Drug Consumption Rooms have become integral to public health systems in many European countries including in Greece, where in March 2022 the city of Athens opened the country’s first legally sanctioned site. To date, no qualitative research has explored the experiences of people accessing the site, or the community of people who use drugs in street-based settings locally.
Employing a participatory rapid-ethnographic approach, this study collected data through an initial 5 weeks of ethnographic observation, followed by 1 community consultation, 5 focus groups with DCR clients, 12 interviews with staff and 25 interviews with people who use drugs locally who do not access the DCR. Data was collected by two graduate students as well as a local peer researcher.
Seven main themes arose from the focus groups, including: 1) The DCR as a Sanctuary, 2) Privacy and Reduction in Street-Based Drug Use, 3) The Positive Impact of Staff, 4) Suggestion 1: Increased Communication of the Facility, 5) Suggestion 2: Extended Hours and Locations, 6) Suggestion 3: The Potential of Peer Involvement, 7) Stigma as a Potential Barrier. Four main themes arose from the street-based interviews: 1) Community Awareness of the DCR, 2) Urgency and Time Constraints, 3) Perceptions of Limits and Regulations, and 4) Supportive Environment and Human Connection. Four main themes arose from the staff interviews: 1) Human Connection and Reconnection Through the DCR, 2) Operational Challenges and Staff Well-Being, 3) Reflections on Harm Reduction and 4) Client Feedback.
The opinions, attitudes, and lived experiences of DCR clients, as well as potential clients should be used to inform the design of services as a means of overcoming barriers to their uptake and effectiveness. The results of this study have informed a number of recommendations specific to this local context. These include (but not limited too): 1) involving peers in the delivery of services to make it a more welcoming and relatable service, 2) establishing a peer advisory committee so that clients have ongoing input into the delivery of services, and 3) explore the need and demand for additional DCRs in Athens.