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Prevalence and correlates of neck injection among people who inject drugs in T ijuana, M exico
Author(s) -
Rafful Claudia,
Wagner Karla D.,
Werb Dan,
GonzálezZúñiga Patricia E.,
Verdugo Silvia,
Rangel Gudelia,
Strathdee Steffanie A.
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
drug and alcohol review
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.018
H-Index - 74
eISSN - 1465-3362
pISSN - 0959-5236
DOI - 10.1111/dar.12264
Subject(s) - medicine , harm reduction , injection site , injection drug use , logistic regression , odds ratio , confidence interval , syringe , heroin , drug injection , drug , public health , psychiatry , nursing
and Aims Injecting drugs in the neck has been related to adverse health conditions such as jugular vein thrombosis, deep neck infections, aneurysm, haematomas, airway obstruction, vocal cord paralysis and wound botulism, among others. We identified prevalence and correlates of neck injection among people who inject drugs ( PWID ) in T ijuana, M exico. Design and Methods Beginning in 2011, PWID aged ≥18 years who injected drugs within the last month were recruited into a prospective cohort. At baseline and semi‐annually, PWID completed interviewer‐administered surveys soliciting data on drug‐injecting practices. Logistic regression was used to identify predictors of injecting in the neck as the most frequent injection site at a single visit. Results Of 380 PWID , 35.3% injected in the neck at least once in the past 6 months, among whom 71.6% reported it as their most common injection site, the most common injecting site after the arms (47%). Controlling for age, years injecting and injecting frequency, injecting heroin and methamphetamine two or more times per day and having sought injection assistance were associated with injecting in the neck [adjusted odds ratios ( AOR ): 2.12; 95% confidence intervals ( CI ): 1.27–3.53 and AOR : 2.65; 95% CI : 1.52–4.53 respectively]. Discussion and Conclusions Injecting in the neck was very common among PWID in T ijuana and was associated with polydrug use and seeking injection assistance. Tailoring harm reduction education interventions for individuals who provide injection assistance (‘hit doctors’) may allow for the dissemination of safe injecting knowledge to reduce injection‐related morbidity and mortality. [Rafful C, Wagner KD, Werb D, González‐Zúñiga PE, Verdugo S, Rangel G, Strathdee SA. Prevalence and correlates of neck injection among people who inject drugs in Tijuana, Mexico. Drug Alcohol Rev 2015;34:630–6]