O’Malley framework. The literature search was conducted in PubMed, VHL, ProQuest, and Google Scholar in July 2024. Results: A total of 1,518 studies were identified; of which 12 met the eligibility criteria for analysis: 10 retrieved from databases and 2 from Google Scholar. Five categories emerged from the analysis, of which educational / psychoeducational interventions were the most frequently reported (75%), followed by preventive and risk-mitigation practices (50%) and clinical and emotional support interventions (42%). Discussion: The role of nursing in reducing harm from drug use is highlighted, given that interventions ranging from education and psychological support through cognitive-behavioral therapy to preventive actions and clinical risk mitigation practices contribute to the well-being and care of each person. Conclusions: Nursing interventions in primary health care are key to improving quality of life and require specific training for professionals and policies that facilitate access to harm reduction resources.
How to cite this article: Acuña-Forero Lina Marcela, Sosa-Rodríguez Yina Lorena, Cárdenas-Martínez Fernando José, Sánchez-Rodríguez Javier Mauricio. Primary health care nursing interventions for people who use drugs: a scoping review. Revista Cuidarte. 2026;17(3):e5254. https://doi.org/10.15649/cuidarte.5254
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