This academic paper assesses the impact of COVID-19 in a sample of individuals who use drugs in rural Illinois through qualitative surveys and interviews. The authors findings emphasize the importance of ensuring access to harm reduction services, including overdose prevention and drug checking for this vulnerable population.
Bolinski, R. S., Walters, S., Salisbury-Afshar, E., Ouellet, L. J., Jenkins, W. D., Almirol, E., Van Ham, B., Fletcher, S., Johnson, C., Schneider, J. A., Ompad, D., & Pho, M. T. (2022). The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on drug use behaviors, fentanyl exposure, and harm reduction service support among people who use drugs in rural settings. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 19(4), 2230.