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Rammohan I, Jain S, Sun S, Marks C, Milloy MJ, Hayashi K, DeBeck K, González-Zúñiga P, Strathdee S, Werb D. Latent polydrug use patterns and the provision of injection initiation assistance among people who inject drugs in three North American settings. Drug Alcohol Rev 2023; 42:1504-1516. [PMID: 37321850 PMCID: PMC10524861 DOI: 10.1111/dar.13687] [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: 02/09/2022] [Revised: 03/17/2023] [Accepted: 05/05/2023] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION We sought to identify latent profiles of polysubstance use patterns among people who inject drugs in three distinct North American settings, and then determine whether profile membership was associated with providing injection initiation assistance to injection-naïve persons. METHODS Cross-sectional data from three linked cohorts in Vancouver, Canada; Tijuana, Mexico; and San Diego, USA were used to conduct separate latent profile analyses based on recent (i.e., past 6 months) injection and non-injection drug use frequency. We then assessed the association between polysubstance use patterns and recent injection initiation assistance provision using logistic regression analyses. RESULTS A 6-class model for Vancouver participants, a 4-class model for Tijuana participants and a 4-class model for San Diego participants were selected based on statistical indices of fit and interpretability. In all settings, at least one profile included high-frequency polysubstance use of crystal methamphetamine and heroin. In Vancouver, several profiles were associated with a greater likelihood of providing recent injection initiation assistance compared to the referent profile (low-frequency use of all drugs) in unadjusted and adjusted analyses, however, the inclusion of latent profile membership in the multivariable model did not significantly improve model fit. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS We identified commonalities and differences in polysubstance use patterns among people who inject drugs in three settings disproportionately impacted by injection drug use. Our results also suggest that other factors may be of greater priority when tailoring interventions to reduce the incidence of injection initiation. These findings can aid in efforts to identify and support specific higher-risk subpopulations of people who inject drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Indhu Rammohan
- Centre on Drug Policy and Evaluation, St. Michael’s Hospital, Toronto, Canada
- Institute of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
| | - Sonia Jain
- Biostatistics Research Center, Herbert Wertheim School of Public Health and Human Longevity Science, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, United States
| | - Shelly Sun
- Biostatistics Research Center, Herbert Wertheim School of Public Health and Human Longevity Science, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, United States
| | - Charles Marks
- Division of Infectious Diseases and Global Public Health, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, United States
- School of Community Health Sciences, University of Reno, Reno, United States
| | - M-J Milloy
- British Columbia Centre on Substance Use, Vancouver, Canada
| | - Kanna Hayashi
- British Columbia Centre on Substance Use, Vancouver, Canada
| | - Kora DeBeck
- British Columbia Centre on Substance Use, Vancouver, Canada
| | - Patricia González-Zúñiga
- Division of Infectious Diseases and Global Public Health, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, United States
| | - Steffanie Strathdee
- Division of Infectious Diseases and Global Public Health, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, United States
| | - Dan Werb
- Centre on Drug Policy and Evaluation, St. Michael’s Hospital, Toronto, Canada
- Institute of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
- Division of Infectious Diseases and Global Public Health, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, United States
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Gicquelais RE, Astemborski J, Werb D, Kirk GD, Mehta SH, Genberg BL. Context and correlates of providing assistance with someone's first injection in the AIDS linked to the IntraVenous Experience cohort, Baltimore, MD. Drug Alcohol Depend 2023; 250:110909. [PMID: 37517262 PMCID: PMC10529208 DOI: 10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2023.110909] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2022] [Revised: 07/14/2023] [Accepted: 07/15/2023] [Indexed: 08/01/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The social processes around initiating injection may be well-suited to intervention, yet there is substantial heterogeneity in the reported experiences of people who inject drugs (PWID) who assist with another individual's first drug injection. We aimed to describe the lifetime prevalence and context of providing initiation assistance among a cohort of PWID. METHODS Participants of the AIDS Linked to the IntraVenous Experience (ALIVE) cohort of PWID in Baltimore, Maryland (n=848) were surveyed during 2019-2020 about assisting with another person's first injection. Associations between factors related to injection risk and history of providing assistance were estimated using logistic regression models adjusted for sociodemographic and behavioral characteristics. RESULTS At baseline, participants were primarily male (66.1%), black (82.9%), aged a median of 42 years, and had been injecting a median of 18 years. Overall, 19% (n=157) of participants reported ever providing assistance for a median of 2 people (Interquartile Range: 1-4). Having hepatitis C infection (adjusted Odds Ratio [95% Confidence Interval]: 2.5 [1.4-4.6]), syringe sharing (2.2 [1.2-3.9]), and injecting ≥3 times per day (2.0 [1.2-3.4]) at study enrollment were associated with a history of assistance. Participants primarily assisted friends (58.0%), acquaintances (29.9%), and partners (21.7%). Common reasons for assisting were the other person's lack of injection knowledge (73.7%) or sharing drugs (44.9%). Additional reasons included to prevent injury. CONCLUSION PWID with a history of assisting with another person's first injection exhibited heightened vulnerability to infections and more frequent substance use. Expanding implementation of interventions with an emphasis on harm reduction is needed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rachel E Gicquelais
- University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Nursing, 701 Highland AveMadisonWI53705, United States
| | - Jacqueline Astemborski
- Department of Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, 615 N. Wolfe StBaltimoreMD21205, United States
| | - Daniel Werb
- Centre on Drug Policy Evaluation, Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute, St. Michael's HospitalTorontoOntario, Canada; Department of Medicine, University of California San DiegoSan DiegoCA92161, United States
| | - Gregory D Kirk
- Department of Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, 615 N. Wolfe StBaltimoreMD21205, United States; Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Division of Infectious DiseasesBaltimoreMD21205, United States
| | - Shruti H Mehta
- Department of Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, 615 N. Wolfe StBaltimoreMD21205, United States
| | - Becky L Genberg
- Department of Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, 615 N. Wolfe StBaltimoreMD21205, United States.
