Broady Timothy R, Brener Loren, Caruana Theresa, Cama Elena, Treloar Carla
Centre for Social Research in Health, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, Australia.
Drug Alcohol Rev. 2023 Mar;42(3):561-568. doi: 10.1111/dar.13606. Epub 2023 Feb 2.
Sharing injecting equipment is a major route of transmission for blood borne viruses such as hepatitis C and HIV. Although needle and syringe programs are widely available throughout metropolitan Australia, rates of sharing equipment have not significantly changed in recent years. This study aimed to identify factors associated with recent equipment sharing among people who inject drugs in Australia.
A paper-based survey was distributed via peer-based organisations between June and November 2018 and was completed by 603 participants. Survey questions addressed recent injecting experiences, equipment sharing, community attachment, stigma and wellbeing. Participants who had recently shared injecting equipment were compared with those who had not shared any equipment using multivariable logistic regression.
Recent equipment sharing was associated with recent heroin use, experiencing any past-year stigma related to injecting drug use, and higher levels of attachment to a community of people who inject drugs. An interaction effect showed increased community attachment was associated with increased odds of sharing equipment among young participants, but with decreased odds of sharing equipment among older participants.
Community networks of people who inject drugs can play important roles in harm reduction initiatives. While being connected with a community of people who inject drugs increased the odds of sharing injecting equipment, this community connection also increases opportunities for social support, sharing information and mitigating the negative effects of stigma. Collaboratively and meaningfully engaging with communities of people who inject drugs has the potential to increase the reach and effectiveness of health promotion services.
共用注射器具是丙型肝炎和艾滋病毒等血源性病毒的主要传播途径。尽管澳大利亚各大城市都广泛设有针头和注射器项目，但近年来共用器具的比例并未显著改变。本研究旨在确定与澳大利亚注射毒品者近期共用器具相关的因素。
2018年6月至11月期间，通过同伴组织分发了纸质调查问卷，603名参与者完成了调查。调查问题涉及近期注射经历、器具共用、社区归属感、耻辱感和幸福感。使用多变量逻辑回归将近期共用注射器具的参与者与未共用任何器具的参与者进行比较。
近期共用器具与近期使用海洛因、过去一年中经历过任何与注射毒品相关的耻辱感以及对注射毒品者社区的更高归属感有关。一种交互作用表明，社区归属感增加与年轻参与者共用器具的几率增加有关，但与老年参与者共用器具的几率降低有关。
注射毒品者的社区网络在减少伤害举措中可发挥重要作用。虽然与注射毒品者社区建立联系会增加共用注射器具的几率，但这种社区联系也增加了获得社会支持、分享信息和减轻耻辱感负面影响的机会。与注射毒品者社区进行合作且有意义的互动，有可能扩大健康促进服务的覆盖范围并提高其有效性。
