Demystifying the injection drug user: willingness to participate in traditional drug treatment services among participants in a needle exchange program.
Injection drug users have been vilified in our culture as being wild-eyed and willing to do anything for the next hit. These individuals are typically seen as being unemployed, uneducated and completely disinterested in making any changes in their lives. Sixty-one participants in a syringe exchange program in Cleveland, Ohio were interviewed using the NIDA Risk Behavior Assessment. Fifty (81%) of the respondents were either in an abstinence-based program or reported a willingness to participate in such a program. Importantly, although the sample consisted of long-term daily users of injection drugs (m=19.95 years), the majority of the sample was employed (69%) and were high school graduates (51%). The results of this study suggest that injection drug users are willing to make changes in their use-related behaviors, involvement in a needle exchange program does not preclude involvement in abstinence-based programming, and needle exchange services may serve as an important component in a continuum of care when coupled with traditional abstinence-based services.
MacMaster
Samuel A
SA
University of Tennessee, College of Social Work, Nashville 37210, USA. smacmast@utk.edu
Vail
Kenneth A
KA
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D040261:Harm Reduction; D006297:Health Services Accessibility / Q000706:statistics & numerical data* / Q000639:trends; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016485:Needle Sharing / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D018671:Needle-Exchange Programs; D010358:Patient Participation / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012309:Risk-Taking; D015819:Substance Abuse, Intravenous / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires