Harm Reduction
A harm reduction approach provides an environment of physical and emotional safety.
Harm Reduction Principles
Consideration 1
When a harm reduction approach is used, patients ought to be involved in treatment choices and decisions in their care.
Consideration 3
Harm reduction strategies can be applied within different health care settings with the goal of decreasing the harms associated with certain behaviors.
Consideration 2
Harm reduction reduces the cost of social and medical care and improves clinical outcomes .
Consideration 4
Harm reduction is an alternative to abstinence- only focused interventions.
Every day we take some form of risk and we can choose to take steps to mitigate these risks. This might include wearing a seatbelt when we drive, applying sunscreen when we are at the beach, and wearing a helmet when we ride a bike. In health care, harm reduction refers to taking steps to reduce the negative effects of health behaviors without necessarily stopping the behavior completely. This includes mitigating effects of risky behaviors such as sex work, injecting illicit drugs and living unhoused. Harm reduction principles can be applied to a variety of different behaviors that lead to negative health outcomes.
Examples of harm reduction in health care:
Home care clients who smoke and are prescribed home oxygen.
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Harm Reduction Approach: Education to clients and family on the process of removing oxygen and incorporating additional safety steps before smoking, so it is done in the safest way possible. This also includes a safety plan in the event there is a fire.
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Patients who are hospitalized for anorexia nervosa.
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Harm Reduction Approach: Focus on social and recreational activities that the patient enjoys and values. This can also incorporate exploring nutritional improvements that focuses on nourishing one’s body versus weight gain.
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Patients who are hospitalized due to an abscess related to injecting illicit drugs.
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Harm Reduction Approach: Providing education on safer injection sites and safer injection techniques. Education on how to prevent, care and when to get help for an abscess.
Examples of ethical principles with a harm reduction approach:
Acknowledging patients as individuals by providing care, respect and dignity. This allows providers to take time to understand why patients make decisions that they do, in turn empowering health care providers and decreasing moral distress.