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Sutherland R, Peacock A, Crawford S, Holly C, Gava P, Dicka J, Manu G, Byrne J. Information acquisition and dissemination among a sample of people who inject drugs in Australia. Drug Alcohol Rev 2024; 43:1104-1111. [PMID: 37952935 DOI: 10.1111/dar.13765] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2022] [Revised: 09/13/2023] [Accepted: 10/02/2023] [Indexed: 11/14/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION This paper examines the acquisition and dissemination of harm reduction information among people who inject drugs, as well as preferred sources of information. METHODS Data were obtained from 862 people who inject drugs, recruited from Australian capital cities for the 2021 Illicit Drug Reporting System. Multivariable regression analyses were performed to assess potential factors associated with knowledge sharing. RESULTS Almost two-fifths (37%) reported that they had received information about how to keep themselves safe when using drugs within the past 6 months. Reporting on their last occasion of receiving information, participants stated that it was commonly about injecting practices (56%), overdose prevention (26%) and injection-related injuries (22%), and was mostly received from an alcohol and other drug worker (54%), followed by other health professional (24%) and social network (18%). Among those who reported receiving information, 50% shared this information with other people, predominantly with their social network: no factors were found to be significantly associated with sharing information. The majority reported that peer workers and/or people with lived experience would be the first person they would talk to for information about a range of topics (e.g., injecting/harm reduction practices, overdose prevention). DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS Two in five participants had recently obtained information about how to keep themselves safe while using drugs, with half sharing this information with their social network. Peer workers were the preferred source of information, suggesting that the peer educator workforce should be expanded to embrace the capacities and expertise of people who inject drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rachel Sutherland
- National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, Australia
| | - Amy Peacock
- National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, Australia
- School of Psychological Sciences, University of Tasmania, Hobart, Australia
| | | | | | - Peta Gava
- Peer Based Harm Reduction WA, Perth, Australia
| | - Jane Dicka
- Harm Reduction Victoria, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Geoff Manu
- Australian Injecting and Illicit Drug Users League, Canberra, Australia
| | - Jude Byrne
- Australian Injecting and Illicit Drug Users League, Canberra, Australia
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Broady TR, Brener L, Caruana T, Cama E, Treloar C. Factors associated with sharing equipment among people who inject drugs: The role of community attachment in harm reduction and health promotion. Drug Alcohol Rev 2023; 42:561-568. [PMID: 36729689 DOI: 10.1111/dar.13606] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2022] [Revised: 11/11/2022] [Accepted: 12/21/2022] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Sharing injecting equipment is a major route of transmission for blood borne viruses such as hepatitis C and HIV. Although needle and syringe programs are widely available throughout metropolitan Australia, rates of sharing equipment have not significantly changed in recent years. This study aimed to identify factors associated with recent equipment sharing among people who inject drugs in Australia. METHODS A paper-based survey was distributed via peer-based organisations between June and November 2018 and was completed by 603 participants. Survey questions addressed recent injecting experiences, equipment sharing, community attachment, stigma and wellbeing. Participants who had recently shared injecting equipment were compared with those who had not shared any equipment using multivariable logistic regression. RESULTS Recent equipment sharing was associated with recent heroin use, experiencing any past-year stigma related to injecting drug use, and higher levels of attachment to a community of people who inject drugs. An interaction effect showed increased community attachment was associated with increased odds of sharing equipment among young participants, but with decreased odds of sharing equipment among older participants. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS Community networks of people who inject drugs can play important roles in harm reduction initiatives. While being connected with a community of people who inject drugs increased the odds of sharing injecting equipment, this community connection also increases opportunities for social support, sharing information and mitigating the negative effects of stigma. Collaboratively and meaningfully engaging with communities of people who inject drugs has the potential to increase the reach and effectiveness of health promotion services.
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Affiliation(s)
- Timothy R Broady
- Centre for Social Research in Health, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, Australia
| | - Loren Brener
- Centre for Social Research in Health, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, Australia
| | - Theresa Caruana
- Centre for Social Research in Health, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, Australia
| | - Elena Cama
- Centre for Social Research in Health, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, Australia
| | - Carla Treloar
- Centre for Social Research in Health, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, Australia
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Yuan JM, Croxford S, Viviani L, Emanuel E, Phipps E, Desai M. Investigating the sociodemographic and behavioural factors associated with hepatitis C virus testing amongst people who inject drugs in England, Wales and Northern Ireland: A quantitative cross-sectional analysis. THE INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF DRUG POLICY 2022; 109:103821. [PMID: 35994940 DOI: 10.1016/j.drugpo.2022.103821] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2022] [Revised: 08/01/2022] [Accepted: 08/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Hepatitis C virus (HCV) transmission in the UK is driven by injecting drug use. We explore HCV testing uptake amongst people who inject drugs (PWID) in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, and identify factors associated with i) ever having an HCV test amongst people who have ever injected drugs, and ii) recently having an HCV test (within the current or previous year) amongst people who currently inject drugs (reported injecting drugs within the last year). METHODS We analysed data from the 2019 'Unlinked Anonymous Monitoring Survey' of PWID, using logistic regression. RESULTS Of 3,127 PWID, 2,065 reported injecting drugs within the last year. Most (86.7%) PWID had a lifetime history of HCV testing. In multivariable analysis, higher odds of ever testing were associated with: female sex (aOR=1.54; 95%CI 1.11-2.14), injecting duration ≥3 years (aOR=2.94; 95%CI 2.13-4.05), ever receiving used needles/syringes (aOR=1.74; 95%CI 1.29-2.36), ever being on opioid agonist treatment (aOR=2.91; 95%CI 2.01-4.21), ever being imprisoned (aOR=1.86; 95%CI 1.40-2.48) and ever being homeless (aOR=1.54; 95%CI 1.14-2.07). Amongst PWID who had injected drugs within the last year, 49.9% had recently undertaken an HCV test. After adjustment, factors associated with higher odds of undertaking a recent HCV test included: injecting crack in the last year (aOR=1.29; 95%CI 1.03-1.61), experiencing a non-fatal overdose in the last year (aOR=1.39; 95%CI 1.05-1.85), ever being on opioid agonist treatment (aOR=1.48; 95%CI 0.97-2.25), receiving HCV information in the last year (aOR=1.99; 95%CI 1.49-2.65) and using a healthcare service in the last year (aOR=1.80; 95%CI 1.21-2.67). CONCLUSION Results suggest that PWID who have experienced homelessness and incarceration - amongst the most vulnerable and marginalised in the PWID population - are engaging with HCV testing, but overall there remain missed testing opportunities. Recent initiates to injecting have highest HCV infection risk but lower odds of testing, and peer-education may help target this group.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jin-Min Yuan
- UK Health Security Agency, 61 Colindale Avenue, London, NW9 5EQ, UK.
| | - Sara Croxford
- UK Health Security Agency, 61 Colindale Avenue, London, NW9 5EQ, UK
| | - Laura Viviani
- Department of Health Services Research and Policy, Faculty of Public Health and Policy, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Keppel St, London, WC1E 7HT, UK
| | - Eva Emanuel
- UK Health Security Agency, 61 Colindale Avenue, London, NW9 5EQ, UK
| | - Emily Phipps
- UK Health Security Agency, 61 Colindale Avenue, London, NW9 5EQ, UK
| | - Monica Desai
- UK Health Security Agency, 61 Colindale Avenue, London, NW9 5EQ, UK
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Whiteman A, Burnett J, Handanagic S, Wejnert C, Broz D. Distance matters: The association of proximity to syringe services programs with sharing of syringes and injecting equipment - 17 U.S. cities, 2015. THE INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF DRUG POLICY 2020; 85:102923. [PMID: 32920424 DOI: 10.1016/j.drugpo.2020.102923] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2020] [Revised: 07/22/2020] [Accepted: 08/19/2020] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Syringe services programs (SSPs) have effectively limited the spread of HIV and hepatitis C (HCV) among people who inject drugs (PWID). Access to SSPs has been shown to reduce injection risk behaviors but the relationship between distance to an SSP and likelihood of sharing injection equipment is not well known. METHODS We analyzed a sample of 8,392 PWID from 17 U.S. cities recruited through the National HIV Behavioral Surveillance (NHBS) system in 2015. Adjusted prevalence ratios (aPR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were estimated from log-linked Poisson regression to explore associations between injecting equipment sharing in the past 12 months and distance to the nearest SSP. RESULTS Regardless of SSP use, respondents who lived in zip codes further than the city-specific mean distance to nearest SSP were more likely to report sharing behavior. Among PWID who had not reported using an SSP in the previous 12 months, distributive sharing (aPR=1.13 95% CI=1.05, 1.21), receptive sharing (aPR=1.15, 95% CI=1.06, 1.24), and injection equipment sharing (aPR=1.08, 95% CI=1.03, 1.13) were more prevalent among residents who resided further than the average distance to the nearest SSP. CONCLUSIONS Greater distance to an SSP was associated with increased sharing behaviors. Improved access to an SSP and subsequent decreases in sharing behaviors could reduce transmission of HIV and HCV among PWID. Accessibility should be taken into account when planning provision of SSPs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ari Whiteman
- Division of HIV/AIDS Prevention, National Center for HIV, Viral Hepatitis, STD, and TB Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1600 Clifton Rd NE, Mailstop E-46, Atlanta, GA, 30329, USA; Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education, Atlanta, GA, USA.
| | - Janet Burnett
- Division of HIV/AIDS Prevention, National Center for HIV, Viral Hepatitis, STD, and TB Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1600 Clifton Rd NE, Mailstop E-46, Atlanta, GA, 30329, USA
| | - Senad Handanagic
- Division of HIV/AIDS Prevention, National Center for HIV, Viral Hepatitis, STD, and TB Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1600 Clifton Rd NE, Mailstop E-46, Atlanta, GA, 30329, USA
| | - Cyprian Wejnert
- Division of HIV/AIDS Prevention, National Center for HIV, Viral Hepatitis, STD, and TB Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1600 Clifton Rd NE, Mailstop E-46, Atlanta, GA, 30329, USA
| | - Dita Broz
- Division of HIV/AIDS Prevention, National Center for HIV, Viral Hepatitis, STD, and TB Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1600 Clifton Rd NE, Mailstop E-46, Atlanta, GA, 30329, USA
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Gibbs D, Peacock A, O'Keefe D, Butler K, Bruno R, Lenton S, Burns L, Larney S. Use of alcohol swabs to clean injecting sites among people who regularly inject drugs in Australia. Drug Alcohol Rev 2019; 39:83-92. [PMID: 31828864 DOI: 10.1111/dar.13006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2019] [Revised: 09/18/2019] [Accepted: 10/11/2019] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION AND AIMS Cleaning drug injection sites with alcohol swabs prior to injecting reduces risk of abscesses and other skin and soft tissue infections (SSTI). Better understanding of swabbing behaviours can inform interventions to improve injecting hygiene. We aimed to determine the socio-demographic, drug use and injecting risk exposure correlates of swabbing prior to injecting and reasons for not swabbing. DESIGN AND METHODS The Illicit Drug Reporting System recruited participants who had injected drugs at least monthly in the past six months in June-July 2017 from all Australian capital cities via needle and syringe programs and word-of-mouth. A structured interview was used to collect information on drug use and related behaviour, as well as swabbing practices. Logistic regression was used to identify factors associated with not swabbing at last injection. RESULTS Of 853 respondents, one-quarter (26%) reported that they did not swab prior to their last injection. In adjusted analyses, crystal methamphetamine as the last drug injected, past month receptive or distributive syringe sharing, and past month re-use of one's own needle were significantly associated with not swabbing at last injection. Among participants who did not swab at last injection, swabbing was frequently considered unnecessary and a small number disliked using alcohol swabs. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS Efforts are needed to increase awareness of the importance of injecting hygiene in preventing SSTI. Interventions to increase swabbing should be included as part of a wider package of injecting hygiene education, particularly in light of associations with receptive and/or distributive syringe sharing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daisy Gibbs
- National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, Australia
| | - Amy Peacock
- National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, Australia
| | | | - Kerryn Butler
- National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, Australia.,Discipline of Addiction Medicine, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
| | | | - Simon Lenton
- National Drug Research Institute, Curtin University, Perth, Australia
| | - Lucinda Burns
- National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, Australia
| | - Sarah Larney
- National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, Australia.,Medical School, Brown University, Providence, USA
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Quinn K, Fong C, Guarino H, Mateu-Gelabert P. Development, validation, and potential applications of the hepatitis C virus injection-risk knowledge scale (HCV-IRKS) among young opioid users in New York City. Drug Alcohol Depend 2019; 194:453-459. [PMID: 30503906 PMCID: PMC6312493 DOI: 10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2018.11.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2018] [Revised: 11/20/2018] [Accepted: 11/23/2018] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Hepatitis C virus (HCV) incidence has increased dramatically in the United States in recent years and is associated with the opioid epidemic due to high HCV transmission risk among people who inject drugs (PWID). HCV transmission knowledge is difficult to ascertain given the lack of psychometrically-tested measures. We developed and validated an HCV injection-risk knowledge scale. METHODS Analyses used data from 539 New York City opioid users ages 18-29 recruited via respondent-driven sampling in 2014-16. Blood samples yielded HCV antibody status. Principal components analysis (PCA) of nine knowledge items answered true, false, or don't know identified useful scale items. We evaluated internal consistency with the Cronbach's alpha coefficient and assessed construct validity by comparing knowledge levels with those from a previously validated general HCV knowledge scale and by comparing key sub-group knowledge levels. RESULTS PCA identified one component with five items that explained 45% of the total variance and had high internal consistency (alpha=0.91). All items referred to transmission through drug-injection equipment and practices: sharing cookers, cottons, diluting water, water containers, and cleaning syringes with water. The mean percent correct was 75%, and as expected, was moderately correlated with general HCV knowledge (Spearman's rho=0.55). As hypothesized, knowledge levels were highest for those previously tested for HCV, those with HCV antibody-positive status, PWID, and those who had received harm reduction information in various settings. CONCLUSIONS The 5-item, validated HCV Injection-Risk Knowledge Scale (HCV-IRKS) may provide educators, care providers, and researchers with critical information for reducing HCV among PWID.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kelly Quinn
- National Development and Research Institutes, Inc., 71 West 23rd St., 4th Floor, New York, NY, 10010, USA; Behavioral Science Training Program in Drug Abuse Research, NYU Rory Myers College of Nursing, 433 First Ave., New York, NY, 10010, USA; Department of Population Health, NYU Langone Health, 227 E 30th St., New York, NY, 10016, USA.
| | - Chunki Fong
- National Development and Research Institutes, Inc., 71 West 23rd St., 4th Floor, New York, NY, 10010, USA.
| | - Honoria Guarino
- National Development and Research Institutes, Inc., 71 West 23rd St., 4th Floor, New York, NY, 10010, USA.
| | - Pedro Mateu-Gelabert
- National Development and Research Institutes, Inc., 71 West 23rd St., 4th Floor, New York, NY, 10010, USA.
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Circumstances and contexts of heroin initiation following non-medical opioid analgesic use in New York City. THE INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF DRUG POLICY 2015; 28:106-12. [PMID: 26818082 DOI: 10.1016/j.drugpo.2015.12.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2015] [Revised: 11/24/2015] [Accepted: 12/18/2015] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND As the prevalence of opioid analgesic (OA) misuse and associated harms have increased in the United States, the prevalence of heroin use and rates of unintentional overdose have concurrently risen. Research has begun to identify connections between OA misuse and heroin use, although this relationship remains under explored. The present study explores the context of heroin initiation among persons with histories of OA misuse in New York City. METHODS In-depth interviews were conducted with 31 individuals with histories of OA misuse who initiated heroin use within the past five years. Data were collected between August 2013 and January 2015. All participants' OA misuse temporally preceded their heroin use. Interviews were coded and analyzed utilizing thematic qualitative methods. RESULTS Participants ranged in age from 18 to 44 years; 25 identified as male and 30 identified as non-Hispanic white and heterosexual. All participants had stable housing at the time of interview and all were high school graduates. Participants described several key points of transition along their trajectories from OA misuse to heroin initiation: dual- to single-entity OAs; oral to intranasal OA administration; and the development of physical opioid dependence. Participants described the breaking down of heroin-related stigma across social networks as new drug use permeated social groups. CONCLUSION Several points of transition were identified in participants' trajectories from OA misuse to heroin initiation. In particular the development of physical dependence was a critical factor as existing heroin stigma was rapidly overcome in the face of opioid withdrawal. The relatively short time to heroin initiation documented among new user groups serves as an added challenge to the development of interventions.
