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Results sorted by updated date (newest first)
Posted 11/11/2020 (updated 4/3/2024)
West Virginia leads the nation in overdose death rate and both counties where participants were interviewed for this study were considered to be at risk for an HIV outbreak among people who inject drugs. This study asked the question ‘What on-the-ground environmental factors among PWIH could be contributing to this overdose rate?
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.
Posted 11/21/2019 (updated 3/28/2024)
This report was developed as part of an initiative of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office on Women’s Health (OWH) to examine prevention, treatment, and recovery issues for women who misuse opioids, have opioid use disorders (OUDs), and/or overdose on opioids.
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