Substance Abuse Research Articles

Scaling the highs, falling to the lows: A qualitative study of women's experiences of drug abuse

This study explores the personal and social impacts of drug abuse on women undergoing addiction treatment in Tehran, Iran. Using a qualitative approach, 25 women aged 17 to 51 were interviewed to understand their experiences with addiction and recovery. The research found that many women started using drugs to escape emotional pain or seek pleasure, but this quickly led to serious consequences. These included social isolation, stigma, loss of their roles as mothers, financial difficulties, and physical decline. Four main themes were identified: the initial attraction to drugs and the subsequent struggle with addiction, the mixed experiences in rehabilitation centers, the broader social consequences of addiction, and the painful transition from the initial pleasure of drug abuse to its harsh realities. The study highlights the influence of cultural and societal norms on these women’s experiences and stresses the need for treatment programs that are sensitive to their specific needs. The findings suggest that effective support for women in similar contexts must address both their physical and emotional recovery, considering the unique challenges they face in a non-Western, Islamic setting.

Adult Pharmacy Costs and Characteristics of Very High-Cost Prescription Drug Users in the United States, 2018–2022

Objective: This study sought to identify: (1) the demographic and clinical characteristics of very high-cost users (defined as patients with pharmaceutical expenditures that were equal to or greater than the 99th percentile), (2) whether or not these characteristics changed over time, (3) sociodemographic and clinical correlates of being very high-cost users, (4) the average pharmaceutical costs of very-high cost users, and (5) the therapeutic classes and medications that contributed to these high costs Background: There are growing public concerns about rising drug costs, in part due to increased availability, greater effectiveness, and market considerations. There is a concentrated portion of patients that accounts for a disproportionately large portion of pharmaceutical expenditures. Methods: A large serial cross-sectional study was conducted with De-identified, member-level pharmacy claims (n = 65,739,791) from a large, national pharmacy benefits manager from January 1, 2018 to December 31, 2022. The main outcome and measures were 2018–2022 pharmaceutical expenditures; amounts were adjusted for inflation to reflect 2022-dollar values. Results: Across the study period, the odds of being classified as a very high-cost user were 1.31 times as high for those 45–64 years old compared with those 18–44 years old (reference category); the odds were 1.42 times as high for males compared with females; 1.13 times as high before those identifying as non-Hispanic Black compared with non-Hispanic white; 1.11 times as high for those enrolled in a health care exchange plan compared with a commercial plan. In addition, very high-cost users lived in areas with higher social needs. Human immunodeficiency virus, inflammatory conditions, multiple sclerosis, and cancer accounted for the largest share of costs among this group. Conclusions: This study identified the unique characteristics of very high-cost pharmaceutical users and identified the top conditions and prescription drugs that drove high pharmaceutical expenditures among this population. These findings are essential to understanding rising pharmaceutical costs in the United States and can help identify the issues and solutions of specific cost drivers within our health care policies.

Drug Abuse Among Adolescents

Drug Abuse Among Adolescents

Evaluation of left ventricular systolic function in opium users by strain echocardiography.

Heart failure is known as a health problem in the world due to its mortality and burdens on the health care system. Studies remain controversial about the effect of opium usage on systolic heart function. Therefore, the aim of this study was to compare systolic left ventricular function in opium users with non-addict people by strain echocardiography and its association with serum apelin level. This case-control study was conducted in 2022 at Shafa Hospital in Kerman, Iran, on 50 opium users who referred to the addiction treatment centres and had no history of other substance usage. The addiction is defined by the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5) and a history of opium consumption for at least 3years. Fifty healthy people (non-opium users) who were matched in terms of age and sex were enrolled as a control group. Demographic information of the participants, including age, gender and amount of opium usage, was recorded by questionnaire. Citrated blood samples were taken from all participants in the study, and serum apelin was measured by the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) method. They underwent transthoracic echocardiography by an expert cardiologist using the same device (Philips Affiniti 50). Echocardiographic systolic parameters have been recorded and compared between the two groups. In this study, 100 participants, including 50 opium users and 50 non-opium users (as a control group), were investigated. The mean age was 36.4±5.08 in the opium users' group and 34.14±7.2 in the control group. As both groups were matched, there were 8 (16%) women and 42 (84%) men in each of the two groups. The mean amount of ejection fraction (EF) and global longitudinal strain (GLS) were significantly lower in opium users than in the control group (P<0.001). The results also demonstrated that the serum level of apelin in the addicted persons was lower when compared with the non-addicted persons (3.4 vs. 9.7; P<0.001). Evaluation of systolic left ventricular function in opium users by strain echocardiography showed that opium affects the systolic function of the heart, as observed by a significant reduction in EF and GLS. So opium usage can be considered a risk factor for heart failure and needs more attention in preventive cardiology.

