title: The color of meth: is it related to adverse health outcomes? An exploratory study in Tijuana, Mexico.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Division of International Health and Cross Cultural Medicine, School of Medicine, University of California - San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093, USA. sstrathdee@ucsd.edu
authors.forename: Steffanie A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Strathdee
authors.forename: Patricia
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Case
authors.forename: Remedios
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Lozada
authors.forename: Andrea R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Mantsios
authors.forename: Jorge
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Alvelais
authors.forename: Minya
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pu
authors.forename: Kimberly C
authors.initials: KC
authors.lastname: Brouwer
authors.forename: Cari L
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Miller
authors.forename: Thomas L
authors.initials: TL
authors.lastname: Patterson
mesh_terms: 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
chemical_list: D000697:Central Nervous System Stimulants; D013287:Illicit Drugs; D008694:Methamphetamine