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Expanding harm reduction services through a wound and abscess clinic
Lauretta E Grau1, Silvia Arevalo, Christopher Catchpool
1Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Conn 06520, USA. lauretta.grau@yale.edu
American Journal of Public Health
|November 28, 2002
Summary
A wound and abscess clinic co-located with syringe exchange services offers affordable treatment for injection-associated infections. Word-of-mouth referrals proved more effective than advertising for increasing clinic awareness and patient access.
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Infectious Diseases
- Addiction Medicine
Background:
- Injection drug use is associated with soft tissue infections.
- Syringe exchange programs can serve as a venue for health interventions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the feasibility and impact of a wound and abscess clinic integrated with a syringe exchange program.
- To assess the cost-effectiveness and patient reach of the integrated clinic.
Main Methods:
- A wound and abscess clinic was operated concurrently with a syringe exchange over 20 sessions.
- Treatment episodes and patient costs were logged.
- Referral pathways and patient awareness methods were analyzed.
Main Results:
- 173 treatment episodes were recorded at an estimated cost of $5 per patient.
- The integrated clinic facilitated increased patient-clinician interactions and referrals to essential services (HIV counseling, medical care, drug treatment).
- Word-of-mouth was a more effective outreach strategy than distributed cards.
Conclusions:
- Integrating wound care with syringe exchange is an economical model for treating injection-associated infections.
- This integrated model enhances access to comprehensive health services for a vulnerable population.
- Community-based outreach strategies, particularly word-of-mouth, are crucial for clinic awareness.