Phenibut: A drug with one too many "buts".

Phenibut is a gamma aminobutyric acid derivative with activity at γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA)B, A and β-phenethylamine receptors. It was developed as a drug in the former Soviet Union to overcome anxiety and improve cognitive function in military personnel. In the last decade, it has made inroads into the European and U.S. markets, being marketed for purported nootropic properties. Here, we summarize the current knowledge on phenibut, its toxicology, pharmacology, adverse health effects, and patterns of use. Publications in peer-reviewed journals were searched in PubMed, Web of Science, and Google Scholar databases. Available literature points to adverse side effects associated with intoxication, withdrawal, and addiction to phenibut. Some of these effects can be life-threatening, requiring hospitalization and therapeutic interventions. Supportive efforts are often complicated by a lack of knowledge regarding phenibut's toxicology and pharmacology. Ingestion of phenibut was often associated with concomitant use of other substances of abuse. As control over its online marketing seems unrealistic, current efforts need to be focused on the addition of phenibut to current drug screening tests and the development of generally accepted treatment strategies for phenibut-associated toxicities.

Analyzing the relationship between individual and cumulative score of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) with self-reported mental health disorders in Chile

BackgroundAdverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) are widely recognized as significant predictors of poor mental health in adulthood. Latin America presents several unique challenges regarding ACEs, such as higher prevalence of violence and income and political inequality. However, little is known about this issue from nationally representative samples in the region, particularly in Chile. ObjectiveThis investigation examines the association between individual and cumulative ACE scores and seven self-reported mental health conditions (substance abuse, depression, PTSD, generalized anxiety, suicide ideation, non-suicidal self-harm, and learning disorders) in a representative Chilean urban sample. MethodsA representative urban sample of 2101 adult Chileans completed the International Adverse Childhood Experiences Questionnaire (ACE-IQ) and disclosed any prior mental health diagnoses. ResultsAround 40 % of the sample had experienced four or more ACEs in their lifetime. For these individuals, the risk of reporting a mental health disorder was significantly higher. Several logistic regression analyses were conducted to address the associations between ACEs and the seven mental health conditions. Notably, sexual abuse, bullying, and exposure to collective violence were the ACEs most strongly associated with self-reported mental health issues. Additionally, a cumulative ACE score was found to be a significant predictor of having a previous mental health diagnosis. ConclusionsWe found a significant predictive association between exposure to collective violence and six out of the seven self-reported mental health disorders. Similarly, sexual abuse demonstrated an association with all mental health conditions. Finally, individuals who experienced four or more ACEs had a notably higher chance of reporting a previous mental health diagnosis. We recommend conducting further ACE research in Latin America due to its cultural and contextual singularities.

Social Vulnerability for Polysubstance Use: Exploring the Substance Use Initiation and Pattern among Children with Cumulative Trauma

Background: Due to a concerning rise in reported cases of childhood abuse in India, this study was initiated with the aim of uncovering the social determinants contributing to childhood trauma. Moreover, the second objective of the study was to discuss substance use initiation and patterns among children with cumulative trauma. Method: As a result, an in-depth interview served as a primary source of viewpoints to examine the essential objective. The study was conducted on children with a history of abuse. Twenty-eight children in the age group of 13–18 years (Mage = 16) residing in child-care institutes in Assam were taken into consideration. Results: Content analysis indicated child care and education, parental divorce or remarriage, domestic violence, family mental illness, household substance misuse, parental health, parental crime, poverty, and sexual and physical violence as social determinants of health for childhood trauma. Children reported using alcohol, marijuana, tobacco, cough syrup, inhalants such as paint, and glue, chewables such as betel nut and Gutka (chewing tobacco), and pharmaceutical tablets. Initiation and pattern of substance use among early initiators were likely to be encouraged by detrimental peer influence, indicating substance abuse as normal behavior and the family’s role in shaping children’s pattern of substance use. Problematic patterns of substance use were identified, for instance, health consequences, neglect of responsibilities, and increased daily frequency. Conclusion: The results of this study may offer practical insights for healthcare professionals, enhancing their comprehension and addressing the social determinants of health indicating trauma and referring them to appropriate treatments. A holistic approach, which encompasses the collaboration of policymakers and healthcare providers, is vital for fostering health equity, thereby potentially preventing child abuse, childhood trauma and subsequent recidivism of substance use.

Workplace violence against female healthcare workers: a systematic review and meta-analysis

BackgroundWorkplace violence (WPV) is highly prevalent in the health sector and remains a major occupational issue causing significant harm, ranging from bodily and psychological harm to death. Female healthcare workers...

Combined Use of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Its Healing Impact on Drug Abusers Who Are Addicted to Drugs: A Scoping Review

Aims: The aim of this study is to assist individuals in healing from addiction; it is essential to implement a combination of interventions, such as CBT, that are proven to be effective in treating drug abuse with a holistic approach that integrates psychological and social aspects for optimal results, according to empirical evidence. Methods: The search databases for this study were PubMed, ScienceDirect, and Google Scholar. Identify articles published in the last 10 years (2014-2024), Randomized Control Trials (RCTs), English and Indonesian, Full-Text, and Teenagers to the Elderly. Using the PRISMA flowchart, data extraction and scoping with keywords (English): "Drug Addict OR Substance Abuse AND Cognitive Behaviour Therapy AND Dependence OR Substance-Related Disorder" and keywords in the Indonesian language "Pecandu Narkoba OR Penyalahguna Zat AND Cognitive Behaviour Therapy AND Ketergantungan OR Gangguan Terkait Zat." Results: The study found eight articles that met the criteria, the main findings showed the use of Modified Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (M-CBT) in enhancing recovery motivation among cocaine-dependent individuals. Interventions such as galantamine, C-CBT, and computer-based CBT also show promise in reducing cocaine use. Additionally, combining CBT with contingency management (CM) facilitates changes in neural activity related to cognitive control. CBT paired with MET+ABI+ATTI and Female-Specific CBT (FS-CBT) effectively addresses alcohol use in adolescents and women. Conclusion: This study highlights various CBT approaches that can be combined, such as M-CBT for cocaine independence and computer-based CBT, as well as the combination of CBT with contingent management that influences neural activity related to cognitive control.

The role of psilocybin in depressive disorders.

Depression is a serious psychiatric disorder with a high incidence of morbidity and mortality and psilocybin with psychotherapy has emerged as a promising potential in the treatment of depressive disorders. A review of psilocybin use in patients with depressive disorders is presented.A search was conducted investigating the use of psilocybin in patients with depressive disorders and treatment resistant depression via PubMed/MEDLINE, EMBASE, and Google Scholar in October 2023; all publication types were permitted and limited for English-language. Keyword search terms included: "psilocybin" or "psychedelics" and "depression", or "major depressive disorder", or "treatment-resistant depression". Controlled and uncontrolled clinical trials utilizing psilocybin with psychological support for major depressive disorder and treatment-resistant depression, as well as in patients with depression and cancer related anxiety have demonstrated immediate and sustained antidepressant and anxiolytic effects. Psilocybin has a favorable safety profile and was well-tolerated in clinical trials. Psilocybin's abuse potential is low and clinical research suggests the potential of psilocybin to produce rapid and lasting antidepressant effects up to 12 months post-treatment. Psilocybin may offer a valuable contribution as an option to the currently available pharmacological and psychotherapeutic agents for patients with major depressive disorders, treatment-resistant depression as well as for patients with depression and comorbid terminal cancer. Future studies are needed to demonstrate these findings and any synergistic interaction between psilocybin and the psychological support offered to patients during sessions.

Trends in alcohol-attributable morbidity and mortality in Germany from 2000 to 2021: A modelling study.