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Lefoka MH, Netangaheni RT. Factors associated with smoking and transitioning to nyaope injection amongst women in the City of Tshwane Municipality: A self-report by women. Health SA 2022; 27:1775. [PMID: 35937427 PMCID: PMC9350489 DOI: 10.4102/hsag.v27i0.1775] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2021] [Accepted: 03/25/2022] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Substance use disorder has emerged as a key health and social challenge in South Africa (SA). It is projected that about 15% of South African youth, especially young women are prone to engage in drug use and the prospects of coming into contact with nyaope, a highly addictive drug, are higher. Nyaope is mainly smoked, but the prevalence of injecting it is increasing in most regions. Aim This study aimed to explore and describe the perception of women, who use nyaope, about the factors contributing to nyaope smoking and transitioning to injecting nyaope amongst women in the City of Tshwane Municipality (CoT), Gauteng. Setting The research was conducted within Community Oriented Substance Use Programme sites across the CoT Municipality. Methods Qualitative research methods were utilised to explore and describe the perceptions of the participants on factors contributing to the use of nyaope amongst women residing in the CoT. Data were collected through face-to-face interviews and thematically analysed. Results Intimate partner influence (IPI), peer pressure, being misled by friends, weight loss, lack of effective coping mechanisms and counteracting other drugs contributed to women smoking nyaope. Additionally, a need for an intense high, IPI, influence by the social network, curiosity and cost-effectiveness contributed to women transitioning from smoking to injecting nyaope. Conclusion The study has established factors contributing to smoking and transition to injecting nyaope as viewed by women residing in the CoT. Contribution This research affirms that women are influenced by different factors to use and transition to injecting Nyaope.
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Affiliation(s)
- Moganki H. Lefoka
- Community Oriented Substance Use Programme, Department of Family Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa,Department of Sociology, Faculty of Human Sciences, University of South Africa, Pretoria, South Africa
| | - Robert T. Netangaheni
- Department of Health Studies, Faculty of Human Sciences, University of South Africa, Pretoria, South Africa
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Meyers-Pantele SA, Mittal ML, Jain S, Sun S, Rammohan I, Fairbairn N, Milloy MJ, DeBeck K, Hayashi K, Werb D. The influence of poly-drug use patterns on the association between opioid agonist treatment engagement and injecting initiation assistance. Subst Abuse Treat Prev Policy 2022; 17:39. [PMID: 35590419 PMCID: PMC9118611 DOI: 10.1186/s13011-022-00470-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 05/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/11/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Evidence suggests people who inject drugs (PWID) prescribed opioid agonist treatment (OAT) are less likely to provide injection drug use (IDU) initiation assistance. We investigated the association between OAT engagement and providing IDU initiation assistance across poly-drug use practices in Vancouver, Canada. METHODS Preventing Injecting by Modifying Existing Responses (PRIMER) is a prospective study seeking to identify structural interventions that reduce IDU initiation. We employed data from linked cohorts of PWID in Vancouver and extended the findings of a latent profile analysis (LPA). Multivariable logistic regression models were performed separately for the six poly-drug use LPA classes. The outcome was recently assisting others in IDU initiation; the independent variable was recent OAT engagement. RESULTS Among participants (n = 1218), 85 (7.0%) reported recently providing injection initiation assistance. When adjusting for age and sex, OAT engagement among those who reported a combination of high-frequency heroin and methamphetamine IDU and low-to-moderate-frequency prescription opioid IDU and methamphetamine non-injection drug use (NIDU) was associated with lower odds of IDU initiation assistance provision (Adjusted Odds Ratio [AOR]: 0.18, 95% CI: 0.05-0.63, P = 0.008). Significant associations were not detected among other LPA classes. CONCLUSIONS Our findings extend evidence suggesting that OAT may provide a population-level protective effect on the incidence of IDU initiation and suggest that this effect may be specific among PWID who engage in high-frequency methamphetamine and opioid use. Future research should seek to longitudinally investigate potential causal pathways explaining the association between OAT and initiation assistance provision among PWID to develop tailored intervention efforts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephanie A Meyers-Pantele
- Division of Infectious Diseases and Global Public Health, Department of Medicine, University of California San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, CA, 92093-0507, USA
- Department of Psychology, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA, USA
| | - Maria Luisa Mittal
- Division of Infectious Diseases and Global Public Health, Department of Medicine, University of California San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, CA, 92093-0507, USA
- School of Medicine, Universidad Xochicalco, Tijuana, BC, Mexico
| | - Sonia Jain
- Department of Family Medicine and Public Health, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Shelly Sun
- Department of Family Medicine and Public Health, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Indhu Rammohan
- Centre on Drug Policy Evaluation, St. Michael's Hospital, 30 Bond Street, Toronto, ON, M5B 1W8, Canada
| | - Nadia Fairbairn
- British Columbia Centre on Substance Use, Vancouver, BC, Canada
- Department of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - M-J Milloy
- British Columbia Centre on Substance Use, Vancouver, BC, Canada
- Department of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Kora DeBeck
- British Columbia Centre on Substance Use, Vancouver, BC, Canada
- School of Public Policy, Simon Fraser University, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Kanna Hayashi
- British Columbia Centre on Substance Use, Vancouver, BC, Canada
- Faculty of Health Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Dan Werb
- Division of Infectious Diseases and Global Public Health, Department of Medicine, University of California San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, CA, 92093-0507, USA.
- Centre on Drug Policy Evaluation, St. Michael's Hospital, 30 Bond Street, Toronto, ON, M5B 1W8, Canada.
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Meyers-Pantele SA, Jain S, Sun X, Marks C, DeBeck K, Hayashi K, Strathdee SA, Werb D. Gender and the first-time provision of injection initiation assistance among people who inject drugs across two distinct North American contexts: Tijuana, Mexico and Vancouver, Canada. Drug Alcohol Rev 2022; 41:686-696. [PMID: 34636100 PMCID: PMC8930605 DOI: 10.1111/dar.13390] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2020] [Revised: 09/03/2021] [Accepted: 09/12/2021] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Injection drug use initiation is commonly facilitated by other people who inject drugs (PWID). We investigated how the gender of PWID influences their risk of providing initiation assistance to others across two distinct geo-cultural settings. METHODS Data were drawn from two prospective cohorts in Tijuana, Mexico and Vancouver, Canada which conducted semi-annual interviews within the PReventing Injecting by Modifying Existing Responses (PRIMER) study. Participants consisted of PWID who had reported never providing injection initiation assistance at baseline. We then conducted site-specific discrete-time survival analyses assessing the relationship between gender and other relevant covariates (e.g. age and past 6-month sex work) on the risk of the first reported instance of providing initiation assistance. RESULTS Of 1988 PWID (Tijuana: n = 596; Vancouver: n = 1392), 256 (43%) and 511 (36.7%) participants were women, and 42 (1.7%) and 78 (1.6%) reported recent injection initiation assistance across a median of three and two follow-up visits, respectively. Women had a lower risk of providing injection initiation assistance for the first time in Tijuana (adjusted hazard ratio = 0.52, 95% confidence interval 0.27-0.99), but not in Vancouver. Gendered pathways, like sex work, were associated with providing initiation assistance for the first time in Vancouver (adjusted hazard ratio = 1.97, 95% confidence interval 1.08-3.61). DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS Women in Tijuana, but not Vancouver, were less likely to provide first-time initiation assistance among PWID. These results can inform gender- and site-specific prevention efforts aimed at reducing transitions into drug injecting across geographic contexts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephanie A. Meyers-Pantele
- Department of Psychology, San Diego State University, San Diego, USA,Division of Infectious Diseases and Global Public Health, Department of Medicine, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, USA
| | - Sonia Jain
- Department of Family Medicine and Public Health, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, USA
| | - Xiaoying Sun
- Department of Family Medicine and Public Health, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, USA
| | - Charles Marks
- Division of Infectious Diseases and Global Public Health, Department of Medicine, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, USA,School of Public Health, University of Nevada, Reno, USA
| | - Kora DeBeck
- British Columbia Centre on Substance Use, Vancouver, Canada
| | - Kanna Hayashi
- British Columbia Centre on Substance Use, Vancouver, Canada
| | - Steffanie A. Strathdee
- Division of Infectious Diseases and Global Public Health, Department of Medicine, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, USA
| | - Dan Werb
- Division of Infectious Diseases and Global Public Health, Department of Medicine, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, USA,Centre on Drug Policy Evaluation, St. Michael’s Hospital, Toronto, Canada
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Allen ST, Schneider KE, Mazhnaya A, White RH, O’Rourke A, Kral AH, Bluthenthal RN, Kilkenny ME, Sherman SG. Factors Associated with Likelihood of Initiating Others into Injection Drug Use Among People Who Inject Drugs in West Virginia. AIDS Behav 2022; 26:47-56. [PMID: 34076812 PMCID: PMC8170059 DOI: 10.1007/s10461-021-03325-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 05/27/2021] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
People who inject drugs (PWID) play a critical role in injection-naïve individuals transitioning to injection drug use. We investigated factors associated with future likelihood of initiating injection-naïve individuals using multivariable logistic regression among 418 PWID in rural Appalachia (Cabell County, West Virginia). Less than 10% reported they were likely to initiate someone in the future. Acquiring syringes from a syringe services program was associated with decreased odds of being likely to initiate someone in the future (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 0.46, 95% CI 0.23, 0.95), while having previously initiated someone into injection drug use was associated with increased odds (aOR 8.65, 95% CI 4.07, 18.41). Among our sample of PWID in Appalachia, a small proportion reported that they would be likely to initiate an injection-naïve individual in the future. Efforts to reduce injection initiation assistance should focus on this subpopulation of PWID who indicate a willingness to engage in this behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sean T. Allen
