Andrew Ivsins

Dr. Andrew Ivsins is an assistant professor in the Faculty of Medicine, Division of Social Medicine, at the University of British Columbia, and Research Scientist with the British Columbia Centre on Substance Use. He received his PhD in Sociology from the University of Victoria. Andrew uses innovative qualitative and ethnographic methods to understand how social, environmental, and structural factors shape the health and health inequity of structurally vulnerable people who use drugs, and to generate evidence to improve their health and wellbeing. Andrew’s work has been supported by CIHR, MITACS, and the US National Institutes of Health.

Andrew’s research program uses qualitative and community-based research methods to explore evolving drug use patterns and drug supply changes, and medication-based drug treatment and harm reduction initiatives, to provide a comprehensive understanding of the impacts of changing drug use patterns and supply characteristics, and complex interactions between social, structural, and physical-environmental influences, on overdose and treatment outcomes.