We aimed to assess: (i) trends in alcohol-specific - that is, fully attributable - morbidity and mortality in the German adult population aged 15-69 between 2000 and 2021; and (ii) changes in alcohol-attributable disease burden - that is, fully and partially alcohol-attributable categories - for 2006, 2012, 2018 and 2021. Morbidity data was pulled from hospitalisation and rehabilitation statistics and mortality data was pulled from the causes of death registry. Alcohol use, adjusted for unrecorded consumption, was estimated using the Epidemiological Survey of Substance Abuse and triangulated with per capita consumption from annual sales data. For major disease categories, alcohol-attributable fractions were estimated for males and females by age groups (15-29, 30-49, 50-69 years) using the comparative risk assessment methodology. For males and females, the age-standardised rate of alcohol-specific morbidity peaked in 2012 and decreased thereafter showing a steep decline from 2019 to 2021. The rates of alcohol-specific mortality decreased constantly from 2000 to 2019 but increased from 2019 to 2021. Compared to 2006 the age-standardised alcohol-attributable morbidity and mortality rates in males and females were lower in 2021. For both sexes, the age-standardised alcohol-attributable morbidity and mortality rates and the proportions of morbidity/mortality rates relative to all-cause morbidity/mortality decreased between 2006 and 2021. The declines in alcohol-attributable morbidity and mortality are in line with decreases in consumption and signal that the importance of alcohol in health service utilisation and mortality has weakened. Sex ratios in morbidity and mortality do not indicate a strong converging trend.

Prehabilitation before total knee arthroplasty

Prehabilitation before knee joint replacement surgery is gaining increasing importance due to the rising prevalence of knee osteoarthritis. The aim is to optimize the preoperative condition to improve postoperative recovery and reduce complications. This review is based on asystematic literature search in the databases Medline, Cochrane Library, and Web of Science on the topic of prehabilitation in knee joint replacement. The current evidence shows heterogeneous results regarding the effectiveness of prehabilitation before knee joint replacement; some studies report improved postoperative outcomes such as reduced pain, increased function, and shorter hospital stays through preoperative training measures, while others found no significant differences. Additional preoperatively modifiable risk factors such as reduced physical fitness, substance abuse, nutritional status, comorbidities, and psychological factors should already be addressed during prehabilitation. Digital therapy and education measures offer apromising solution for the implementation of prehabilitation programs and are well received by patients. Overall, the evidence for preoperative training before knee joint replacement remains heterogeneous. Despite positive indications, evidence on exercise content, duration, frequency, and setting remains incomplete, requiring acritical review of current meta-analyses and systematic reviews. Modern prehabilitation before knee joint replacement should include musculoskeletal training and address preoperative risk factors to improve postoperative outcomes.

Barbarous Crimes in the 21st Century in Nigeria: The Position of Nigerian Legal Constitution on the Menace

The rate by which crimes and atrocities are committed by the Nigerians especially since the inception of the 21st century is soundly alarming and gradually affecting the peaceful coexistence in Nigeria. It is pathetic that the menace is almost put the youths into misbehavior in the attempt at pursing their livelihood or become rich in life. Based on this background, this paper attempts at dilating the issue of criminals being committed which having to do barbarous crimes that are rampant among Nigerians. Crimes such as homicide, banditry/kidnappings, human trafficking, human rituals/sacrifices, armed robbery, cybercrimes/yahoo, are discussed in this paper. Equally, we dilate on the position Nigerian legal constitution on these crimes. In the course of findings, there is discovery that the menace or crime is increasing in Nigeria society, and the major problem that constitute to it in Nigeria has to do poverty, unemployment, drug abuse, avarice, as well as improper implementation of law etc.. The method applied in this research is quantitative research design. This method deals with discussing the issue in convergent reasoning in a spontaneous way and free flowing manner rather than divergent reasoning. The research makes use of law books, journals, and some other materials on crimes. The paper concludes that a lot of factors are contributed to the felony in Nigeria, such as poverty, unemployment etc. Nevertheless, if proper implementation of law of criminal matters are taken care in Nigerian legal system, the problem of crimes would drastically reduce or totally ameliorated and the nation would achieve emancipation and liberation from the current tragedies.