- Department of Health, Behavior and Society, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, 624 N. Broadway #184, Baltimore, MD 21205 USA
| | - Kristin E. Schneider
- Department of Mental Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD USA
| | - Alyona Mazhnaya
- Department of Health, Behavior and Society, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, 624 N. Broadway #184, Baltimore, MD 21205 USA
| | - Rebecca Hamilton White
- Department of Health, Behavior and Society, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, 624 N. Broadway #184, Baltimore, MD 21205 USA
| | - Allison O’Rourke
- DC Center for AIDS Research, Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, George Washington University, Washington, DC USA
| | | | - Ricky N. Bluthenthal
- Department of Preventive Medicine, Institute for Health Promotion & Disease Prevention, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA USA
| | | | - Susan G. Sherman
- Department of Health, Behavior and Society, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, 624 N. Broadway #184, Baltimore, MD 21205 USA
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Stewart A, West BS, Rafful C, Lazos K, Jain J, Gonzalez-Zuniga P, Rocha-Jimenez T. "I would rather do it myself": injection initiation and current injection patterns among women who inject drugs in Tijuana, Mexico. Harm Reduct J 2021; 18:105. [PMID: 34645473 PMCID: PMC8513336 DOI: 10.1186/s12954-021-00554-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2021] [Accepted: 10/02/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Women who inject drugs (WWID) experience unique risks and adverse health outcomes related to injection initiation and patterns of injection drug use. However, there is limited information on injection initiation experiences and injection patterns among women and the protective strategies employed to limit injection-related harms, especially in low- and middle-income settings. Therefore, this study sought to explore injection initiation and current injection patterns (e.g., relying on someone else to inject) among women who inject drugs and engage in sex work in Tijuana, Mexico. METHODS Semistructured in-depth interviews were conducted with 30 WWID on the following topics: injection initiation, current injection patterns, places where women inject, and protective strategies (i.e., risk reduction). All interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed, and de-identified. An inductive thematic analysis was conducted to identify and compare common themes and patterns across participants. RESULTS The interviews revealed that the vast majority of study participants were first initiated by another person who injects drugs (PWID), often a male sexual partner. However, the majority of the women transitioned to become self-injectors in order to avoid risks associated with relying on others for injection, including overdose, interpersonal violence, sexual abuse, and wounds. Those who relied on others indicated that they would prefer to inject themselves without assistance from others if they were able to. CONCLUSIONS The narratives uncovered in this study reveal the importance of multiple risk environments in shaping perceived risks associated with injection drug use among women in Tijuana, Mexico. Specifically, the interviews elucidate the connection between interpersonal relationships with other PWID and protective strategies used to minimize risk and harm. These findings highlight the need for women-centered harm reduction programs to facilitate the development of safer drug use environments among WWID in Tijuana, Mexico.
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Affiliation(s)
- Allison Stewart
- Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, New York, NY, USA
| | - Brooke S West
- Columbia University School of Social Work, New York, NY, USA
| | - Claudia Rafful
- Faculty of Psychology, National Autonomous University of Mexico, Mexico City, Mexico
- Center on Global Mental Health Research, National Institute of Psychiatry, Mexico City, Mexico
| | | | - Jennifer Jain
- Division of Infectious Diseases of Global Public Health, School of Medicine, University of California, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Patricia Gonzalez-Zuniga
- Wound Clinic Tijuana, Tijuana, Mexico
- Division of Infectious Diseases of Global Public Health, School of Medicine, University of California, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Teresita Rocha-Jimenez
- Division of Infectious Diseases of Global Public Health, School of Medicine, University of California, La Jolla, CA, USA.
- Society and Health Research Center, Faculty of Humanities, Universidad Mayor, Santiago de Chile, Chile.
