Changes in injecting practices associated with the use of a medically supervised safer injection facility

J Public Health (Oxf). 2007 Mar;29(1):35-9. doi: 10.1093/pubmed/fdl090. Epub 2007 Jan 17.

Abstract

Injection drug users (IDUs) are vulnerable to serious health complications resulting from unsafe injection practices. We examined whether the use of a supervised safer injection facility (SIF) promoted change in injecting practices among a representative sample of 760 IDUs who use a SIF in Vancouver, Canada. Consistent SIF use was compared with inconsistent use on a number of self-reported changes in injecting practice variables. More consistent SIF use is associated with positive changes in injecting practices, including less reuse of syringes, use of sterile water, swabbing injection sites, cooking/filtering drugs, less rushed injections, safe syringe disposal and less public injecting.

Publication types

  • Randomized Controlled Trial

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Attitude to Health
  • British Columbia / epidemiology
  • Disinfection
  • Equipment Contamination / prevention & control
  • Female
  • HIV Infections / prevention & control*
  • Harm Reduction
  • Health Behavior
  • Humans
  • Interviews as Topic
  • Logistic Models
  • Male
  • Needle Sharing / adverse effects*
  • Needle Sharing / statistics & numerical data
  • Needle-Exchange Programs / statistics & numerical data*
  • Program Evaluation
  • Risk-Taking
  • Substance Abuse, Intravenous* / complications
  • Substance Abuse, Intravenous* / epidemiology
  • Substance Abuse, Intravenous* / virology
  • Syringes / standards
  • Syringes / virology