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White N, Flaherty I, Higgs P, Larance B, Nielsen S, Degenhardt L, Ali R, Lintzeris N. Injecting buprenorphine-naloxone film: Findings from an explorative qualitative study. Drug Alcohol Rev 2015; 34:623-9. [DOI: 10.1111/dar.12308] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2014] [Accepted: 05/30/2015] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Nancy White
- Discipline of Pharmacology; School of Medical Sciences; University of Adelaide; Adelaide Australia
| | - Ian Flaherty
- Department of Sociology and Social Policy; Sydney University; Sydney Australia
| | - Peter Higgs
- National Drug Research Institute; Faculty of Health Sciences; Curtin University; Melbourne Australia
- Centre for Population Health; The Burnet Institute; Melbourne Australia
| | - Briony Larance
- National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre; University of New South Wales; Sydney Australia
| | - Suzanne Nielsen
- National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre; University of New South Wales; Sydney Australia
| | - Louisa Degenhardt
- National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre; University of New South Wales; Sydney Australia
| | - Robert Ali
- Discipline of Pharmacology; School of Medical Sciences; University of Adelaide; Adelaide Australia
| | - Nicholas Lintzeris
- The Langton Centre; South Eastern Sydney Local Health District Drug and Alcohol Services; NSW Health; Sydney Australia
- The Central Clinical School; Sydney Medical School; University of Sydney; Sydney Australia
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9
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Marshall Z, Dechman MK, Minichiello A, Alcock L, Harris GE. Peering into the literature: A systematic review of the roles of people who inject drugs in harm reduction initiatives. Drug Alcohol Depend 2015; 151:1-14. [PMID: 25891234 DOI: 10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2015.03.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 99] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2014] [Revised: 02/20/2015] [Accepted: 03/01/2015] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND People who inject drugs have been central to the development of harm reduction initiatives. Referred to as peer workers, peer helpers, or natural helpers, people with lived experience of drug use leverage their personal knowledge and skills to deliver harm reduction services. Addressing a gap in the literature, this systematic review focuses on the roles of people who inject drugs in harm reduction initiatives, how programs are organized, and obstacles and facilitators to engaging people with lived experience in harm reduction programs, in order to inform practice and future research. METHODS This systematic review included searches for both peer reviewed and gray literature. All titles and abstracts were screened by two reviewers. A structured data extraction tool was developed and utilized to systematically code information concerning peer roles and participation, program characteristics, obstacles, and facilitators. RESULTS On the basis of specific inclusion criteria 164 documents were selected, with 127 peer-reviewed and 37 gray literature references. Data extraction identified key harm reduction program characteristics and forms of participation including 36 peer roles grouped into five categories, as well as obstacles and facilitators at systemic, organizational, and individual levels. CONCLUSIONS Research on harm reduction programs that involve people with lived experience can help us better understand these approaches and demonstrate their value. Current evidence provides good descriptive content but the field lacks agreed-upon approaches to documenting the ways peer workers contribute to harm reduction initiatives. Implications and ten strategies to better support peer involvement in harm reduction programs are identified.
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Affiliation(s)
- Z Marshall
- Division of Community Health and Humanities, Faculty of Medicine, Memorial University, Health Sciences Centre, 300 Prince Philip Drive, St. John's, NL, Canada A1B 3V6.
| | - M K Dechman
- Department of Anthropology and Sociology, Cape Breton University, PO Box 5300, 1250 Grand Lake Road, Sydney, NS, Canada B1P 6L2.
| | - A Minichiello
- Department of Anthropology and Sociology, Cape Breton University, PO Box 5300, 1250 Grand Lake Road, Sydney, NS, Canada B1P 6L2.
| | - L Alcock
- Health Sciences Library, Memorial University, St John's, NL, Canada A1B 3V6.
| | - G E Harris
- Faculty of Education, G. A. Hickman Building, Memorial University, St. John's, NL, Canada A1B 3X8.
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Watson TM, Strike C, Kolla G, Penn R, Bayoumi AM. “Drugs don’t have age limits”: The challenge of setting age restrictions for supervised injection facilities. DRUGS-EDUCATION PREVENTION AND POLICY 2015. [DOI: 10.3109/09687637.2015.1034239] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Tara Marie Watson
- Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, and,
| | - Carol Strike
- Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, and,
| | - Gillian Kolla
- Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, and,
| | - Rebecca Penn
- Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, and,
| | - Ahmed M. Bayoumi
- Centre for Research on Inner City Health, Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute, St. Michael’s Hospital, Toronto, Ontario, Canada,
- Department of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada,
- Institute of Health Policy, Management, and Evaluation, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, and
- Division of General Internal Medicine, St. Michael’s Hospital, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
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Morgan K, Lee J, Sebar B. Community health workers: A bridge to healthcare for people who inject drugs. THE INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF DRUG POLICY 2015; 26:380-7. [DOI: 10.1016/j.drugpo.2014.11.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2014] [Revised: 09/17/2014] [Accepted: 11/04/2014] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
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12
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Lea T, Bryant J, Ellard J, Howard J, Treloar C. Young people at risk of transitioning to injecting drug use in Sydney, Australia: social disadvantage and other correlates of higher levels of exposure to injecting. HEALTH & SOCIAL CARE IN THE COMMUNITY 2015; 23:200-207. [PMID: 25472900 DOI: 10.1111/hsc.12145] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 07/29/2014] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
While numerous studies have examined characteristics of young people who have recently initiated injecting, little attention has focused on young people who may be at high risk of transitioning to injecting. This study sought to examine the extent that socially disadvantaged young people were exposed to injecting, determine their level of hepatitis C (HCV) knowledge and identify correlates of higher injecting exposure. A cross-sectional survey was administered to 210 young people in 2010-2011 who were exposed to injecting drug use, but had not transitioned to injecting. Respondents were primarily recruited from youth services in metropolitan Sydney. Exposure to injecting in the previous 12 months was assessed with four items that examined whether close friends, romantic/sexual partners or family members/acquaintances injected drugs, and whether they were offered an injection. Most respondents had at least a few close friends who injected drugs (65%) and almost half had been offered drugs to inject in the previous 12 months (48%). It was less common for respondents to report having a partner who injects (11%). Correlates of higher injecting exposure were examined with multivariate ordinal regression. In the multivariate model, higher exposure to injecting was independently associated with the experience of abuse or violent crime [adjusted odds ratio (AOR) = 1.80] and reporting more favourable attitudes towards injecting (AOR = 0.86). Higher exposure to injecting was not independently associated with patterns or history of drug use. HCV knowledge was low to moderate and was not associated with higher exposure to injecting. That drug use was not independently associated with higher injecting exposure may suggest that exposure is shaped more by social disadvantage than by drug use patterns. Additional research is required to investigate this, using an improved measure of exposure to injecting.
