Prevalence and predictors of injecting-related injury and disease among clients of Australia's needle and syringe programs.
OBJECTIVE
To identify lifetime prevalence and predictors of self-reported injecting-related injuries and diseases (IRID) and/or injecting-related problems (IRP) among a national cross-sectional sample of injecting drug users.


METHODS
1,961 clients of 45 needle and syringe programs (NSPs) who participated in the 2006 Australian NSP Survey self-completed an item regarding lifetime experience of eight separate IRIDs and IRPs.


RESULTS
Sixty-nine per cent of participants reported a history of IRID/IRP, with a mean of 1.9 injuries/problems (range 0-8). Lifetime prevalence of specific injuries/problems ranged from problems finding a vein (43%) to endocarditis (4%). Factors independently associated with IRID/IRP included bisexual identity; daily or more frequent injecting; injection of pharmaceutical preparations; female gender; longer injecting history; and hepatitis C antibody-positive serostatus.


CONCLUSIONS
Consistent with existing literature, results suggest that vascular injury and localised infections are common among IDUs; and that treatment-seeking is often delayed until serious complications arise.


CONCLUSIONS
Findings support the imperative for co-ordinated and timely treatment and prevention activities to reduce the severity and burden of these prevalent injecting outcomes.
Topp
Libby
L
Viral Hepatitis Epidemiology and Prevention Program, National Centre in HIV Epidemiology and Clinical Research, Faculty of Medicine, University of New South Wales, Darlinghurst, New South Wales. LTopp@nchecr.unsw.edu.au
Iversen
Jenny
J
Conroy
Andrew
A
Salmon
Allison M
AM
Maher
Lisa
L
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001315:Australia; D001808:Blood Vessels / Q000293:injuries*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D013287:Illicit Drugs; D007239:Infections / Q000209:etiology*; D007267:Injections / Q000009:adverse effects*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018671:Needle-Exchange Programs; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D012871:Skin Diseases / Q000209:etiology*; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000150:complications*
D013287:Illicit Drugs