Exploring attitudes toward acceptability of harm reduction : A comparative study of South African and Swedish addiction care professionals.
Geyer, Stephan and Larsson Lindahl, Marianne LU
(2026)
In Journal of Substance Use
- Abstract
- ABSTRACT
Background and Objective: Working from a harm reduction (HR) approach underscores that addiction
care professionals (ACPs) serve people with substance use disorder in a non-judgmental environment,
encouraging people to seek intervention without abstinence as the ultimate goal. This study aims to
explore and compare the attitudes toward the acceptability of harm reduction among ACPs in South
Africa and Sweden.
Methods: Participants (N = 208), 84 in South Africa and 124 in Sweden, were recruited through non-
probability sampling, via gatekeepers. Data collection comprised a web-based survey with Goddard’s
Harm Reduction Acceptability Scale. Analysis included independent samples t-tests. Cronbach’s... (More) - ABSTRACT
Background and Objective: Working from a harm reduction (HR) approach underscores that addiction
care professionals (ACPs) serve people with substance use disorder in a non-judgmental environment,
encouraging people to seek intervention without abstinence as the ultimate goal. This study aims to
explore and compare the attitudes toward the acceptability of harm reduction among ACPs in South
Africa and Sweden.
Methods: Participants (N = 208), 84 in South Africa and 124 in Sweden, were recruited through non-
probability sampling, via gatekeepers. Data collection comprised a web-based survey with Goddard’s
Harm Reduction Acceptability Scale. Analysis included independent samples t-tests. Cronbach’s alpha
coefficients showed good reliability.
Results: The Swedish ACPs demonstrated significantly greater acceptance of harm reduction than their
South African counterparts (M = 4.03vs 3.47, t(206)=−8.56, p < .001, d = 1.21). The difference was significant
across 18 of the survey’s 25 items, with Swedish ACPs consistently reporting higher attitudes toward
HR acceptance. Most ACPs in both countries were positive about attending HR training.
Conclusions: South African ACPs hold a more negative attitude toward HR than their Swedish counterparts.
Zooming in on specific items of the scale, several practical implications for policymakers and
practitioners in addiction treatment and public health are outlined. (Less) - Abstract (Swedish)
- ABSTRACT
Background and Objective: Working from a harm reduction (HR) approach underscores that addiction care professionals (ACPs) serve people with substance use disorder in a non-judgmental environment, encouraging people to seek intervention without abstinence as the ultimate goal. This study aims to
explore and compare the attitudes toward the acceptability of harm reduction among ACPs in South Africa and Sweden.
Methods: Participants (N = 208), 84 in South Africa and 124 in Sweden, were recruited through non-probability sampling, via gatekeepers. Data collection comprised a web-based survey with Goddard’s Harm Reduction Acceptability Scale. Analysis included independent samples t-tests. Cronbach’s alpha
coefficients... (More) - ABSTRACT
Background and Objective: Working from a harm reduction (HR) approach underscores that addiction care professionals (ACPs) serve people with substance use disorder in a non-judgmental environment, encouraging people to seek intervention without abstinence as the ultimate goal. This study aims to
explore and compare the attitudes toward the acceptability of harm reduction among ACPs in South Africa and Sweden.
Methods: Participants (N = 208), 84 in South Africa and 124 in Sweden, were recruited through non-probability sampling, via gatekeepers. Data collection comprised a web-based survey with Goddard’s Harm Reduction Acceptability Scale. Analysis included independent samples t-tests. Cronbach’s alpha
coefficients showed good reliability.
Results: The Swedish ACPs demonstrated significantly greater acceptance of harm reduction than their South African counterparts (M = 4.03vs 3.47, t(206)=−8.56, p < .001, d = 1.21). The difference was significant across 18 of the survey’s 25 items, with Swedish ACPs consistently reporting higher attitudes toward HR acceptance. Most ACPs in both countries were positive about attending HR training.
Conclusions: South African ACPs hold a more negative attitude toward HR than their Swedish counterparts. Zooming in on specific items of the scale, several practical implications for policymakers and practitioners in addiction treatment and public health are outlined. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
https://lup.lub.lu.se/record/7232acf4-7629-45e6-b9f4-0239fdbdfc2a
- author
- Geyer, Stephan
and Larsson Lindahl, Marianne
LU
- organization
- publishing date
- 2026-06-18
- type
- Contribution to journal
- publication status
- epub
- subject
- keywords
- Harm reduction, Substance use disorder, Addiction Care Professionals, Harm Reduction Acceptability Scale, South Africa, Sweden
- in
- Journal of Substance Use
- pages
- 7 pages
- publisher
- Taylor & Francis
- ISSN
- 1465-9891
- DOI
- 10.1080/14659891.2026.2685545
- language
- English
- LU publication?
- yes
- id
- 7232acf4-7629-45e6-b9f4-0239fdbdfc2a
- date added to LUP
- 2026-06-23 12:59:27
- date last changed
- 2026-06-30 12:44:29
@article{7232acf4-7629-45e6-b9f4-0239fdbdfc2a,
abstract = {{ABSTRACT<br/>Background and Objective: Working from a harm reduction (HR) approach underscores that addiction<br/>care professionals (ACPs) serve people with substance use disorder in a non-judgmental environment,<br/>encouraging people to seek intervention without abstinence as the ultimate goal. This study aims to<br/>explore and compare the attitudes toward the acceptability of harm reduction among ACPs in South<br/>Africa and Sweden.<br/>Methods: Participants (N = 208), 84 in South Africa and 124 in Sweden, were recruited through non-<br/>probability sampling, via gatekeepers. Data collection comprised a web-based survey with Goddard’s<br/>Harm Reduction Acceptability Scale. Analysis included independent samples t-tests. Cronbach’s alpha<br/>coefficients showed good reliability.<br/>Results: The Swedish ACPs demonstrated significantly greater acceptance of harm reduction than their<br/>South African counterparts (M = 4.03vs 3.47, t(206)=−8.56, p < .001, d = 1.21). The difference was significant<br/>across 18 of the survey’s 25 items, with Swedish ACPs consistently reporting higher attitudes toward<br/>HR acceptance. Most ACPs in both countries were positive about attending HR training.<br/>Conclusions: South African ACPs hold a more negative attitude toward HR than their Swedish counterparts.<br/>Zooming in on specific items of the scale, several practical implications for policymakers and<br/>practitioners in addiction treatment and public health are outlined.}},
author = {{Geyer, Stephan and Larsson Lindahl, Marianne}},
issn = {{1465-9891}},
keywords = {{Harm reduction; Substance use disorder; Addiction Care Professionals; Harm Reduction Acceptability Scale; South Africa; Sweden}},
language = {{eng}},
month = {{06}},
publisher = {{Taylor & Francis}},
series = {{Journal of Substance Use}},
title = {{Exploring attitudes toward acceptability of harm reduction : A comparative study of South African and Swedish addiction care professionals.}},
url = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/14659891.2026.2685545}},
doi = {{10.1080/14659891.2026.2685545}},
year = {{2026}},
}