Social Intervention and Harm Reduction

Code:

PJD08

Acronym:

ISRR

Keywords
Classification	Keyword
CNAEF	Psychology

Instance: 2024/2025 - 1S

Active?	Yes
Responsible unit:	Psychology
Course/CS Responsible:	Master Degree in Psychology

Cycles of Study/Courses

Acronym	No. of Students	Study Plan	Curricular Years	Credits UCN	Credits ECTS	Contact hours	Total Time
MPSI	19	Plano de Estudos 2021	1	-	6	54	162

Teaching language

Portuguese

Objectives

1. To know and understand what harm reduction means and its relevance.


2. To distinguish social intervention and harm reduction from similar forms of intervention.

Learning outcomes and competences

At the end of this course, the student is expected to know:
- The areas of intervention and the methods and strategies of harm reduction associated with drug use and sex work;
- How to distinguish social intervention and harm reduction from other forms of related intervention, such as community intervention, health education, among others;
- How to identify, characterise and critically discuss programmes and projects based on some examples of good practice;
- How to apply the knowledge acquired to specific situations and contexts.

Working method

Presencial

Program

1.1 Critical discussion of the concept of "risk": psychological risk, social risk, risks management, risk society.

1.2. Science informed public harm reduction policies for drug use and sex work

1.3. Social intervention and harm reduction and links to marginality/exclusion at the pos-industrial city; social history of drug use and the emergence of harm reduction.

2.Concepts, initial programs and principles of harm reduction

3. Harm reduction in the world and in Portugal

4. Main characteristics and programs:

4.1. Characteristics/principles: pragmatism, proximity, hotrizontality, progressivity, networking

4.2. Science-informed program usually implemented and good practices

5. Less frequent harm reduction interventions linked to: alcohol; tobacco; new psychoactive substances; alternative sexual practices.

Mandatory literature

Grup IGIA; Contextos, sujetos y drogas: un manual sobre drogodependencias, Fundación de Ayuda contra la Drogadicción, 2000
O'Hare, P., Newcombe, R., Matthews, A., Buning, E. & Drucker, E; La reducción de los daños relacionados con las drogas, Grup IGIA, 1995
G. Alan Marlatt; Harm reducation. ISBN: 1-57230-397-2
Justin Gaffney; Practical guidelines for delivering health services to sex workers. ISBN: 978-90-812297-4-6
WHO/SEARO | WHO/WPRO; Toolkit for monitoring and evaluation of interventions for sex workers, World Health Organization, 2009
Rekart, M.L.; Sex-work harm reduction, Lancet, 2006
Heddrich, D. & Rhodes, T.; Harm reduction: evidence, impacts and challenges, EMCDDA, 2010
Hart, C. ; High price, Harper, 2013

Teaching methods and learning activities

Teaching methodologies are based on an integrated matrix that combines

- Expository presentation of the main theories, concepts and practices;

- Dialogue and discussion (either in a small group or in plenary sessions);

- Role plays

- Work in groups, respective presentation and discussion in the classroom.

- Analysis and critical discussion of learning materials (texts, videos, news, documentaries, etc.);

 

Evaluation Type

Distributed evaluation without final exam

Assessment Components

designation	Weight (%)
Trabalho de campo	50,00
Trabalho escrito	50,00
Total:	100,00

Amount of time allocated to each course unit

designation	Time (hours)
Apresentação/discussão de um trabalho científico	4,00
Estudo autónomo	34,00
Frequência das aulas	49,00
Trabalho de campo	41,00
Trabalho escrito	34,00
Total:	162,00

Eligibility for exams

Presence in the classes is very important but it is not mandatory.

 

Calculation formula of final grade

Assessment is distributed without a final exam.

Components :
- Group work (50% weight): Field work related to evaluating the Assisted Consumption Room in Porto (due to a partnership between this project and FPCEUP). This work will be presented in class on December 11th.

- Individual work (50% weight): A final reflection that should lead to an essay on Harm Reduction based on what students have learned in the course. This essay will be carried out in the last class on December 18th.

The final grade results from the average grades obtained in both components.
To be approved for the course, students need at least 8 points in each component and 10 points overall.

Special assessment (TE, DA, ...)

Students with special status should contact the person in charge of the course at the beginning of the semester.