Independent consultant, B7, 1st floor, Suncity, Sector 54, Gurgaon 122002, Haryana, India.
Subst Abuse Treat Prev Policy. 2013 Jan 15;8:2. doi: 10.1186/1747-597X-8-2.
Data on mental health among injecting drug users in South Asia is scarce yet poor mental health among users has significant implications for the success of HIV prevention and treatment programmes. A cohort of 449 injecting drug users in Delhi was examined on the following issues (1) examine trends in suicidal ideation, suicide plan and suicidal attempts over a 12-month period, (2) examine association between injecting practices (receive and give used syringes) and suicidal ideation over a 12 month study period.
An observational study was conducted providing phased interventions with follow up interviews every 3 months to 449 injecting drug users (IDUs), from August 2004 to November 2005. The study was conducted in Yamuna Bazaar, a known hub of drug peddling in Delhi. Interventions included nutrition, basic medical services, needle exchange, health education, HIV voluntary counseling and testing, STI diagnosis and treatment, oral buprenorphine substitution, and detoxification, each introduced sequentially.
Suicidal ideation and suicide attempts, did not significantly change over 12 months of observation, while suicide plans actually increased over the time period. Keeping other factors constant, IDUs with suicidal ideation reported more giving and receiving of used syringes in the recent past.
Mental health services are warranted within harm reduction programmes. Special attention must be paid to suicidal IDUs given their higher risk behaviours for acquiring HIV and other blood borne infections. IDU intervention programmes should assess and address suicide risk through brief screening and enhanced counseling.
南亚地区注射吸毒者的心理健康数据稀缺，但吸毒者的心理健康状况不佳会对艾滋病预防和治疗项目的成功产生重大影响。在德里，对 449 名注射吸毒者进行了以下问题的研究：（1）在 12 个月的时间内，检查自杀意念、自杀计划和自杀企图的趋势；（2）在 12 个月的研究期间，检查注射行为（接受和提供使用过的注射器）与自杀意念之间的关联。
从 2004 年 8 月至 2005 年 11 月，对来自德里亚穆纳巴扎尔的 449 名注射吸毒者（IDU）进行了一项观察性研究，为他们提供阶段性干预措施，并每 3 个月进行一次随访访谈。该研究在亚穆纳巴扎尔进行，这是一个已知的毒品贩卖中心。干预措施包括营养、基本医疗服务、针具交换、健康教育、艾滋病自愿咨询和检测、性传播感染诊断和治疗、口服丁丙诺啡替代以及脱毒治疗，每种措施都是按顺序引入的。
在 12 个月的观察期间，自杀意念和自杀企图没有显著变化，而自杀计划实际上在这段时间内增加了。在其他因素保持不变的情况下，有自杀意念的 IDU 报告在最近的过去更多地接受和提供使用过的注射器。
在减少伤害方案中需要提供心理健康服务。必须特别关注有自杀意念的 IDU，因为他们感染艾滋病毒和其他血源性感染的风险行为更高。IDU 干预方案应通过简短筛查和强化咨询来评估和处理自杀风险。
