Effectiveness, acceptability, and feasibility of naloxone in carceral settings: a scoping review
Naloxone provision in carceral settings is acceptable, feasible, and effective in preventing opioid overdoses during incarceration and after release. Strong support exists among prisoners and staff, yet significant gaps remain, particularly regarding use in vulnerable populations such as women, younger individuals, and immigration detainees. Integrating naloxone into prison health systems, alongside staff training and peer engagement, is a critical step in reducing preventable overdose deaths and enhancing continuity of care post-release.
Authors
- Walter Cullen (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1838-5052)
- J. E. Smyth (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0003-2458-9884)
- Marie Claire Van Hout (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0018-4060)
- Des Crowley (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8491-9596)
- Nandakumar Ravichandran
Institutions
- University College Dublin (IE)
- National Drug Addiction Center (BG)
- South East Technological University (IE)
- Waterford Institute of Technology (IE)
Publication Details
- Journal
- Harm Reduction Journal
- Published
- 2025-11-29
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1186/s12954-025-01358-x
- Primary Topic
- Opioid Use Disorder Treatment
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 0.00