Citizens who inject drugs: the 'Fitpack' study.

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Epidemiology
• Addiction Research

Background:

• Most research on injecting drug users (IDUs) involves individuals with significant treatment histories.
• A substantial proportion of IDUs remain 'hidden' from traditional research recruitment methods.
• Understanding the characteristics and behaviors of treatment-naïve IDUs is crucial for effective harm reduction.

Purpose of the Study:

• To characterize a sample of injecting drug users with little or no prior drug treatment.
• To assess their blood-borne viral infection (BBVI) risk behaviors.
• To gather feedback on harm reduction services.

Main Methods:

• A questionnaire was distributed to 511 injecting drug users via 'Fitpack' needle packs sold in community pharmacies in Western Australia.
• The sample comprised individuals with minimal specialist drug treatment agency contact (28.7%).
• Data collected included demographics, injecting frequency, sexual behaviors, and service feedback.

Main Results:

• The study accessed a diverse 'hidden' population of drug injectors, with a mean age of 26.2 years, 43.4% female, and 46.4% employed.
• A significant portion (61.2%) injected less than daily in the previous month.
• Higher rates of injecting and sharing were reported compared to traditionally recruited samples, indicating elevated BBVI transmission risk.

Conclusions:

• The findings challenge common stereotypes of injecting drug users.
• This 'hidden' population offers valuable insights for improving harm reduction strategies.
• Despite diverse characteristics, elevated risk behaviors necessitate continued vigilance against BBVI transmission.