Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41992234›Full record

ArticleBMC public health2026

Stress first aid for the harm reduction workforce: pilot test results of an occupational stress intervention.

Anmol Desai, Juliette Rau, Jake Samora, Katie A McCormick, Haresh Rochani, Patrick Chang, Richard J Westphal, Patricia J Watson, Justin K Benzer, Kasey R Claborn and 1 more

Registry-linked trialAbstract read
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in BMC public health, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. It is linked to trial NCT07149155 (Adapting Stress First Aid), which is not on this map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

NCT07149155 nacompletednot on this map

Adapting Stress First Aid (SFA) to the Needs of Harm Reduction Workers (HRWs) Serving Persons Who Use Drugs (PWUD) - Training and Pilot Testing Phase (Aim 2 and Aim 3)

TypeinterventionalSponsorSuzannah CreechRan2024 to 2025Enrolled35ConditionsOccupational HealthArmsStress First Aid for Harm Reduction Workers
3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

11 authors.

Anmol DesaiDell Medical School, The University of Texas at Austin, 1601 Trinity St., Bldg, B, Austin, TX, 78712, USA. anmol.desai@austin.utexas.edu.
Juliette RauDell Medical School, The University of Texas at Austin, 1601 Trinity St., Bldg, B, Austin, TX, 78712, USA.
Jake SamoraSchool of Social Work, The University of Texas at Austin, 405 W. 25th Street, Stop D3500, Austin, TX, 78712, USA.
Katie A McCormickSchool of Social Work, The University of Texas at Austin, 405 W. 25th Street, Stop D3500, Austin, TX, 78712, USA.
Haresh RochaniBiomedical Data Science Hub, The University of Texas at Austin, 1601 Trinity St., Bldg, B, Austin, TX, 78712, USA.
Patrick ChangBiomedical Data Science Hub, The University of Texas at Austin, 1601 Trinity St., Bldg, B, Austin, TX, 78712, USA.
Richard J WestphalSchool of Nursing, University of Virginia, 225 Jeanette Lancaster Way, Charlottesville, VA, 22908, USA.
Patricia J WatsonNational Center for PTSD, Dartmouth College, VA Medical Center (116D), 215 North Main St, White River Junction, VT, 05009, USA.
Justin K BenzerDepartment of Management, Policy, and Community Health, School of Public Health, UTHealth Houston - Austin campus, 1836 San Jacinto Blvd., Suite 510, Austin, TX, 78701, USA.
Kasey R ClabornSchool of Social Work, The University of Texas at Austin, 405 W. 25th Street, Stop D3500, Austin, TX, 78712, USA.
Suzannah K CreechDell Medical School, The University of Texas at Austin, 1601 Trinity St., Bldg, B, Austin, TX, 78712, USA.

Funding

Testing an occupational stress intervention for harm reduction workers in substance misuse settingsR61DA059887 · NIDA · UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT AUSTIN · PI CREECH, SUZANNAH K · 2023 to 2024
$944k
Testing an occupational stress intervention for harm reduction workers in substance misuse settingsR33DA059887 · NIDA · UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT AUSTIN · PI SUZANNAH K CREECH · 2026 to 2026
$721k
NIDA NIH HHS R33 DA059887NIDA NIH HHS R61 DA059887NIDA NIH HHS R61DA059887
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundHarm reduction workers (HRWs), while fighting the overdose crisis, are exposed to lifetime occupational stress and trauma, which in turn are associated with the long-term work and social functioning of this key sector. There is a critical gap in research on the occupational health of HRWs. The aim of this study was to adapt and pilot Stress First Aid (SFA), a peer-to-peer occupational stress intervention, for HRWs.

methodsThe adapted SFA/HRW model was a 2-hour, in-person training followed by four, 30-minute, monthly learning collaboratives piloted in a non-profit recovery community organization. A convenience sample of workers and organizational leaders (N = 35) was recruited from the pilot site. Participants completed surveys assessing knowledge, confidence, beliefs, and use of SFA and preliminary well-being outcomes at baseline, 2-months, and 4-months after the training. Participants also completed a preliminary implementation outcomes survey, and randomly selected participants (n = 13) completed 30-minute virtual implementation interviews of the SFA model. Quantitative analyses included descriptive statistics, paired tests between timepoints, and Bayesian hierarchical models to estimate changes over time and assess intervention effects with uncertainty quantification. Qualitative data were analyzed using applied thematic analysis.

resultsResults indicated a positive effect on knowledge (β = 0.87, 95% CrI, 0.56–1.17), confidence (β = 0.84, 95% CrI, 0.52–1.16), and beliefs (β = 0.29, 95% CrI, 0.11–0.48) in SFA with increased use of SFA (β = 0.91, 95% CrI, 0.39–1.44) and observation of others using SFA (β = 0.69, 95% CrI, 0.17–1.21). There was a positive effect on overall work engagement (β = 0.27, 95% CrI, 0.02–0.51). Results also indicate > 80% acceptability, appropriateness, and feasibility of SFA/HRW, with participants qualitatively reporting SFA aligned with their work and that SFA would be a valuable supplement to their pre-existing coping strategies.

conclusionsThere was an increase in observed practices of SFA and stability in well-being, coping, secondary traumatic stress, burnout, and turnover intention. Additionally, participants reported a significant increase in work engagement. SFA is highly acceptable, appropriate, and feasible among HRWs. The next steps are to test the effects of SFA/HRW against a control group in a randomized controlled trial.

trial registrationThe study NCT07149155 is registered on https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT07149155 .

Indexed as

Harm ReductionOccupational StressAdultFemaleHumansMaleMiddle AgedPeer GroupPilot ProjectsCommunity outreach workersHarm reduction workforceOccupational healthOverdose preventionPeer workersPersons who use drugsPilot testPopulation informed adaptation

Identifiers

PMID41992234
PMCPMC13220350

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.