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Marks C, Meyers SA, Jain S, Sun X, Hayashi K, Gonzalez-Zuniga P, Strathdee SA, Garfein RS, Milloy MJ, DeBeck K, Cummins K, Werb D. Involvement of people who inject drugs in injection initiation events: a cross-sectional analysis identifying similarities and differences across three North American settings. BMJ Open 2021; 11:e046957. [PMID: 34385244 PMCID: PMC8362731 DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2020-046957] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES People who inject drugs (PWID) play an integral role in facilitating the entry of others into injection drug use (IDU). We sought to assess factors influencing PWID in providing IDU initiation assistance across three distinct North American settings and to generate pooled measures of risk. DESIGN We employed data from three PWID cohort studies participating in PReventing Injecting by Modifying Existing Responses (PRIMER), for this cross-sectional analysis. SETTING Tijuana, Mexico; San Diego, USA; Vancouver, Canada. PARTICIPANTS A total of 2944 participants were included in this study (Tijuana: n=766, San Diego: n=353, Vancouver: n=1825). MEASUREMENTS The outcome was defined as recently (ie, past 6 months) assisting in an IDU initiation event. Independent variables of interest were identified from previous PRIMER analyses. Site-specific multiple modified Poisson regressions were fit. Pooled relative risks (pRR) were calculated and heterogeneity across sites was assessed via linear random effects models. RESULTS Evidence across all three sites indicated that having a history of providing IDU initiation assistance (pRR: 4.83, 95% CI: 3.49 to 6.66) and recently being stopped by law enforcement (pRR: 1.49, 95% CI: 1.07 to 2.07) were associated with a higher risk of providing assistance with IDU initiation; while recent opioid agonist treatment (OAT) enrolment (pRR: 0.64, 95% CI: 0.43 to 0.96) and no recent IDU (pRR: 0.21, 95% CI: 0.07 to 0.64) were associated with a lower risk. We identified substantial differences across site in the association of age (I2: 52%), recent housing insecurity (I2: 39%) and recent non-injection heroin use (I2: 78%). CONCLUSION We identified common and site-specific factors related to PWID's risk of assisting in IDU initiation events. Individuals reporting a history of assisting IDU initiations, being recently stopped by law enforcement, and recently injecting methamphetamine/speedball were more likely to have recently assisted an IDU initiation. Whereas those who reported not recently engaging in IDU and those recently enrolled in OAT were less likely to have done so. Interventions and harm reduction strategies aimed at reducing the harms of IDU should incorporate context-specific approaches to reduce the initiation of IDU.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charles Marks
- Department of Medicine, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California, USA
- Interdisciplinary Research on Substance Use Joint Doctoral Program, San Diego State University and University of California San Diego, San Diego, California, USA
- School of Social Work, San Diego State University, San Diego, California, USA
| | - Stephanie A Meyers
- Department of Medicine, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California, USA
- Interdisciplinary Research on Substance Use Joint Doctoral Program, San Diego State University and University of California San Diego, San Diego, California, USA
- School of Social Work, San Diego State University, San Diego, California, USA
| | - Sonia Jain
- Biostatistics Research Center, Herbert Wertheim School of Public Health and Human Longevity Science, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California, USA
| | - Xiaoying Sun
- Biostatistics Research Center, Herbert Wertheim School of Public Health and Human Longevity Science, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California, USA
| | - Kanna Hayashi
- Health Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada
- British Columbia Centre on Substance Use, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | | | - Steffanie A Strathdee
- Department of Medicine, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California, USA
| | - Richard S Garfein
- Family Medicine and Public Health, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California, USA
| | - M J Milloy
- British Columbia Centre on Substance Use, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
- Department of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Kora DeBeck
- British Columbia Centre on Substance Use, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
- School of Public Policy, Simon Fraser University, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Kevin Cummins
- Department of Public Health, CSU Fullerton, Fullerton, California, USA
| | - Dan Werb
- Department of Medicine, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California, USA
- Centre on Drug Policy Evaluation, Unity Health Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
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Sa M, C R, Ml M, Lr S, J TM, S J, X S, Rs G, Sa S, K D, K H, R M, Mj M, M O, A G, D W, Ai S. Examining the gender composition of drug injecting initiation events: A mixed methods investigation of three North American contexts. THE INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF DRUG POLICY 2021; 90:103056. [PMID: 33310638 PMCID: PMC8046711 DOI: 10.1016/j.drugpo.2020.103056] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/21/2020] [Revised: 11/03/2020] [Accepted: 11/19/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Gender influences the health and social risks faced by individuals initiating drug injecting. Using mixed methods across three settings in North America, we investigated the gender composition of injection initiation events and the gendered risk environments in which they occurred. METHODS The PReventing Injecting by Modifying Existing Responses (PRIMER) study pooled data from three prospective community-recruited cohorts of people who inject drugs (PWID) in San Diego, USA, Vancouver, Canada, and Tijuana, Mexico. A qualitative subsample provided narrative data on their experiences of, and the contexts for, injection initiation events. Guided by Rhodes' risk environment framework, we examined the gender composition of initiation events stratified by city, and analyzed qualitative data using abductive thematic analyses. RESULTS Among 2,622 PWID (Tijuana: n = 531; San Diego: n = 352; Vancouver: n = 1,739), 112 (4.3%) reported providing initiation assistance to injection-naïve individuals in the previous six months. The proportion of gender concordant (e.g., male-male) initiation pairs varied, (χ2 = 10.32, p <0.001) with greater than expected concordance among pairs in Tijuana compared with those in Vancouver or San Diego. Sixty-one interviews provided context for the discrepancy across sites by highlighting the gendered injection initiation risk environments of prison/jail detention in Tijuana, intimate partnerships in San Diego, and overdose risk in Vancouver. CONCLUSIONS These results highlight how gender influences injection initiation events within spatial, social, and economic risk environments, and how this influence varies across settings. These findings can inform interventions to reduce the risk of injection initiation and related harms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meyers Sa
