Resources
19 Results (showing 1 - 10)
Results sorted by updated date (oldest first)
Results sorted by updated date (oldest first)
Posted 8/25/2023 (updated 3/26/2024)
As HIV transmission via injection drugs are increasing, knowing the variation in which the the transmission occurs can be beneficial in treatment and intervention. Authors of the study look into the frequency and distribution of HIV transmission behaviors among people who use drugs in rural areas to possibly determine if interventions could be universally effective. Data collected in the study suggests that there are many variations in the transmission behaviors.
Posted 3/16/2022 (updated 3/27/2024)
Background: Sharp exacerbations of the US overdose crisis are linked to polysubstance use of synthetic compounds. Xylazine is a veterinary tranquilizer, long noted in the street opioid supply of Puerto Rico, and more recently Philadelphia. Yet its national trends, geographic distribution, and health risks are poorly characterized. Methods: In this sequential mixed-methods study, xylazine was increasingly observed by ethnographers in Philadelphia among drug-sellers and people who inject drugs (PWID). Subsequently, we systematically searched for records describing xylazine-present overdose mortality across the US and assessed time trends and overlap with other drugs
Posted 3/21/2022 (updated 3/27/2024)
Syringe services programs (SSPs) remain highly effective, cost-saving interventions for the prevention of blood-borne infections among people who inject drugs. However, there have been restrictions regarding financial resources allocated to these programs, particularly in the US South. This study aimed to provide cost data regarding the implementation and first-year operations of an academic-based SSP utilizing fixed and mobile strategies, including the integration of onsite wound care.
Posted 3/21/2022 (updated 3/27/2024)
People who inject drugs (PWID) are likely to experience wounds and infection related to their injection drug use. Common wounds and infections experienced by PWID include blood poisoning (septicemia), infection of the heart lining (endocarditis), tetanus, hepatitis, bruising, collapsed veins, abscesses and blood clots. Preventing and caring for wounds in PWID requires special consideration of the conditions surrounding drug use.
Posted 8/18/2020 (updated 3/28/2024)
This guide was created for harm reduction medical staff and volunteers as a resource about the types of wounds common with injection drug use and also to increase knowledge about treatment modalities for this population. Skin and soft-tissue infections are the most common cause of hospitalization among people who inject drugs.
Posted 11/27/2019 (updated 3/28/2024)
This guide is aimed at people who inject drugs to help reduce some of the problems caused by injecting.
Posted 10/5/2020 (updated 3/29/2024)
This review looks at evidence and program models for alternatives to hospitalization to treat serious infections in people who inject drugs.
Posted 10/12/2020 (updated 3/29/2024)
This article discusses findings from a study published in the Journal of Viral Hepatitis which addresses the question of HCV testing frequency in people who inject drugs.
Posted 7/7/2021 (updated 4/2/2024)
Background: Injecting drug users (IDUs) are at increased risk of acquiring and transmitting HIV and other bloodborne pathogens through the multi-person use of syringes. Although research has shown that increased access to syringes through syringe exchange programs (SEPs) is an effective strategy to reduce risky injection practices many areas of the United States still do not have SEPs. In the absence of SEPs, legislation allowing pharmacies over-the-counter sales of syringes has also been shown to reduce syringe sharing. The success of pharmacy sales however is limited by other legal stipulations, such as drug paraphernalia laws, which in turn may contribute to fear among IDUs about being caught purchasing and carrying syringes.
Expanding The Circle of Care: A Practical Guide to Syringe Services for Tribal and Rural Communities
Posted 8/3/2021 (updated 4/2/2024)
This guide presents practical information on establishing and maintaining syringe services in rural and tribal communities based on experiences of the Bad River Band of Lake Superior Chippewa.