Correlates of risky injection practices among past-year injection drug users among the US general population

Abstract

BackgroundWith an estimated 1 million active injection drug users (IDUs), injection drug use continues to be a public health concern in the United States. Risky injection practices have been associated with the transmission of HIV, Hepatitis B and C, as well as other skin and soft tissue infections. MethodsWe used data from 463 respondents, aged 18 and older, who were past-year IDUs in the 2005–2008 National Survey of Drug Use and Health (NSDUH). We investigated correlates of risky injection behavior among these recent IDUs. ResultsOlder age (≥35 versus 18–25) was associated with reusing one's own needle at last injection (aOR=1.80 [1.02–3.17], as were past year heroin (aOR=2.59 [1.18–5.66]) and cocaine injection (aOR=2.17 [1.13–4.15]). Past year crack cocaine use was positively associated with not cleaning needles with bleach (aOR=2.18 [1.10–4.33]). Past year cocaine injection was associated with obtaining needles in a risky manner (aOR=2.29 [1.23–4.25]). Methamphetamine injection was associated with obtaining needles in less risky ways (aOR=0.41 [0.20–0.84]). ConclusionOur findings indicate that some IDUs are continuing to engage in high risk injection behaviors. The identification of potential at-risk populations of IDUs may have implications for harm reduction interventions and HIV prevention programs.