Centre for Addictions Research of British Columbia, University Victoria, PO Box 1700 STN CSC, Victoria, BCV8Y 2E4, Canada.
Int J Drug Policy. 2012 Jul;23(4):338-40. doi: 10.1016/j.drugpo.2011.11.004. Epub 2012 Jan 26.
Needle and syringe programmes (NSPs) have been established as effective harm reduction initiatives to reduce injection drug use (IDU)-related risk behaviours, including sharing needles. On May 31, 2008, Victoria, BC's only fixed site NSP was shut down due to community and political pressure. This study examines and compares IDU trends in Victoria with those in Vancouver, BC, a city which has not experienced any similar disruption of IDU-related public health measures.
Quantitative and qualitative data were collected by interviewer-administered questionnaires conducted with injection drug users (n=579) in Victoria and Vancouver between late 2007 and late 2010.
Needle sharing increased in Victoria from under 10% in early 2008 to 20% in late 2010, whilst rates remained relatively low in Vancouver. Participants in Victoria were significantly more likely to share needles than participants in Vancouver. Qualitative data collected in Victoria highlight the difficulty participants have experienced obtaining clean needles since the NSP closed. Recent injection of crack cocaine was independently associated with needle sharing.
The closure of Victoria's fixed site NSP has likely resulted in increased engagement in high-risk behaviours, specifically needle sharing. Our findings highlight the contribution of NSPs as an essential public health measure.
针具交换计划（NSPs）已被确立为有效的减少伤害措施，以减少与注射吸毒（IDU）相关的风险行为，包括共用针头。2008 年 5 月 31 日，由于社区和政治压力，卑诗省维多利亚市唯一的固定地点 NSP 关闭。本研究比较了维多利亚市和温哥华市的 IDU 趋势，温哥华市没有经历过任何类似的 IDU 相关公共卫生措施的中断。
在 2007 年末至 2010 年末期间，通过在维多利亚和温哥华市对注射吸毒者（n=579）进行访谈式问卷调查，收集了定量和定性数据。
维多利亚市的共用针头率从 2008 年初的不到 10%上升到 2010 年末的 20%，而温哥华市的这一比例相对较低。维多利亚市的参与者比温哥华市的参与者更有可能共用针头。在维多利亚市收集的定性数据突出了参与者自 NSP 关闭以来在获得清洁针头方面所经历的困难。最近注射可卡因碎片与共用针头独立相关。
维多利亚市固定地点 NSP 的关闭可能导致高危行为，特别是共用针头的行为增加。我们的研究结果强调了 NSP 作为一项重要的公共卫生措施的贡献。
