Current research favours taking a harm reduction approach to reducing drug-related harm. University students tend to use more drugs and binge drink more often than the general UK population. However, there is a lack of research in the field of harm reduction-focused drug education interventions targeting university students. The purpose of this thesis was to help inform the development of harm reduction-focused drug education services, targeting university students, at the University of Bristol and other universities. To do so, I assessed the feasibility of evaluating these services. I found it was not feasible to evaluate a harm reduction-focused drug education service under the circumstances I experienced. However, future evaluations, conducted without Covid-19 restrictions, could be feasible. This thesis makes a series of recommendations for: improving recruitment capability, increasing the appropriateness of study procedures and developing outcome measures. I also investigated students’ attitudes towards drug use, harm reduction techniques and harm reduction-focused drug education services. Results showed that: students’ perceptions of the relative risk of harm from drug use were not rational; frequency of drug use (for alcohol and cannabis users) and perceived risk of harm from drug use (for alcohol, cannabis and cigarette users) were positively associated with concern over drug use; increased concern over drug use did not predict increased likelihood to engage with a harm reduction-focused drug education service. This thesis discusses these findings and their implications for improving the engagement of university students with, and conducting evaluations of, harm reduction-focused drug education services.
Harm Reduction Focused Drug Education: Evaluating and Informing Services
Foster, D. J. (Author). 24 Jan 2023
Student thesis: Master's Thesis › Master of Science by Research (MScR)