© 1998 Oxford University Press
research-article |
New needle and syringe use, and use of needle exchange programmes by street recruited injection drug users in 1993
aCenters for Disease Control and Prevention Atlanta, GA, USA
bEmory University Atlanta, GA, USA
cAIDS Program Los Angeles County, CA. USA
dPhiladelphia Health Management Corporation Philadelphia, PA, USA
Reprint requests to: Robin J MacGowan, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for HIV, STD, and TB Prevention, Division of HIV/AIDS Prevention, 1600 Clifton Rd NE, Mailstop E-37, Atlanta, GA 30333, USA
BACKGROUND: Needle exchange programmes (NEP) provide injection drug users (IDU) with sterile injection equipment and receive used needles in exchange. In this paper we describe the use of new syringes and NEP by IDU and characteristics associated with using NEP in 1993.
METHODS: Street-recruited IDU were interviewed in five US locations: Atlanta, Philadelphia, Chicago, New York City, and Los Angeles (LA) county.
RESULTS: Most (75–95%) reported it was easy to get a new syringe and for their last injection, 45–77% used a new syringe and 2–18% used a syringe previously used by another IDU. Use of NEP ranged from 8% to 16% in Chicago, Philadelphia, and LA County. In LA County not having injected ‘speedball’ in the last 30 days, last injection with a new syringe, and reporting it was very easy to get a new syringe were associated with NEP use. In Philadelphia, SEP use was associated with ‘speedball’ injection in the last 30 days, and in Chicago, not injecting with ‘speedball’ and injecting with cocaine were associated with NEP use.
CONCLUSIONS: In 1993, most street-recruited IDU in Chicago, Philadelphia, and LA County had not used SEP. Factors associated with NEP use were not consistent across sites. Dispersion of NEP and removal of legal barriers restricting access to sterile syringes may be more important in increasing the use of sterile syringes and NEP than client characteristics.
Keywords Syringe, needle exchange programmes, injection drug users
Accepted 29 July 1997