Are people who inject performance and image‐enhancing drugs an increasing population of Needle and Syringe Program attendees?

Abstract

Australian studies of people who inject performance and image-enhancing drugs (PIED) have identified subgroups including professional sportspeople, occupational users (those in protective services/entertainment industries), body image users and adolescents [1]. Between 2000 and 2010, the proportion of respondents in the National Drug Strategy Household Survey who reported non-medical use of steroids remained low and stable at 0.3% or less [2], and PIEDs injectors comprised just 1–2% of respondents in surveys of Needle and Syringe Program (NSP) attendees [3]. Anecdotal reports from NSP services in New South Wales (NSW) and Queensland suggest substantial recent increases in the number of people who inject PIEDs accessing injecting equipment.This study investigates temporal trends in prevalence and patterns of PIEDs injection among Australian Needle and Syringe Program Survey (ANSPS) respondents.