injection Archives

The Authors’ Own Words:

We ask authors to describe their impressions regarding the implications of their accepted work, how their findings will change practice, and what is noteworthy about the work.

Association between binge drug use and suicide attempt among people who inject drugs

Charles Fournier, MD; Maykel Farag Ghabrash, MD, MSc; Adelina Artenie, MSc; Elise Roy, MD, MSc; Geng Zang, MSc; Julie Bruneau, MD, MSc; & Didier Jutras-Aswad, MD, MSc

Substance Abuse Vol. 39, Iss. 3, 2018

“People who inject drugs (PWID) constitute a particularly vulnerable subgroup among individuals with drug dependence, and have an elevated risk of suicide attempt. Using a biannual interviewer-administered questionnaire, we examined the relationship between suicide attempt and binge behavior using generalized estimating equations. Our article highlights a positive association between binge drug use and suicide attempt after controlling for sociodemographic factors, substance use patterns, and psychological factors. The results suggest thatmeticulous assessment and preventive interventions are critical in minimizing risk of suicide attempt in this population, and that specific attention should be paid to binge drug use in that regard. It also underlines the need for more research to better understand the complex interplay between substance misuse and mental health.”