The color of meth: is it related to adverse health outcomes? An exploratory study in Tijuana, Mexico.
In a study of injection drug users (IDUs) in Tijuana, Mexico, logistic regression identified factors associated with injection of colored vs. clear methamphetamine in the prior six months (N = 613). Colors injected most often were clear (50%), white (47%), yellow (2%), and pink (1%). IDUs injecting colored meth were more likely to experience recent abscesses (34%) compared to those injecting clear meth (24%; p = 0.008), an association that persisted after adjusting for confounders. Market characteristics, possibly relating to purity or adulterants, may be associated with abscesses among methamphetamine injectors. Further study is needed to confirm and determine the mechanism of this association to better inform prevention messages.
Strathdee
Steffanie A
SA
Division of International Health and Cross Cultural Medicine, School of Medicine, University of California - San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093, USA. sstrathdee@ucsd.edu
Case
Patricia
P
Lozada
Remedios
R
Mantsios
Andrea R
AR
Alvelais
Jorge
J
Pu
Minya
M
Brouwer
Kimberly C
KC
Miller
Cari L
CL
Patterson
Thomas L
TL
D000038:Abscess / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D000328:Adult; D019969:Amphetamine-Related Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology*; D000697:Central Nervous System Stimulants / Q000633:toxicity*; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003116:Color; D003431:Cross-Cultural Comparison; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004340:Drug Contamination / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D013287:Illicit Drugs / Q000633:toxicity*; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008694:Methamphetamine / Q000633:toxicity*; D008800:Mexico; D011446:Prospective Studies; D018570:Risk Assessment; D017192:Skin Diseases, Bacterial / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D015819:Substance Abuse, Intravenous / Q000453:epidemiology*; D014481:United States
D000697:Central Nervous System Stimulants; D013287:Illicit Drugs; D008694:Methamphetamine