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Experiences of violence during the COVID-19 pandemic among people who use drugs in a Canadian setting : a gender-based cross-sectional study Swaich, Anmol; Richardson, Lindsey, 1977-; Cui, Zishan; DeBeck, Kora; Milloy, M-J; Kerr, Thomas; Hayashi, Kanna

Abstract

Objectives People who use drugs (PWUD) experience disproportionately high rates of violent victimization. Emerging research has demonstrated that the COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated violence against some priority populations (e.g., women), however there is limited research examining the impact of the pandemic on the experiences of violence of PWUD. Methods Using data collected between July and November 2020 from three prospective cohort studies of PWUD in Vancouver, Canada, we employed multivariable logistic regression stratified by gender to identify factors associated with recent experiences of violence, including the receipt of COVID-19 emergency income support. Results In total, 77 (17.3%) of 446 men, and 54 (18.8%) of 288 women experienced violence in the previous six months. Further, 33% of men and 48% of women who experienced violence reported that their experience of violence was intensified since the COVID-19 pandemic began. In the multivariable analyses, sex work (Adjusted Odds Ratio [AOR] = 2.15, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.06–4.35) and moderate to severe anxiety or depression (AOR = 3.00, 95% CI: 1.37–6.57) were associated with experiencing violence among women. Among men, drug dealing (AOR = 1.93, 95%CI: 1.10–3.38), street-based income sources (AOR = 1.93, 95%CI: 1.10–3.38), homelessness (AOR = 2.54, 95%CI: 1.40–4.62), and regular employment (AOR = 2.97, 95% CI: 1.75–5.04) were associated with experiencing violence. Conclusion Our study results suggest economic conditions and gender were major factors associated with experiencing violence among our sample of PWUD during COVID-19. These findings highlight criminalization of drug use and widespread socioeconomic challenges as barriers to addressing violence among PWUD during periods of crisis.

Item Metadata

Title
Experiences of violence during the COVID-19 pandemic among people who use drugs in a Canadian setting : a gender-based cross-sectional study
Creator
Swaich, Anmol; Richardson, Lindsey, 1977-; Cui, Zishan; DeBeck, Kora; Milloy, M-J; Kerr, Thomas; Hayashi, Kanna
Contributor
British Columbia Centre on Substance Use
Publisher
BioMed Central
Date Issued
2023-05-30
Description
Objectives People who use drugs (PWUD) experience disproportionately high rates of violent victimization. Emerging research has demonstrated that the COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated violence against some priority populations (e.g., women), however there is limited research examining the impact of the pandemic on the experiences of violence of PWUD. Methods Using data collected between July and November 2020 from three prospective cohort studies of PWUD in Vancouver, Canada, we employed multivariable logistic regression stratified by gender to identify factors associated with recent experiences of violence, including the receipt of COVID-19 emergency income support. Results In total, 77 (17.3%) of 446 men, and 54 (18.8%) of 288 women experienced violence in the previous six months. Further, 33% of men and 48% of women who experienced violence reported that their experience of violence was intensified since the COVID-19 pandemic began. In the multivariable analyses, sex work (Adjusted Odds Ratio [AOR] = 2.15, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.06–4.35) and moderate to severe anxiety or depression (AOR = 3.00, 95% CI: 1.37–6.57) were associated with experiencing violence among women. Among men, drug dealing (AOR = 1.93, 95%CI: 1.10–3.38), street-based income sources (AOR = 1.93, 95%CI: 1.10–3.38), homelessness (AOR = 2.54, 95%CI: 1.40–4.62), and regular employment (AOR = 2.97, 95% CI: 1.75–5.04) were associated with experiencing violence. Conclusion Our study results suggest economic conditions and gender were major factors associated with experiencing violence among our sample of PWUD during COVID-19. These findings highlight criminalization of drug use and widespread socioeconomic challenges as barriers to addressing violence among PWUD during periods of crisis.
Subject
Physical violence; Sexual violence; COVID 19 pandemic; People who use drugs; Gender differences
Genre
Article
Type
Text
Language
eng
Date Available
2023-09-05
Provider
Vancouver : University of British Columbia Library
Rights
Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)
DOI
10.14288/1.0435749
URI
http://hdl.handle.net/2429/85801
Affiliation
Arts, Faculty of; Medicine, Faculty of; Non UBC; Medicine, Department of; Population and Public Health (SPPH), School of; Sociology, Department of
Citation
Swaich, A., Richardson, L., Cui, Z. et al. Experiences of violence during the COVID-19 pandemic among people who use drugs in a Canadian setting: a gender-based cross-sectional study. BMC Public Health 23, 1020 (2023).
Publisher DOI
10.1186/s12889-023-15929-9
Peer Review Status
Reviewed
Scholarly Level
Faculty; Researcher; Graduate
Copyright Holder
The Author(s)
Rights URI
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
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Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)