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Affiliation(s)
- Toby Lea
- Centre for Social Research in Health, UNSW Australia, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
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13
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Dechman MK. Peer helpers' struggles to care for "others" who inject drugs. THE INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF DRUG POLICY 2015; 26:492-500. [PMID: 25630481 DOI: 10.1016/j.drugpo.2014.12.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2014] [Revised: 12/22/2014] [Accepted: 12/31/2014] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Users who access needle exchanges are sometimes recruited to act as secondary distributors in an effort to reach a broader range of individuals who inject drugs. Although evaluations have demonstrated the efficiency of such approaches, more recent research has begun to uncover particular challenges associated with assuming these intermediary roles. METHODS This article provides insights drawn from four focus-group sessions with 17 volunteers, termed natural helpers, who have between 1 and 14 years experience acting as secondary distributors for an Atlantic Canadian needle exchange. RESULTS From the perspective of the natural helpers involved in this research, medical professionals consider those who inject drugs to be undeserving of the care accorded to more "responsible" patients. As a consequence of such disenfranchisement, natural helpers find themselves drawn into many forms of informal "doctoring" that extend far beyond their official roles as secondary distribution agents. In addition to providing syringes, training new users in safe injection procedures and promoting the use of sterile equipment, natural helpers try to dissuade people from starting to inject, act as first responders for overdoses, test drug potency, administer first aid, share prescription drugs such as antibiotics, offer temporary housing, counsel on emotional/psychological issues, and support those who are striving to reduce their drug consumption. CONCLUSION The practices that have arisen in response to the distancing from professional health care experienced by those who inject drugs pose serious dilemmas and risks for not only users and natural helpers but also the general public.
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Kolla G, Strike C, Roy É, Altenberg J, Balian R, Silver R, Hunt N. Initiation Stories: An Examination of the Narratives of People Who Assist With a First Injection. Subst Use Misuse 2015; 50:1619-27. [PMID: 26595279 DOI: 10.3109/10826084.2015.1023456] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Research in the area of initiation to injection drug use that focuses on the perspective of initiators, or those who help with a first injection, is rare. OBJECTIVE To explore the process of initiation to injection drug use from the point of view of initiators. METHODS Semi-structured, in-depth qualitative interviews were conducted at a harm reduction program in Toronto, Canada. Twenty participants who had injected drugs in the last 30 days and who reported ever having initiated another person to injection drug use were recruited. A narrative analytic approach was used to explore the spectrum of narratives surrounding their experiences initiating others to injection drug use. RESULTS Initiation events arise in a complex interplay of individual circumstances and social contexts. People who inject may assist with a first injection for a variety of reasons, from conceding to social pressure, to wanting to help reduce a perceived risk of harm, to assisting because it provides a sense of pride at possessing a skill or of having helped someone achieve a desired state, to assisting to obtain drugs or to cope with withdrawal, or a mix of several of these reasons at once. CONCLUSIONS/IMPORTANCE Narratives reveal that preventing all instances of initiation is unrealistic. Combining elements from existing interventions that focus on enhancing reluctance to assist with initiation with safer injection training has the potential to reduce initiations and perhaps reduce injection related harm for novices if initiation occurs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gillian Kolla
- a Dalla Lana School of Public Health , University of Toronto , Toronto , Canada
| | - Carol Strike
- a Dalla Lana School of Public Health , University of Toronto , Toronto , Canada.,b Centre for Addiction and Mental Health , Toronto , Canada
| | - Élise Roy
- c Service de toxicomanie , Université de Sherbrooke , Longueuil , Canada
| | - Jason Altenberg
- d COUNTERfit Harm Reduction Program , South Riverdale Community Health Centre , Toronto , Canada
| | - Raffi Balian
- d COUNTERfit Harm Reduction Program , South Riverdale Community Health Centre , Toronto , Canada
| | - Rey Silver
- d COUNTERfit Harm Reduction Program , South Riverdale Community Health Centre , Toronto , Canada
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Jain B, Krishnan S, Ramesh S, Sabarwal S, Garg V, Dhingra N. Effect of peer-led outreach activities on injecting risk behavior among male drug users in Haryana, India. Harm Reduct J 2014; 11:3. [PMID: 24495379 PMCID: PMC3922610 DOI: 10.1186/1477-7517-11-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2013] [Accepted: 01/30/2014] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Background For the past two decades, there has been an enduring HIV epidemic among injecting drug users (IDUs) in India, and the Indian national AIDS control program (NACP) led by the National AIDS Control Organization (NACO) has kept IDUs at the forefront along with other key populations, in its efforts to prevent HIV. Given this, the objective of this study is to examine the association between IDUs’ degree of exposure to peer-led education sessions (under NACP) and their needle sharing practices in Haryana, India. Methods The data for this study were drawn from a program monitoring system for the years 2009–2010 and 2010–2011. The relationship between IDUs’ background characteristics/injecting practices and degree of exposure to the program was assessed using chi-square and Student’s t tests. Generalized estimating equations (GEE) were used to examine changes in needle sharing practices over time by degree of exposure to peer-led education sessions. Further, the analysis was stratified by frequency of injecting drug use. All statistical analyses were conducted using STATA version 11. Results The proportion of IDUs who shared needles substantially decreased from 2009 to 2011, particularly among those who attended three or more peer-led education sessions (49% vs 11%, p < 0.001) in a month. Further, subgroup analysis by frequency of injecting drugs demonstrates that this decline was significant among IDUs who injected frequently (adjusted odds ratio = 0.6, 95% confidence interval = 0.3–0.9, p = 0.043). Conclusion The study results indicate that repeated peer-led outreach sessions are more effective than exposure to a single education session. Hence, HIV prevention programs must promote repeated peer contacts with IDUs every month (at least two meetings) in order to promote safe injecting practices and behavior change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bindya Jain
- Haryana State AIDS Control Society, C-15, Awas Bhawan, Sector-6, Panchkula, Haryana 134109 India.
