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Factors associated with the use of supervised consumption facilities among women who inject drugs in a Canadian setting Ickowicz, Sarah; Grant, Cameron; Nosova, Ekaterina; Boyd, Jade; Brar, Rupinder; Milloy, M-J; Hayashi, Kanna; Nolan, Seonaid; Milloy, M-J

Abstract

Background: Supervised consumption facilities (SCFs) are evidence-based harm reduction interventions that have been shown to reduce the risk of social and health-related harms associated with injection drug use. Previous qualitative studies have highlighted important motivations for SCF use among women who use drugs. However, factors associated with SCF use among women have not previously been evaluated. Methods: Data were obtained from two longitudinal community-recruited cohorts of people who use drugs in Vancouver, Canada between 2003 and 2017. Multivariable generalized estimating equations were used to calculate the odds of SCF use associated with social and structural risk factors for drug-related harm among women who reported injection drug use in the preceding sixmonths. Results: A total of 795 participants were included in the study, contributing to 6302 interviews, with 602 participants (76%) reporting SCF use in at least one interview. Multivariable analysis demonstrated daily heroin and crystal methamphetamine injection (Adjusted Odds Ratio [AOR]=1.32 and 1.65 respectively), injecting in public (AOR=1.77), binge injection (AOR =1.22) and lack of housing (AOR=1.74) to be associated with SCF use. Conclusions: The current study demonstrates higher intensity patterns of drug use, including daily heroin and crystal methamphetamine injection, injecting in public and binge injection, as well as homelessness to be associated with SCF use among women. Future research should identify barriers to SCF use among women to minimize the risk of overdose and other drug-related harms.

Item Metadata

Title
Factors associated with the use of supervised consumption facilities among women who inject drugs in a Canadian setting
Creator
Ickowicz, Sarah; Grant, Cameron; Nosova, Ekaterina; Boyd, Jade; Brar, Rupinder; Milloy, M-J; Hayashi, Kanna; Nolan, Seonaid; Milloy, M-J
Contributor
British Columbia Centre on Substance Use; St. Paul's Hospital (Vancouver, B.C.)
Date Issued
2020-10
Description
Background: Supervised consumption facilities (SCFs) are evidence-based harm reduction interventions that have been shown to reduce the risk of social and health-related harms associated with injection drug use. Previous qualitative studies have highlighted important motivations for SCF use among women who use drugs. However, factors associated with SCF use among women have not previously been evaluated. Methods: Data were obtained from two longitudinal community-recruited cohorts of people who use drugs in Vancouver, Canada between 2003 and 2017. Multivariable generalized estimating equations were used to calculate the odds of SCF use associated with social and structural risk factors for drug-related harm among women who reported injection drug use in the preceding sixmonths. Results: A total of 795 participants were included in the study, contributing to 6302 interviews, with 602 participants (76%) reporting SCF use in at least one interview. Multivariable analysis demonstrated daily heroin and crystal methamphetamine injection (Adjusted Odds Ratio [AOR]=1.32 and 1.65 respectively), injecting in public (AOR=1.77), binge injection (AOR =1.22) and lack of housing (AOR=1.74) to be associated with SCF use. Conclusions: The current study demonstrates higher intensity patterns of drug use, including daily heroin and crystal methamphetamine injection, injecting in public and binge injection, as well as homelessness to be associated with SCF use among women. Future research should identify barriers to SCF use among women to minimize the risk of overdose and other drug-related harms.
Subject
harm reduction; supervised consumption facility; injection drug use; women
Geographic Location
Downtown-Eastside (Vancouver, B.C.)
Genre
Article; Postprint
Type
Text
Language
eng
Date Available
2022-03-23
Provider
Vancouver : University of British Columbia Library
Rights
Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International
DOI
10.14288/1.0407302
URI
http://hdl.handle.net/2429/81008
Affiliation
Medicine, Faculty of; Non UBC; Medicine, Department of
Citation
Ickowicz, S., Grant, C., Nosova, E., Boyd, J., Brar, R., Milloy, M.J., Hayashi, K., Nolan, S. (2020). Factors associated with the use of supervised consumption facilities among women who inject drugs in a Canadian setting. Journal of Addiction Medicine, 14 (5), pp. e226-e232
Publisher DOI
10.1097/ADM.0000000000000646
Peer Review Status
Reviewed
Scholarly Level
Faculty; Researcher
Copyright Holder
Authors
Rights URI
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/
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Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International