- School of Social Work, College of Health and Human Services, San Diego State University, 5500 Campanile Drive, San Diego, CA 92182, United States; Division of Infectious Diseases and Global Public Health, Department of Medicine, University of California San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, CA 92093, United States
| | - Rafful C
- Facultad de Psicología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, University City, Coyoacán, 04510, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Mittal Ml
- Division of Infectious Diseases and Global Public Health, Department of Medicine, University of California San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, CA 92093, United States; Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Xochicalco, Rampa Yumalinda 4850, Colonia Chapultepec Alamar C.P. 22540, Tijuana, Baja California, Mexico
| | - Smith Lr
- Division of Infectious Diseases and Global Public Health, Department of Medicine, University of California San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, CA 92093, United States
| | - Tirado-Muñoz J
- Division of Infectious Diseases and Global Public Health, Department of Medicine, University of California San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, CA 92093, United States
| | - Jain S
- Department of Family Medicine and Public Health, University of California San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, CA 92093, United States
| | - Sun X
- Department of Family Medicine and Public Health, University of California San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, CA 92093, United States
| | - Garfein Rs
- Division of Infectious Diseases and Global Public Health, Department of Medicine, University of California San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, CA 92093, United States
| | - Strathdee Sa
- Division of Infectious Diseases and Global Public Health, Department of Medicine, University of California San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, CA 92093, United States
| | - DeBeck K
- British Columbia Centre on Substance Use, 400-1045 Howe Street, Vancouver, BC, V6Z 2A9 Canada; School of Public Policy, Simon Fraser University, 8888 University Drive, Burnaby, BC, V5A 1S6 Canada
| | - Hayashi K
- British Columbia Centre on Substance Use, 400-1045 Howe Street, Vancouver, BC, V6Z 2A9 Canada; Faculty of Health Sciences, Simon Fraser University, 8888 University Drive, Burnaby, BC, V5A 1S6 Canada
| | - McNeil R
- School of Medicine, Yale, 333 Cedar Street, New Haven, CT, 06510, United States
| | - Milloy Mj
- British Columbia Centre on Substance Use, 400-1045 Howe Street, Vancouver, BC, V6Z 2A9 Canada; Department of Medicine, University of British Columbia, 2775 Laurel Street, Vancouver, BC, V5Z 1M9 Canada
| | - Olding M
- British Columbia Centre on Substance Use, 400-1045 Howe Street, Vancouver, BC, V6Z 2A9 Canada
| | - Guise A
- Addison House, Guy's Hospital, King's College London, Strand, London WC2R 2LS, United Kingdom
| | - Werb D
- Division of Infectious Diseases and Global Public Health, Department of Medicine, University of California San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, CA 92093, United States; Centre on Drug Policy Evaluation, St. Michael's Hospital, 30 Bond Street, Toronto, ON, M5B 1W8 Canada
| | - Scheim Ai
- Division of Infectious Diseases and Global Public Health, Department of Medicine, University of California San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, CA 92093, United States; Centre on Drug Policy Evaluation, St. Michael's Hospital, 30 Bond Street, Toronto, ON, M5B 1W8 Canada; Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Dornsife School of Public Health, Drexel University, 3215 Market Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104, United States.
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10
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Tales of gender-based oppression and violence: Risks and vulnerabilities of women who inject drugs (WWID) in Dhaka, Bangladesh. THE INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF DRUG POLICY 2021; 92:103144. [PMID: 33549468 DOI: 10.1016/j.drugpo.2021.103144] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2020] [Revised: 01/03/2021] [Accepted: 01/27/2021] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Women who inject drugs (WWID) experience various complexities, risks and vulnerabilities attributed to unequal gendered power differentials. This article has aimed to explore the unequal gendered power dynamics that influence HIV risks and vulnerabilities among WWID in Dhaka, Bangladesh. METHODS This paper is based on an ethnographic study conducted from April 2018 to December 2019 in Dhaka, Bangladesh. This component of the study constituted 2500 h of extensive field observations, 15 in-depth interviews and five focus groups exclusively with WWID. We also interviewed 15 key-informants including programme managers, an academician and harm reduction service providers. Data were thematically analysed in relation to the four bases of gendered power theorised by gender scholars Pratto and Walker which include force, resource control, asymmetrical obligations and consensual ideologies. RESULTS The first base, "force", highlighted situations where WWID were compelled into risky injecting and sexual behaviours to avoid violent ramifications or losing their safety nets with intimate partners. The second base, "resource control", depicted unequal access to commodities where men exercised their dominance over money and drugs. The third base, "social obligations", depicted the propensity of WWID to obey their partners and clients, thus precipitating their risky behaviours. The fourth base, consensual ideologies, were linked to weakened negotiation powers of WWID, thus increasing their propensity to risky injecting and sexual behaviours alongside poly-drug use. Despite several instances of gender-based violence and oppression, WWID have fallen victim to gender-blind interventions, as demonstrated by study observations and anecdotes. CONCLUSION Gender-based violence and oppression were depicted as prominent driving forces exacerbating WWID's HIV risks and vulnerabilities. If these issues are overlooked, the HIV burden will continue permeating among WWID. Thus, stakeholders need to look beyond the lens of conventional harm reduction modalities and synergize evidence-based gendered dynamics to formulate a gender-responsive comprehensive service package for WWID.