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16
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Horyniak D, Dietze P, Degenhardt L, Higgs P, McIlwraith F, Alati R, Bruno R, Lenton S, Burns L. The relationship between age and risky injecting behaviours among a sample of Australian people who inject drugs. Drug Alcohol Depend 2013; 132:541-6. [PMID: 23664499 DOI: 10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2013.03.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2012] [Revised: 03/28/2013] [Accepted: 03/30/2013] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Limited evidence suggests that younger people who inject drugs (PWID) engage in high-risk injecting behaviours. This study aims to better understand the relationships between age and risky injecting behaviours. METHODS Data were taken from 11 years of a repeat cross-sectional study of sentinel samples of regular PWID (The Australian Illicit Drug Reporting System, 2001-2011). Multivariable Poisson regression was used to explore the relationship between age and four outcomes of interest: last drug injection occurred in public, receptive needle sharing (past month), experiencing injecting-related problems (e.g. abscess, dirty hit; past month), and non-fatal heroin overdose (past six months). RESULTS Data from 6795 first-time study participants were analysed (median age: 33 years, interquartile range [IQR]: 27-40; median duration of injecting: 13 years [IQR: 7-20]). After adjusting for factors including duration of injecting, each five year increase in age was associated with significant reductions in public injecting (adjusted incidence rate ratio [AIRR]: 0.90, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.88-0.92), needle sharing (AIRR: 0.84, 95% CI: 0.79-0.89) and injecting-related problems (AIRR: 0.96, 95% CI: 0.95-0.97). Among those who had injected heroin in the six months preceding interview, each five year increase in age was associated with an average 10% reduction in the risk of heroin overdose (AIRR: 0.90, 95% CI: 0.85-0.96). CONCLUSIONS Older PWID report significantly lower levels of high-risk injecting practices than younger PWID. Although they make up a small proportion of the current PWID population, younger PWID remain an important group for prevention and harm reduction.
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Affiliation(s)
- D Horyniak
- Centre for Population Health, Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Victoria 3004, Australia; Department of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria 3004, Australia.
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17
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Fisher DG, Wilson H, Bryant J. Harm reduction knowledge and information exchange among secondary distributors in Sydney, Australia. DRUGS-EDUCATION PREVENTION AND POLICY 2012. [DOI: 10.3109/09687637.2012.687793] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022]
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"A costly turn on": patterns of use and perceived consequences of mephedrone based head shop products amongst Irish injectors. THE INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF DRUG POLICY 2012; 23:188-97. [PMID: 22342322 DOI: 10.1016/j.drugpo.2012.01.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 71] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2011] [Revised: 01/16/2012] [Accepted: 01/19/2012] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Mephedrone injecting has recently been reported in Romania, Slovenia, Guernsey and Ireland. The research reported here aimed to describe the experiences of a group of Irish injecting drug users, who were injecting mephedrone based headshop products prior to the introduction of legislative controls in Ireland, with particular focus on pre- and post-legislative use, effects of injecting mephedrone, settings and contexts for injecting, polydrug use and serial drug injecting, risk perceptions and harm reduction practises. METHODS Following a predevelopment phase with a Privileged Access Interviewer, in-depth interviews using a phenomenological approach were conducted with eleven attendees of a low threshold harm reduction service. RESULTS The findings describe the abuse potential of these mephedrone based headshop products when used by intravenous injection. Although participants were aware of risks and safe injecting practises, compulsive re injecting with excessive binge use over long periods of time was common. Nasal to injection route transitions, intense paranoia, violent behaviour and aggression, emergence of Parkinson type symptomatologies (in the form of spasms and 'wobbling'), and permanent numbness in lower extremities were reported. Multi and serial drug injecting with heroin was used in efforts to manage the intense rush and avoid unpleasant comedown. Participants reported limb abscesses, vein clotting, damage and recession resulting from product toxicity, crystallisation of the products when diluted and flushing practises. Seven participants were homeless, with groin and street injecting common. Following legislative changes use of mephedrone products declined due to closure of headshops, increased street prices, concerns around contamination and the emergence of new street stimulant drugs. CONCLUSION Continued monitoring of drug displacement patterns in post legislative time frames is advised, alongside longitudinal ethnographic research to track the diffusion of mephedrone and other cathinone derivatives within injecting networks. Further investigation of the adverse health consequences of these drugs on injection is warranted.
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Harris M, Treloar C, Maher L. Staying safe from hepatitis C: engaging with multiple priorities. QUALITATIVE HEALTH RESEARCH 2012; 22:31-42. [PMID: 21873284 DOI: 10.1177/1049732311420579] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/31/2023]
Abstract
Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is a significant global public health problem. In developed countries, 90% of new infections occur among people who inject drugs (PWID), with seroprevalence increasing rapidly among new injectors. Staying Safe is an international, qualitative, social research project, the aim of which is to draw on the experiences of long-term PWID to inform a new generation of HCV prevention strategies. The Sydney project team employed life history interviews and computer-generated timelines to elicit detailed data about unexposed participants' (n =13) injecting practices, circumstances, and social networks over time. The motivations and strategies that enabled participants to avoid risk situations, and which might have helped them to "stay safe," appeared not to be directly related to harm-reduction messages or HCV avoidance. These included the ability and inclination to maintain social and structural resources, to mainly inject alone, to manage withdrawal, and to avoid injecting-related scars. These findings point to the multiple priorities that facilitate viral avoidance among PWID and the potential efficacy of nonspecific HCV harm-reduction interventions for HCV prevention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Magdalena Harris
- London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom.
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20
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Treloar C, Byron P, McCann P, Maher L. "Fitness for duty": social, organisational and structural influences on the design and conduct of candidate hepatitis C vaccine trials involving people who inject drugs. Vaccine 2010; 28:5228-36. [PMID: 20538093 DOI: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2010.05.064] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2009] [Revised: 05/07/2010] [Accepted: 05/26/2010] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Several candidate vaccines for hepatitis C are currently in preclinical development or the early stages of clinical trials. Implementing trials of these vaccines among people who inject drugs will be challenging. Previous research, particularly willingness to participate studies in relation to HIV vaccines in marginalized groups, has focused on the modifiable characteristics of individual participants. This qualitative research with people who inject drugs, health staff and clinicians focuses on social, organisational and structural elements of vaccine trial designs which may exclude or reduce the participation of people who inject drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carla Treloar
- National Centre in HIV Social Research, The University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia.
