Date of Award
5-3-2017
Degree Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Arts (MA)
Department
Anthropology
First Advisor
Cassandra White
Second Advisor
Jennie E. Burnet
Third Advisor
Steven Black
Abstract
This thesis explores the public health practice of a needle exchange program from the perspective of outreach workers in a Southern U.S. city. I explore how outreach workers understand the harm reduction ideology that underlies needle exchange practices as well as intrinsic and extrinsic motivations for participating in the work. I also consider how the needle exchange impacts outreach workers’ lives and its social importance as a therapeutic community. I argue that the needle exchange represents an important social space that functions as a therapeutic community for outreach workers where the harm reduction ideology is applied to both clients and outreach workers alike.
DOI
https://doi.org/10.57709/10064013
Recommended Citation
D'Alessandro, Elise, "Needle Exchange: Social Value for Outreach Workers." Thesis, Georgia State University, 2017.
doi: https://doi.org/10.57709/10064013