PEORIA (25News Now) – A joint study by the University of Illinois College of Medicine in Peoria and Jolt Harm Reduction found that housing insecurity, lack of reliable transportation and public stigma often lead people who use drugs in central Illinois to avoid health care.
Researchers surveyed local participants about their access to standard health services.
Researchers said participants routinely avoid clinics and emergency rooms out of fear of being judged or turned away.
“Some of the biggest barriers were just some major social drivers in terms of housing instability, other economic and financial stressors, along with just encountering stigma when they do try to reach out for care and not feeling like they’re being heard or that they have anyone who really cares about them. So they often avoided healthcare for various reasons,” said Dr. Sara Kelly, an assistant professor at the University of Illinois College of Medicine in Peoria.
Advocates said local policies, such as the recent camping ban, and limited public transportation cut off access to medical and mental health appointments.
“I think beyond that, we’ve identified that transportation was a huge barrier for folks accessing the actual care that they need, whether that’s healthcare with primary care physician or emergency care or psychiatric care or substance use treatment. If you can’t get to the places, you can’t access the services. And with them being moved around quite often, it tends to fracture that community of people that are taking care of each other,” said Chris Schaffner, Executive Director of JOLT Harm Reduction.
Leaders behind the study said accessible care starts with meeting people where they are and using community partnerships to deliver services and expand health resources across the region.
“I think we need to try and reach people where they are and go into the community and help support some of those efforts. Partnering with organizations like JOLT where there’s already trust and support, where they know that their voice will be heard and they can be treated with respect,” Kelly said.
Researchers at the University of Illinois College of Medicine in Peoria and Jolt plan to use the findings to help local clinics and emergency departments shift policies and develop more targeted interventions.
Advocates at Jolt said they will use the survey data to advocate for policy changes and target local interventions.
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