Family Caregiving for People Who Use Drugs in Rural Settings

Some people who use drugs may have a perceived need for formal substance use supports and services, including treatment and harm reduction programs. However, not all people who use drugs have equitable access to such programs. This is especially true for people who use drugs in rural and remote Canada, where limited availability, perceived lack of privacy, and transportation challenges can act as barriers to access. In some cases where formal supports and services are inaccessible, a range of informal supports or unpaid care from family, friends, and peers may help fill this gap. Informal support, or unpaid caregiving, is care provided outside of organized volunteer or paid work to support the health and well-being of an individual (e.g., navigating the health system, providing transportation to appointments, providing emotional support, advocating for an individual's needs, providing financial support). Although there is well established evidence on family caregiving for many health issues, very little is known about family caregiving for adults who use drugs during the current drug poisoning crisis. Further, there is an urgent need to generate knowledge on substance use in small towns and villages in rural Canada.

 In partnership with a number of community partners, including members from Alberta Alliance Who Advocate and Educate Responsibly (AAWEAR), Manitoba Harm Reduction Network, Moms Stop the Harm, and Stronger Together Canada,  this project uses a qualitative community-based design to:

(1) understand caregivers’ (including people with lived/living experience of substance use) experiences of providing informal support; 

(2) describe the impact of gaps in substance use care in rural settings; 

(3) identify individual and collective strategies for mitigating the impact of care gaps; and (4) develop recommendations for effectively supporting both people who use substances and people who provide unpaid support (caregivers) for this population in rural settings. 

Our findings will help stakeholders understand the provision of informal supports for substance use in rural communities, including the experiences of caregivers. Findings will outline requisite public health strategies and supports for both caregivers and people who use substances in rural settings. Findings will also inform how to support high quality substance use care in rural settings

Study Lead: Elaine Hyshka

Funding Support: CRISM Prairie Node

Status: Ongoing