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11
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Gicquelais RE, Werb D, Marks C, Ziegler C, Mehta SH, Genberg BL, Scheim AI. Prevalence and Correlates of Providing and Receiving Assistance With the Transition to Injection Drug Use. Epidemiol Rev 2020; 42:4-18. [PMID: 33024995 DOI: 10.1093/epirev/mxaa008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2020] [Revised: 09/22/2020] [Accepted: 10/01/2020] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Preventing the transition to injection drug use is an important public health goal, as people who inject drugs (PWID) are at high risk for overdose and acquisition of infectious disease. Initiation into drug injection is primarily a social process, often involving PWID assistance. A better understanding of the epidemiology of this phenomenon would inform interventions to prevent injection initiation and to enhance safety when assistance is provided. We conducted a systematic review of the literature to 1) characterize the prevalence of receiving (among injection-naive persons) and providing (among PWID) help or guidance with the first drug injection and 2) identify correlates associated with these behaviors. Correlates were organized as substance use behaviors, health outcomes (e.g., human immunodeficiency virus infection), or factors describing an individual's social, economic, policy, or physical environment, defined by means of Rhodes' risk environments framework. After screening of 1,164 abstracts, 57 studies were included. The prevalence of receiving assistance with injection initiation (help or guidance at the first injection) ranged 74% to 100% (n = 13 estimates). The prevalence of ever providing assistance with injection initiation varied widely (range, 13%-69%; n = 13 estimates). Injecting norms, sex/gender, and other correlates classified within Rhodes' social risk environment were commonly associated with providing and receiving assistance. Nearly all PWID receive guidance about injecting for the first time, whereas fewer PWID report providing assistance. Substantial clinical and statistical heterogeneity between studies precluded meta-analysis, and thus local-level estimates may be necessary to guide the implementation of future psychosocial and sociostructural interventions. Further, estimates of providing assistance may be downwardly biased because of social desirability factors.
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12
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Meyers SA, Smith LR, Luisa Mittal M, Strathdee SA, Garfein RS, Guise A, Werb D, Rafful C. The role of gender and power dynamics in injection initiation events within intimate partnerships in the US-Mexico border region. CULTURE, HEALTH & SEXUALITY 2020; 22:1080-1095. [PMID: 31625809 PMCID: PMC7771651 DOI: 10.1080/13691058.2019.1651903] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2019] [Accepted: 07/31/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Women's initiation into injection drug use often establishes a pattern of risk following first injection. This study explored sources of gendered power dynamics in injection initiation experiences for people who inject drugs. A qualitative subsample from two prospective community-recruited cohorts of people who inject drugs in San Diego and Tijuana provided data on the contexts surrounding injection initiation processes. Intimate partnerships were identified in initiation; sub-themes were identified drawing on three concepts within the theory of gender and power. With reference to sexual division of labour, men were often responsible for access to resources in partnerships across both contexts, although there were limited accounts of women obtaining those resources. Extending the structure of power, women in San Diego reported that initiation events involving an intimate partner occurred from a position of vulnerability but expressed greater agency when providing initiation assistance. With regard to structure of cathexis, social norms proscribing injection initiation among women exist, particularly in Tijuana. Gendered power dynamics are a multifaceted component of injection initiation events, especially for women in intimate partnerships. These results stress the need for nuance in understanding the intersection of risk, gender and harm reduction within injection initiation events across socio-cultural contexts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephanie A Meyers
- School of Social Work, College of Health and Human Services, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA, USA
- Division of Infectious Diseases and Global Public Health, Department of Medicine, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Laramie R Smith
- Division of Infectious Diseases and Global Public Health, Department of Medicine, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Maria Luisa Mittal
- Division of Infectious Diseases and Global Public Health, Department of Medicine, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
- Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Xochicalco, Tijuana, Baja California, Mexico
| | - Steffanie A Strathdee
- Division of Infectious Diseases and Global Public Health, Department of Medicine, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Richard S Garfein
- Division of Infectious Diseases and Global Public Health, Department of Medicine, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Andy Guise
- Division of Infectious Diseases and Global Public Health, Department of Medicine, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
- Addison House, Guy's Hospital, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Dan Werb
- Division of Infectious Diseases and Global Public Health, Department of Medicine, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
- Facultad de Psicología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Claudia Rafful
- Facultad de Psicología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico City, Mexico
- Centre for Urban Health Solutions, St. Michael's Hospital, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Center for Global Mental Health Research, National Institute of Psychiatry, Mexico City, Mexico
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13
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A retrospective cohort study evaluating correlates of deep tissue infections among patients enrolled in opioid agonist treatment using administrative data in Ontario, Canada. PLoS One 2020; 15:e0232191. [PMID: 32330184 PMCID: PMC7182261 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0232191] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2019] [Accepted: 04/08/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Objective The objective of this study was to evaluate the relationship between individual characteristics and deep tissue infections in patients enrolled in opioid agonist treatment in Ontario, Canada. Methods A retrospective cohort study was conducted on patients in opioid agonist treatment between January 1, 2011, and December 31, 2015 in Ontario, Canada. Patients were identified using data from the Ontario Health Insurance Plan Database, and the Ontario Drug Benefit Plan Database. We identified other study variables including all-cause mortality using data from the Registered Persons Database. Encrypted patient identifiers were used to link across databases. Logistic regression models were used to measure potential correlates of deep tissue infections. Results An increase in the incidence of deep tissue infections was observed between 2011 and 2016 for patients on opioid agonist treatment. Additionally, age, sex, positive HIV diagnosis, and all-cause mortality was correlated with deep tissue infection in our study population. Conclusion The study indicates factors that are associated with deep tissue infections in the opioid use disorder population and can be used to identify opportunities to reduce the incidence of new infections.