Substance Abuse Mortality and Socioeconomics: A Comparative Study of Istanbul’s Districts

Substance Abuse Mortality and Socioeconomics: A Comparative Study of Istanbul’s Districts

Self-control as mediator and social support as moderator in stress-relapse dynamics of substance dependency

Substance Use Disorders (SUDs) present a significant challenge to global public health, with prolonged drug use not only impairing individual health but also hindering social development. Despite various interventions aimed at addressing drug abuse and dependence, a high relapse rate remains a prominent issue. In light of this, this study aims to explore the impact of perceived stress on the relapse of individuals with SUDs, as well as the mediating role of self-control and the moderating role of social support, in hopes of providing new perspectives for interventions to reduce the risk of relapse among individuals with SUDs. By utilizing a convenience sampling method, 420 male individuals with SUDs were recruited from detoxification centers in Guangxi, China. They completed questionnaires on perceived stress, self-control, social support, and tendencies towards relapse. A total of 401 valid datasets were obtained and analyzed using the SPSS Process plugin to conduct a moderated mediation model analysis. Results: (1) Perceived stress had a positive impact on the relapse of individuals with SUDs, (2) Self-control played a partial mediating role between perceived stress and the relapse, (3) The direct effect of perceived stress on the relapse and its first half of the indirect effect were moderated by social support. The research emphasize the critical importance of learning stress management strategies, enhancing self-control, and receiving comprehensive social support in the prevention and treatment of substance dependence. By strengthening self-control and social support as both internal and external resources, the likelihood of relapse among individuals with SUDs can be reduced, contributing to more effective and comprehensive drug rehabilitation strategies.

Sexual initiation age and related risk-taking behaviours among adolescents in urban secondary schools in Nairobi County

Risky sexual behaviour such as early sexual initiation, inconsistent condom use and sexual intercourse with multiple partners are relatively prevalent among youths in sub-Saharan Africa. Sexual intercourse is an important event in one’s life trajectory and the contributory factors are: proximate and distal environments. The proximate environment includes micro systemic influences such as one's attitudes and beliefs, and extends to one's family. The distal environment includes one's community and culture. However, there are core forces which influence personal choices and behaviours like the self, family and community, and networks and cultural influences. While there are a variety of factors that contribute to early sexual initiation, proper parenting behaviour has been identified as a key strategy for reducing adolescents’ risky sexual behaviours. Even though early sexual initiation process is subject to a number of barriers, there is still less focus on parenting behaviour and its relationship with early sexual initiation among adolescents. Therefore, this study applied social survey to assess sexual initiation age and its related risk-taking behaviors among the adolescents in urban secondary schools in Nairobi County. The study found the common period in which adolescents initiate sex and even befriend strangers as age (15-16years). The findings have shown that children are capable of initiating drug use at any given period. This suggests the need for parent to undertake close monitoring of their children at all ages to curb drug abuse and encourage health talk with them on the effects of drug use.

Serological and molecular survey of rat hepatitis E virus (Rocahepevirus ratti) in drug users

ABSTRACT Rat hepatitis E virus (ratHEV) is an emerging cause of acute hepatitis of zoonotic origin. Since seroprevalence studies are scarce, at-risk groups are almost unknown. Because blood-borne infections frequently occur in people with drug use, who are particularly vulnerable to infection due to lack of housing and homelessness, this population constitutes a priority in which ratHEV infection should be evaluated. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate the ratHEV seroprevalence and RNA detection rate in drug users as a potential at-risk population. We designed a retrospective study involving individuals that attended drug rehabilitation centres. Exposure to ratHEV was assessed by specific antibody detection using ELISA and dot blot (DB) assay and the presence of active infection by ratHEV RNA detection using RT-qPCR. Three-hundred and forty-one individuals were included, the most of them being men (67.7%) with an average age of 45 years. A total of 17 individuals showed specific IgG antibodies against ratHEV (4.6%; 95% CI; 3.1%–7.9%). One case of active ratHEV infection was identified (0.3%; 95% CI: 0.1%–1.8%). This was a 57-year-old homeless woman with limited financial resources, who had active cocaine and heroin use via parenteral route. In conclusion, we identified a potential exposure to ratHEV among drug users. Targeted studies in drug users with proper control groups are necessary to evaluate high-risk populations and transmission routes more accurately.

