injection drug use Archives

The Authors’ Own Words: The willingness of people who inject drugs in Boston to use a supervised injection facility

Dec 10, 2019 by AMERSA

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.

The willingness of people who inject drugs in Boston to use a supervised injection facility

Casey León, MPH; Lena Cardoso, BA; Sarah Mackin, MPH; Barry Bock, RN; & Jessie M. Gaeta, MD

Substance Abuse Vol. 39, Iss. 1, 2018

“This manuscript identifies characteristics associated with willingness to use supervised injection facilities by self-report of people who use injection drugs. The results of this study suggest that a supervised injection facility (SIF) in an urban area in the United States would be well accepted by people who inject drugs, as the overwhelming majority of study participants reported willingness to use such a facility. People at high risk for overdose and people who contribute to the public burden of injection drug use were significantly more likely to be willing to use a SIF – suggesting that the ideal target population for supervised injection would be those most willing to use a SIF. The information can directly influence the policy, advocacy, and implementation of a SIF in the United States.”

The Authors’ Own Words: Increasing availability of benzodiazepines among people who inject drugs in a Canadian setting

Dec 9, 2019 by AMERSA

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.

Increasing availability of benzodiazepines among people who inject drugs in a Canadian setting

Geoffrey Walton, MD; Huiru Dong, MSc; M. J. Milloy, PhD; Kora DeBeck, PhD; Thomas Kerr, PhD; Evan Wood, MD, PhD; & Kanna Hayashi, PhD

Substance Abuse Vol. 39, Iss. 1, 2018

“Among our large community-recruited sample of people who inject drugs in Vancouver, benzodiazepine availability has significantly increased between 2012 and 2015. We also found that incarceration, and engagement in methadone maintenance therapy were independently associated with more immediate access to benzodiazepines. These findings highlight the need to educate physicians and patients regarding the harms of benzodiazepine use in the groups identified and suggest that further research is needed to investigate the reasons behind these associations including where people who inject drugs are securing their benzodiazepines.”

The Authors’ Own Words: The intersection of women’s sexual pleasure and injection drug use

Nov 19, 2019 by AMERSA

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.

The intersection of women’s sexual pleasure and injection drug use

Caroline Katzman, BA & Ellen Tuchman, MSW, PhD

Substance Abuse Vol. 40, Iss. 2, 2019

“After conducting a thorough literature search, I found that most research about women who inject drugs focuses primarily on health risks, sex work, and interpersonal violence, with no mention of female pleasure or agency. When I began reading through these semi-structured qualitative interviews, I knew immediately that these women’s voices needed to be heard. Their voices were strong, their agency was clear, and they provided a positive viewpoint about sexual pleasure and relationships that has not yet been considered. We must share the nuances of all women’s perspectives to help shape our interventions because no intervention can be “one-size-fits-all.” It is imperative to understand the diversity in patient perspectives and experiences to help our patients stay healthy and safe.“