UROP Project
Scoping review of substance use-related harm reduction implementation determinants and strategies in primary care
Substance use; harm reduction; primary care; scoping review
Research Mentor: Umedjon Ibragimov, He, him
Department, College, Affiliation: FSU College of Nursing Center for Population Sciences and Health Empowerment (CPSHE), Nursing
Contact Email: ui23a@fsu.edu
Research Assistant Supervisor (if different from mentor):
Research Assistant Supervisor Email:
Faculty Collaborators:
Faculty Collaborators Email:
Department, College, Affiliation: FSU College of Nursing Center for Population Sciences and Health Empowerment (CPSHE), Nursing
Contact Email: ui23a@fsu.edu
Research Assistant Supervisor (if different from mentor):
Research Assistant Supervisor Email:
Faculty Collaborators:
Faculty Collaborators Email:
Looking for Research Assistants: Yes
Number of Research Assistants: 2
Relevant Majors: Open to all majors
Project Location: On FSU Main Campus
Research Assistant Transportation Required: Remote or In-person: Fully Remote
Approximate Weekly Hours: 10, Flexible schedule (Combination of business and outside of business. TBD between student and research mentor.)
Roundtable Times and Zoom Link:
Number of Research Assistants: 2
Relevant Majors: Open to all majors
Project Location: On FSU Main Campus
Research Assistant Transportation Required: Remote or In-person: Fully Remote
Approximate Weekly Hours: 10, Flexible schedule (Combination of business and outside of business. TBD between student and research mentor.)
Roundtable Times and Zoom Link:
- Day: Monday, August 31
Start Time: 12:00
End Time: 12:30
Zoom Link: https://fsu.zoom.us/my/umedibragimov - Day: Monday, August 31
Start Time: 2:00
End Time: 2:30
Zoom Link: https://fsu.zoom.us/my/umedibragimov - Day: Monday, August 31
Start Time: 3:00
End Time: 3:30
Zoom Link: https://fsu.zoom.us/my/umedibragimov
Project Description
Drug overdose and related harms remain a major public health problem in the United States. Harm reduction interventions such as naloxone distribution, safer use education, syringe access, drug checking, HIV preexposure prophylaxis, and medications for opioid use disorder can reduce overdose deaths and infectious disease transmission. Primary care settings may be especially useful for delivering these services because they are accessible, provide ongoing care, and can reach people who do not use specialty addiction treatment.However, harm reduction services are not consistently implemented in primary care. Barriers may include stigma, limited provider training, insufficient staffing, and uncertainty about regulations. This scoping review will examine what is known about implementing harm reduction interventions in primary care, including barriers, facilitators, implementation strategies, and outcomes.
The review will search six major research databases and include quantitative, qualitative, mixed-methods, and implementation studies. Studies focused only on intervention effectiveness without implementation information will be excluded. Reviewers will independently screen studies and extract relevant data.
Three implementation science frameworks will guide the review. CFIR will be used to organize implementation barriers and facilitators, ERIC will classify implementation strategies, and Proctor’s framework will categorize outcomes such as acceptability, feasibility, adoption, fidelity, and sustainability. Findings will identify important gaps and opportunities for improving harm reduction implementation in primary care.
Research Tasks: Research assistants will help screen titles, abstracts, and full-text articles; extract and organize study data using standardized forms; and classify implementation barriers, strategies, and outcomes using established frameworks. They will also assist with summary tables and synthesis of findings. Students will receive training and work under faculty supervision, with regular team meetings to ensure consistency and resolve disagreements.
Skills that research assistant(s) may need: Required: Strong attention to detail; ability to follow standardized screening and data-extraction procedures; reliable organization and documentation; willingness to learn research software and implementation science frameworks; ability to work independently and as part of a research team.
Recommended: Prior coursework or experience in public health, social sciences, substance use, literature reviews, or research methods; familiarity with scholarly databases and citation-management software; basic Excel skills.
Mentoring Philosophy
My mentoring philosophy is centered on helping students become increasingly independent and thoughtful scholars. I begin by understanding each mentee’s goals, interests, strengths and areas for development. I recognize that effective mentoring should be individualized rather than one-size-fits-all. Together, we establish clear expectations and achievable goals while allowing these goals to evolve as the mentee gains experience.I view mentoring as a collaborative relationship grounded in mutual respect, open communication, and accountability. I provide structure, guidance, and constructive feedback, while gradually increasing mentees’ ownership of their work and responsibility for decisions. In research mentoring, I emphasize asking meaningful questions, aligning theory with methods, understanding the rationale behind analytic decisions, and communicating findings clearly rather than simply completing assigned tasks.
I also believe that learning requires opportunities to make mistakes, reconsider assumptions, and work through uncertainty. My role is to create an environment in which mentees can ask questions and take intellectual risks while maintaining high expectations for rigor and professionalism. I draw on my own research and career experiences when useful, but encourage mentees to develop their own scholarly interests and voice. Ultimately, my goal is to help mentees build the skills, judgment, confidence, and professional independence needed for their next stage of development.