Drug consumption facility as part of a primary health care centre for problem drug users - which clients are attracted?
BACKGROUND
To investigate whether users of a drug consumption facility (DCF) established as part of a health care centre for problem drug users fulfilled entry criteria, especially public drug consumption, risky drug-application and housing problems. We also investigated whether the drug consumption facility attracted hard-to-reach opiate users who usually do not use the health care system.


METHODS
Structured interviews were carried out with 129 problem drug users beginning attendance at a drug consumption facility.


RESULTS
Median length of the current episode of regular heroin use was 3 weeks. Sixty-seven per cent of clients had been in addiction specific treatment or had left prison during the previous 3 months. Regarding behaviour in the last month, 53% reported drug use in public, 53% use of non-sterile equipment or water, 22% needle sharing, 8% reported an emergency admission to hospital, and 43% were living in unstable accommodation. Only 10% of clients had never received treatment for their drug use and 87% were currently in contact with psychosocial services.


CONCLUSIONS
The majority of clients were chronic opiate users with high rates of risk behaviour. However, they did have recent contact with the drug treatment system. DCFs may be particularly important for opiate users after prison or treatment and/or for those with unstable accommodation.
Scherbaum
Norbert
N
Addiction Research Group at the Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Rhine State Hospital, University of Duisburg-Essen, 45 147 Essen, Germany. norbert.scherbaum@uni-due.de
Specka
Michael
M
Bombeck
Johannes
J
Marrziniak
Baerbel
B
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001290:Attitude; D055030:Drug Users / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009293:Opioid-Related Disorders / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy; D011320:Primary Health Care / Q000379:methods*; D012309:Risk-Taking; D016320:Substance Abuse Treatment Centers / Q000379:methods / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy