Defining a public health approach to substance use: Perspectives from professionals and practitioners across Canada (2024)

Background: While increasingly referenced in the literature and policy discussions, a "public health approach" (PHA) to substance use has been inconsistently defined or remained undefined. As part of a larger project on building the capacity to implement a PHA to substance use, we aimed to understand how professionals and practitioners across Canada who work with or whose work directly impacts the lives of people who use substances conceptualize a PHA.
Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional national online survey of public health professionals, public safety professionals, health and social service providers, and other relevant professionals and practitioners. The survey contained closed- and open-ended questions designed to gauge familiarity and comfort with application of a PHA to substance use, and perspectives on an organizational definition of such an approach. Survey recruitment was active between May and July 2021. Data analysis included descriptive statistics and thematic analysis.
Results: A total of 1041 surveys were completed. Most respondents (76%) reported having heard of a PHA to substance use, as it was defined. Over half (54%) indicated a high level of comfort with applying such an approach within their work. In relation to defining a PHA to substance use, the following thematic suggestions emerged from respondent's open-ended answers: explicitly recognize people with lived/living experience of substance use; incorporate trauma-informed understanding and acknowledge the varied underlying reasons for substance use; decolonize approaches to substance use and empower communities; and consider a more critical appraisal of a PHA and the terminology in its definition.
Conclusion: Empirically unpacking multi-stakeholder understandings of a PHA to substance use can help to inform a more cohesive definition and build the consensus needed for more effective, coordinated, and community-led responses to substance use. Future work, especially qualitative research, will provide richer and more practical understandings of a PHA to substance use. [Author's abstract]
Highlights:
A public health approach (PHA) to substance use is a familiar term to professionals.
Variation in degree of comfort with practical application of a PHA to substance use.
Defining a PHA needs explicit recognition of people with lived/living experience.
PHA definitions need to be trauma-informed and acknowledge community-led action.