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21
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Brener L, Spooner C, Treloar C. Preventing transitions to injecting amongst young people: What is the role of Needle and Syringe Programmes? THE INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF DRUG POLICY 2010; 21:160-4. [DOI: 10.1016/j.drugpo.2009.03.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2008] [Revised: 03/13/2009] [Accepted: 03/25/2009] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
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22
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Treloar C, Laybutt B, Carruthers S. Using mindfulness to develop health education strategies for blood borne virus prevention in injecting drug use. DRUGS-EDUCATION PREVENTION AND POLICY 2010. [DOI: 10.3109/09687630802585377] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022]
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Jost JJ, Goldsamt LA, Harocopos A, Kobrak P, Clatts MC. Hepatitis C knowledge among new injection drug users. DRUGS-EDUCATION PREVENTION AND POLICY 2010. [DOI: 10.3109/09687630902858948] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
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Kirst MJ. Social Capital and Beyond: A Qualitative Analysis of Social Contextual and Structural Influences on Drug-Use Related Health Behaviors. JOURNAL OF DRUG ISSUES 2009. [DOI: 10.1177/002204260903900309] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Using a social capital framework, this study explores how aspects of social relationships within the social networks of injection drug users (IDUs) and crack smokers (CSs) influence their drug use-related risk and protective health behaviors. Interviews were conducted with a quota sample of 80 socioeconomically marginalized drug users in Toronto, Canada, and qualitative data were extracted from 77 of these interviews. Analysis of the interview transcripts revealed themes indicating that social capital, in the form of collective norms, trust, and exchange of safer drug use information, within users' drug networks encouraged risk and/or protective behaviors within particular contexts. The analysis also highlighted the influence of social structural factors, such as harm reduction and health service delivery on the users' health behaviors. The implications of these findings for harm-reduction services are discussed.
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25
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Initiators: an examination of young injecting drug users who initiate others to injecting. AIDS Behav 2008; 12:885-90. [PMID: 18097744 DOI: 10.1007/s10461-007-9347-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2007] [Accepted: 12/03/2007] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
Research about initiation to injecting drugs emphasises the role that relationships with others plays in the experience, suggesting investigations of initiation should include an examination of both initiates and initiators. This paper uses cross-sectional data collected from 324 young, early-career injecting drug users (IDU) to describe the socio-demographic characteristics, drug and injecting practices, and harm reduction knowledge and practices of people who report initiating others to injecting. Fifty-five participants (17%) reported giving someone else their first injection. They reported initiating a total of 128 other people within the first 5 years of their own injecting. Compared to non-initiators, initiators were more likely to pass on harm reduction information [odds ratios (OR): 2.36, 95% confidence intervals (CI): 1.26-4.40]. However, the quality of this information was unknown and initiators did not have more accurate knowledge of blood borne viruses (BBV) than non-initiators, and commonly obtained needles and syringes from sources where the sterility of the equipment could not be guaranteed.
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Rhodes T, Treloar C. The social production of hepatitis C risk among injecting drug users: a qualitative synthesis. Addiction 2008; 103:1593-603. [PMID: 18821870 DOI: 10.1111/j.1360-0443.2008.02306.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 84] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Intervention impact on reductions in hepatitis C virus (HCV) incidence among injecting drug users (IDUs) are modest. There is a need to explore how drug injectors' interpret HCV risk. AIMS To review English-language qualitative empirical studies of HCV risk among IDUs. METHODS Qualitative synthesis using a meta-ethnographic approach. Searching of eight electronic databases and reference lists identified manually papers in peer-reviewed journals since 2000. Only studies investigating IDU perspectives on HCV risk were included. Themes across studies were identified systematically and compared, leading to a synthesis of second- and third-order constructs. FINDINGS We included 31 papers, representing 24 studies among over 1000 IDUs. Seven themes were generated: risk ubiquity; relative viral risk; knowledge uncertainty; hygiene and the body; trust and intimacy; risk environment; and the individualization of risk responsibility. Evidence supports a perception of HCV as a risk accepted rather than avoided. HCV was perceived largely as socially accommodated and expected, and in relative terms to human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) as the 'master status' of viral dangers. Symbolic knowledge systems, rather than biomedical risk calculus, and especially narratives of hygiene and trust, played a primary role in shaping interpretations of HCV risk. Critical factors in the risk environment included policing, homelessness and gendered risk. CONCLUSIONS Appealing to risk calculus alone is insufficient. Interventions should build upon the salience of hygiene and trust narratives in HCV risk rationality, and foster community changes towards the perceived preventability of HCV. Structural interventions in harm reduction should target policing, homelessness and gendered risk.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tim Rhodes
- Centre for Research on Drugs and Health Behaviour, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, University of London, London, UK.
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Harocopos A, Goldsamt LA, Kobrak P, Jost JJ, Clatts MC. New injectors and the social context of injection initiation. THE INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF DRUG POLICY 2008; 20:317-23. [PMID: 18790623 DOI: 10.1016/j.drugpo.2008.06.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 79] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2008] [Revised: 05/25/2008] [Accepted: 06/17/2008] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Preventing the onset of injecting drug use is an important public health objective yet there is little understanding of the process that leads to injection initiation. This paper draws extensively on narrative data to describe how injection initiation is influenced by social environment. We examine how watching other people inject can habitualise non-injectors to administering drugs with a needle and consider the process by which the stigma of injecting is replaced with curiosity. METHOD In-depth interviews (n=54) were conducted as part of a 2-year longitudinal study examining the behaviours of new injecting drug users. RESULTS Among our sample, injection initiation was the result of a dynamic process during which administering drugs with a needle became acceptable or even appealing. Most often, this occurred as a result of spending time with current injectors in a social context and the majority of this study's participants were given their first shot by a friend or sexual partner. Initiates could be tenacious in their efforts to acquire an injection trainer and findings suggest that once injecting had been introduced to a drug-using network, it was likely to spread throughout the group. CONCLUSION Injection initiation should be viewed as a communicable process. New injectors are unlikely to have experienced the negative effects of injecting and may facilitate the initiation of their drug-using friends. Prevention messages should therefore aim to find innovative ways of targeting beginning injectors and present a realistic appraisal of the long-term consequences of injecting. Interventionists should also work with current injectors to develop strategies to refuse requests from non-injectors for their help to initiate.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alex Harocopos
- National Development and Research Institutes, Inc., Institute for International Research on Youth at Risk, 71 West 23rd Street, New York, NY 10010, USA.
