Accessing Syringe Services Programs in the US: Analyzing Travel Time, Distance, and Associated Costs - Takeaways - MDSpire

Accessing Syringe Services Programs in the US: Analyzing Travel Time, Distance, and Associated Costs

  • By

  • Spruha Joshi

  • Mengni Jing

  • Katherine Wheeler-Martin

  • Pooja Shah

  • Corey S. Davis

  • Charles J. DiMaggio

  • Magdalena Cerdá

  • April 29, 2026

  • 0 min

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  • 1

    The US faces an overdose crisis with over 80,000 deaths in 2024, highlighting the need for effective syringe services programs (SSPs).

  • 2

    SSPs provide sterile injection equipment, treatment referrals, and naloxone, crucial for reducing drug-related harms and improving healthcare engagement.

  • 3

    Access to SSPs is uneven, with barriers like long travel distances and inadequate transportation exacerbating geographic disparities in service availability.

  • 4

    This study quantified travel times, distances, and costs to SSPs across the US, revealing significant variations based on urbanicity and overdose rates.

  • 5

    Understanding the structural and individual burdens of accessing SSPs is essential for addressing the overdose crisis and improving public health outcomes.

Original Source(s)

Accessing Syringe Services Programs in the US: Analyzing Travel Time, Distance, and Associated Costs

  • by Spruha Joshi, Mengni Jing, Katherine Wheeler-Martin, Pooja Shah, Corey S. Davis, Charles J. DiMaggio, Magdalena Cerdá

  • April 29, 2026

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