ArticleHarm reduction journal2021
A drug-related Good Samaritan Law and calling emergency medical services for drug overdoses in a Canadian setting.
Article in Harm reduction journal, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 11 papers.
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Who cites it
11 citing papers in PubMed.
- Contrasting perspectives and applications of the Good Samaritan Overdose Prevention Law: insights from people who use and distribute drugs in Rhode Island.Health & justice · 2026Article
- Community supervision during Oregon's partial decriminalization Measure 110: Criminal legal system involvement, overdose, and naloxone access.Drug and alcohol dependence reports · 2026Article
- Article
- Barriers to bystander interventions in suspected opioid-associated out-of-hospital cardiac arrests: A multiple methods study of 9-1-1 calls.Resuscitation · 2025Article
- Characterizing and responding to stimulant overdoses: Findings from a mixed methods study of people who use cocaine and other stimulants in New England.Drug and alcohol dependence · 2025Article
- Implementation of an EMS-based naloxone distribution program: A qualitative evaluation.Journal of the American College of Emergency Physicians open · 2024Article
- Using qualitative system dynamics modeling to understand overdose bystander behavior in the context of Connecticut's Good Samaritan Laws and identify effective policy options.Harm reduction journal · 2024Article
- Understanding the barriers and facilitators to implementing and sustaining Mobile Overdose Response Services from the perspective of Canadian key interest groups: a qualitative study.Harm reduction journal · 2024Article
- Review
- Intention to seek emergency medical services during community overdose events in British Columbia, Canada: a cross-sectional survey.Substance abuse treatment, prevention, and policy · 2022Article
- Awareness and knowledge of the Good Samaritan Drug Overdose Act among people at risk of witnessing an overdose in British Columbia, Canada: a multi-methods cross sectional study.Substance abuse treatment, prevention, and policy · 2022Article
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Authors and funding
6 authors.
Funding
Abstract
backgroundPeople who use drugs (PWUD) are known to fear calling emergency medical services (EMS) for drug overdoses. In response, drug-related Good Samaritan Laws (GSLs) have been widely adopted in the USA and Canada to encourage bystanders to call emergency medical services (EMS) in the event of a drug overdose. However, the effect of GSLs on EMS-calling behaviours has been understudied. We sought to identify factors associated with EMS-calling, including the enactment of the Canadian GSL in May 2017, among PWUD in Vancouver, Canada, a setting with an ongoing overdose crisis.
methodsData were derived from three prospective cohort studies of PWUD in Vancouver in 2014-2018. Multivariable logistic regression was used to determine factors associated with EMS-calling among PWUD who witnessed an overdose event. An interrupted time series (ITS) analysis was employed to assess the impact of GSL on monthly prevalence of EMS-calling.
resultsAmong 540 eligible participants, 321 (59%) were males and 284 (53%) reported calling EMS. In multivariable analysis, ever having administered naloxone three or more times (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] 2.00; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.08-3.74) and residence in the Downtown Eastside (DTES) neighbourhood of Vancouver (AOR 1.96; 95% CI 1.23-3.13) were positively associated with EMS-calling, while living in a single occupancy hotel (SRO) was negatively associated with EMS-calling (AOR 0.51; 95% CI 0.30-0.86). The post-GSL enactment period was not associated with EMS-calling (AOR 0.81; 95% CI 0.52-1.25). The ITS found no significant difference in the monthly prevalence of EMS-calling between pre- and post-GSL enactment periods.
conclusionWe observed EMS being called about half the time and the GSL did not appear to encourage EMS-calling. We also found that individuals living in SROs were less likely to call EMS, which raises concern given that fatal overdose cases are concentrated in SROs in our setting. The link between many naloxone administrations and EMS-calling could indicate that those with prior experience in responding to overdose events were more willing to call EMS. Increased efforts are warranted to ensure effective emergency responses for drug overdoses among PWUD.
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