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Stoové MA, Fry CL, Lintzeris N. Quantifying hepatitis C transmission risk using a new weighted scoring system for the Blood-Borne Virus Transmission Risk Assessment Questionnaire (BBV-TRAQ): applications for community-based HCV surveillance, education and prevention. Harm Reduct J 2008; 5:12. [PMID: 18433470 PMCID: PMC2387148 DOI: 10.1186/1477-7517-5-12] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2007] [Accepted: 04/23/2008] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The hepatitis C virus (HCV) is a major cause of drug-related morbidity and mortality, with incidence data implicating a wide range of HCV transmission risk practices. The Blood-Borne Virus Transmission Risk Assessment Questionnaire (BBV-TRAQ) is a content valid instrument that comprehensively assesses HCV risk practices. This study examines the properties of a new weighted BBV-TRAQ designed to quantify HCV transmission risk among injecting drug users (IDU). Methods Analyses of cross-sectional surveys of Australian IDU (N = 450) were used to generate normative data and explore the properties of a weighted BBV-TRAQ. Items weights were assigned according to expert key informant ratings of HCV risk practices performed during the development stages of the BBV-TRAQ. A range of item weights was tested and psychometric properties explored. A weighting scheme was recommended based on the plausibility of normative subscale data in relation to research evidence and the ability of BBV-TRAQ scores to discriminate between HCV positive and negative participants. Results While retaining the psychometric properties of the unweighted scale and demonstrating good internal reliability. By taking into account the relative transmission risk of a broad range of putative HCV practices, the weighted BBV-TRAQ produced promising predictive validity results among IDU based on self-report HCV status, particularly among young and less experienced injectors. Conclusion Brief, easy to administer and score, and inexpensive to apply, the utility of the BBV-TRAQ for community based education and prevention is enhanced by the application of item weights, potentially offering a valid surrogate measure for HCV infection among IDU.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mark A Stoové
- Centre for Epidemiology and Population Health Research, Macfarlane Burnet Institute for Medical Research and Public Health, 85 Commercial Road, Melbourne, Victoria 3004, Australia.
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Treloar C, Laybutt B, Jauncey M, van Beek I, Lodge M, Malpas G, Carruthers S. Broadening discussions of “safe” in hepatitis C prevention: A close-up of swabbing in an analysis of video recordings of injecting practice. THE INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF DRUG POLICY 2008; 19:59-65. [DOI: 10.1016/j.drugpo.2007.01.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2006] [Revised: 12/21/2006] [Accepted: 01/03/2007] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
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Ellard J. ‘There is no profile it is just everyone’: The challenge of targeting hepatitis C education and prevention messages to the diversity of current and future injecting drug users. THE INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF DRUG POLICY 2007; 18:225-34. [DOI: 10.1016/j.drugpo.2006.08.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2005] [Revised: 02/28/2006] [Accepted: 08/09/2006] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
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Bryant J, Treloar C. Risk practices and other characteristics of injecting drug users who obtain injecting equipment from pharmacies and personal networks. THE INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF DRUG POLICY 2006. [DOI: 10.1016/j.drugpo.2006.07.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
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Abelson J, Treloar C, Crawford J, Kippax S, van Beek I, Howard J. Some characteristics of early-onset injection drug users prior to and at the time of their first injection. Addiction 2006; 101:548-55. [PMID: 16548934 DOI: 10.1111/j.1360-0443.2006.01379.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 64] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
AIMS This paper examines differences between early- and late-onset injection drug users (12-16 years versus 17-24 years) in terms of the antecedents and circumstances of first injection. DESIGN Cross-sectional retrospective design, using logistic regression. Setting Australia: Sydney, Brisbane, rural New South Wales. PARTICIPANTS A total of 336 injection drug users aged 16-25 years at the time of interview. MEASUREMENTS Independent variables included family injection drug use, homelessness and other demographic variables, drugs used prior to the first injection, length of pre-injection drug career, behaviours at time of first injection (e.g. drug injected, reasons/motives for the first injection, risk behaviours). FINDINGS Early-onset injection was associated independently with: having a family who injected drugs, having left school early, an unreliable source of income, a short pre-injection drug career, planning of the first injection, reliance on others for administration of the first injection and denial that experimentation was the motive for the first injection. In bivariate analysis, early-onset injection was associated further with: homelessness, being an Indigenous Australian, omission of use of certain pre-injection drugs, group presence at first injection, reliance on others for acquisition of the first needle and syringe and having injected the first time because an injection was offered. CONCLUSIONS The research shows that early-onset, compared with late-onset injectors, are more likely to have an immediate family who inject drugs and other problematic beginnings in early life. They have an accelerated transition to injection, and differences in autonomy and motivation at first injection. These characteristics may make them more vulnerable to risk taking.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeanne Abelson
- National Centre in HIV Social Research, University of New South Wales, NSW 2052, Australia.
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Treloar C, Cao W. Barriers to use of Needle and Syringe Programmes in a high drug use area of Sydney, New South Wales. THE INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF DRUG POLICY 2005. [DOI: 10.1016/j.drugpo.2005.06.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
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