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Navarro S, Kral AH, Strike CS, Simpson K, Wenger L, Bluthenthal RN. Factors Associated with Frequency of Recent Initiation of Others into Injection Drug Use Among People Who Inject Drugs in Los Angeles and San Francisco, CA, USA, 2016-17. Subst Use Misuse 2019; 54:1715-1724. [PMID: 31046508 PMCID: PMC6863088 DOI: 10.1080/10826084.2019.1608252] [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] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
Abstract
Objective: Drug injection initiation is often assisted by a person who injects drugs (PWID). How often PWID provide this assistance has not been examined. We examine frequency of injection initiation assistance and factors associated with high (4+) and low frequency (1-3) initiation assistance as compared to no initiation assistance among PWID. Methods: Participants were 979 Californian PWID. PWID were interviewed about providing injection initiation assistance in the last 6 months among other items. Multinomial regression analysis was used to examine factors associated with levels of frequency of injection initiation assistance. Results: Among participants, 132 (14%) had initiated 784 people into injection (mean = 5.94 [standard deviation = 20.13]; median = 2, interquartile range = 1,4) in the last 6 months. PWID engaged in high frequency initiation (26% of sample) assisted 662 new initiates (84% of total). Using multinomial regression analysis with no initiating as the referent group, we found that high frequency initiating was statistically associated with higher injection frequency, having a paying sex partner, taking someone to a shooting gallery, and providing injection assistance. Lower frequency initiation was statistically associated with having a paying sex partner, illegal income source, and providing injection assistance. Conclusion: Differences between high and low frequency initiators were not found. Sex work and assisting with drug injection were linked to initiating others. Individual-level interventions that reduce this behavior among PWID and structural interventions such as safe consumption sites and opioid medication treatments that interrupt the social process of injection initiation should be considered as ways to reduce injection initiations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephanie Navarro
- Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, 1975 Zonal Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90033
| | - Alex H. Kral
- Behavioral Health Research Division, RTI International, 351 California Street, Suite 500, San Francisco, CA 94104
| | - Carol S. Strike
- Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5T 3M7
| | - Kelsey Simpson
- Department of Preventive Medicine, Institute for Prevention Research, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, 2001 N Soto St, 3rd floor, Los Angeles, CA 90033
| | - Lynn Wenger
- Behavioral Health Research Division, RTI International, 351 California Street, Suite 500, San Francisco, CA 94104
| | - Ricky N. Bluthenthal
- Department of Preventive Medicine, Institute for Prevention Research, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, 2001 N Soto St, 3rd floor, Los Angeles, CA 90033
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15
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Mittal ML, Guise A, Rafful C, Gonzalez-Zuñiga P, Davidson P, Vashishtha D, Strathdee SA, Werb D. "Another Person Was Going to Do It": The Provision of Injection Drug Use Initiation Assistance in a High-Risk U.S.-Mexico Border Region. Subst Use Misuse 2019; 54:2338-2350. [PMID: 31389282 PMCID: PMC6883155 DOI: 10.1080/10826084.2019.1648514] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
Background: Persons who inject drugs (PWID) play a key role in assisting others' initiation into injection drug use (IDU). We aimed to explore the pathways and socio-structural contexts for this phenomenon in Tijuana, Mexico, a border setting marked by a large PWID population with limited access to health and social services. Methods: Preventing Injecting by Modifying Existing Responses (PRIMER) is a multi-cohort study assessing socio-structural factors associated with PWID assisting others into initiating IDU. Semi-structured qualitative interviews in Tijuana included participants ≥18 years old, who reported IDU within the month prior to cohort enrollment and ever initiating others into IDU. Purposive sampling ensured a range of drug use experiences and behaviors related to injection initiation assistance. Thematic analysis was used to develop recurring and significant data categories. Results: Twenty-one participants were interviewed (8 women, 13 men). Broadly, participants considered public injection to increase curiosity about IDU. Many considered transitioning into IDU as inevitable. Emergent themes included providing assistance to mitigate overdose risk and to protect initiates from being taken advantage of by others. Participants described reluctance in engaging in this process. For some, access to resources (e.g., shared drugs or a monetary fee) was a motivator to initiate others. Conclusion: In Tijuana, public injection and a lack of harm reduction services are perceived to fuel the incidence of IDU initiation and to incentivize PWID to assist in injection initiation. IDU prevention efforts should address structural factors driving PWID participation in IDU initiation while including PWID in their development and implementation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria L Mittal
- Division of Infectious Diseases and Global Public Health, Department of Medicine, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA.,Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Xochicalco, Tijuana, Mexico
| | - Andrew Guise
- Division of Infectious Diseases and Global Public Health, Department of Medicine, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA.,Division of Health and Social Care Research, King's College, London, UK
| | - Claudia Rafful
- Division of Infectious Diseases and Global Public Health, Department of Medicine, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA.,Centre on Drug Policy Evaluation, St. Michael's Hospital, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Patricia Gonzalez-Zuñiga
- Division of Infectious Diseases and Global Public Health, Department of Medicine, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Peter Davidson
- Division of Infectious Diseases and Global Public Health, Department of Medicine, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Devesh Vashishtha
- Division of Infectious Diseases and Global Public Health, Department of Medicine, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Steffanie A Strathdee
- Division of Infectious Diseases and Global Public Health, Department of Medicine, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Dan Werb
- Division of Infectious Diseases and Global Public Health, Department of Medicine, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA.,Centre on Drug Policy Evaluation, St. Michael's Hospital, Toronto, ON, Canada
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