The Toronto-based SHOUT & Wellesley Institute recently released a study that looked at the experiences and health issues of homeless and street-involved youth who use drugs. While obviously Toronto and Cape Breton are different places with different issues, the youth interviewed in the study gave a clear endorsement of harm-reduction initiatives that strongly resonates with our situation in Cape Breton.

Homeless and street-involved youth in Toronto and low-income youth in Cape Breton are impacted by the same social determinants of health: unstable, unlivable and/or unaffordable housing, poverty, discrimination, stigma underemployment, and unemployment. 67% of youth from the study either had a diagnosed mental health issue or were concerned that they had a mental health issue. While there is no official research for drug-using youth in Cape Breton, we at ACCB would strongly suspect the rate of mental health issues are similar.

There has long been a link between low scores on social determinants of health and drug-use as a coping behaviour. This study shows that the stigma attached to using drugs and living in poverty intensifies the effects of inequality.

Young drug-users were adamant about the need for accessible, nonjudgmental harm reduction based services that respect their ability to make their own choices. What do you think those services would look like in Cape Breton?

Check out the findings of the study here.

Posted by Evan Coole on Thursday, January 5, 2012