COVID-19 in South Africa and the Containment of the Homeless, Drug, and Substance Users in Tshwane: A Gender Perspective

To curb the spread of the coronavirus disease of 2019 (COVID-19) in response to the national lockdown, the City of Tshwane, supported by law enforcement agencies, involuntarily rounded up all people experiencing homelessness. The group, comprising around 2,000 women, men, and children, was initially gathered at Caledonian stadium but subsequently ferried to emergency temporary male and female COVID-19 homeless containment shelters established across the City. While the rolling out of the COVID-19 emergency homeless shelters programme by the city was based on intentions of health protection, management challenges led to ongoing safety concerns. Adopting Bowers’s (2006) conflict and containment theory, this study investigates the relationship between conflict behaviours and containment measures within female and male COVID-19 temporary homeless shelters. Preliminary evidence from a mixed methods study suggests that male admission and drug and substance use increase the levels of conflict behaviours, and no association was found between an increase in security personnel and a reduction in conflict behaviours in COVID-19 shelters. A large proportion of conflict behaviours could be reduced by more efficient, effective, and improved service and by reducing the size of COVID-19 temporary homeless shelters, making the shelters less coercive and safer for residents and staff.

Beyond American College of Surgeons Verification: Quality Metrics Associated with High Performance at Level I and II Trauma Centers.

The American College of Surgeons (ACS) Committee on Trauma has established a framework for trauma center quality improvement. Despite efforts, recent studies show persistent variation in patient outcomes across national trauma centers. We aimed to investigate whether risk-adjusted mortality varies at the hospital level and if high-performing centers demonstrate better adherence to ACS Verification, Review, and Consultation (VRC) program quality measures. We analyzed data from the 2018-2021 ACS TQIP Participant Use Files, focusing on adult admissions at ACS-verified Level I or II trauma centers for blunt, penetrating, or isolated traumatic brain injury. We used mixed-effects models to assess center-specific risk-adjusted mortality and identified high-performing centers (HPTC), defined as those with the lowest decile of overall risk-adjusted mortality. We compared patient and hospital characteristics, outcomes, and adherence to ACS-VRC quality measures between HPTC and non-HPTC. Over the study period, 1,498,602 patients across 442 Level I and II trauma centers met inclusion criteria: 65.3% presenting with blunt injury, 9.3% with penetrating injury, and 25.4% with isolated TBI. Management at HPTC was associated with lower odds of major complications, failure-to-rescue and takeback. Furthermore, HPTC status was associated with increased odds of adherence to several ACS-VRC quality measures, including balanced resuscitation (Odds Ratio [OR] 1.40, 95%Confidence Interval [CI] 1.29-1.51), appropriate pediatric admissions (OR 1.88, 95%CI 1.07-3.68), and substance abuse screening (AOR 1.14, 95%CI 1.12-1.16). Significant variation in risk-adjusted mortality persists across trauma centers. Given the association between adherence to quality measures and high-performance, multidisciplinary efforts to refine and implement guidelines are warranted.

Prevalence and associated risk factors of current hepatitis C infection among U.S. general population and injection drug users aged 20-59 years: NHANES 2009-2018.

The people who inject drugs (PWID) are attributed to high-risk groups for transmission of the Hepatitis C virus (HCV). This study assessed the prevalence and associated factors of current HCV infection (CHI) among U.S. general population and PWID of ages between 20 and 59 years old. This study utilized cross-sectional data from the 2009-2018 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, conducting separate analyses for the U.S. general population, including PWID and non-PWID, as well as specific analyses focusing solely on PWID. The analytical methods included the estimation of CHI prevalence, Rao-Scott chi-square test to compare CHI-positive and CHI-negative groups, and univariate and multivariable logistic regressions models to evaluate the associated risk factors of CHI. The prevalence of CHI among general population and PWID were 1% and 19%, respectively. Compared to non-PWID, the odds of CHI were significantly higher among PWID (OR = 32.6, 95% CI = 17.7-60.3) in general population. Among PWID, male vs. female (OR = 2.6, 95% CI = 1.1-5.9), adults aged 40-59 vs. 20-39 years old (OR = 2.9, 95% CI = 1.2-7.3), Non-Hispanic Black vs. White (OR = 4.6, 95% CI = 1.5-13.6), with high school diploma or less educational attainment vs. above college degree (OR = 3.5, 95% CI = 1.4-9.2) showed higher odds of having CHI. The prevalence of CHI was found to be higher among PWID especially those who were male, aged 40-59 years old, Non-Hispanic Black, and had lower educational attainment. Targeted intervention such as screening and awareness program among PWID population is recommended to reduce the burden of new HCV infections in the U.S.