BACKGROUND: Comprehensive preventive services are recommended for injection drug users (IDU), including screening tests, vaccinations, risk reduction counseling, and sterile syringes. Syringe exchange programs (SEP) may facilitate receipt of preventive services by IDUs, but whether SEP clients receive recommended preventive care is not known. We examined use of recommended preventive services by clients of 23 SEPs throughout California. METHODS: Five hundred and sixty SEP clients were recruited from 23 SEPs throughout California between March and September 2003. Receipt of 10 recommended preventive services and source of care (SEP versus non-SEP providers) was ascertained from client interviews. RESULTS: On average, SEP clients received only 13% of recommended preventive services and 49% of clients received none of the recommended services. Of services that were received, 76% were received from SEPs. In multivariate analysis, use of drug treatment and more frequent SEP visits were associated with receipt of recommended preventive services by clients. CONCLUSIONS: SEPs are often the only source of preventive care for their IDU clients. Still, SEP clients fail to receive most recommended preventive services. Interventions to increase use of preventive services and improve the quality of preventive care received by IDUs, such as increased access to drug treatment and SEPs, are needed.
BACKGROUND: Comprehensive preventive services are recommended for injection drug users (IDU), including screening tests, vaccinations, risk reduction counseling, and sterile syringes. Syringe exchange programs (SEP) may facilitate receipt of preventive services by IDUs, but whether SEP clients receive recommended preventive care is not known. We examined use of recommended preventive services by clients of 23 SEPs throughout California. METHODS: Five hundred and sixty SEP clients were recruited from 23 SEPs throughout California between March and September 2003. Receipt of 10 recommended preventive services and source of care (SEP versus non-SEP providers) was ascertained from client interviews. RESULTS: On average, SEP clients received only 13% of recommended preventive services and 49% of clients received none of the recommended services. Of services that were received, 76% were received from SEPs. In multivariate analysis, use of drug treatment and more frequent SEP visits were associated with receipt of recommended preventive services by clients. CONCLUSIONS: SEPs are often the only source of preventive care for their IDU clients. Still, SEP clients fail to receive most recommended preventive services. Interventions to increase use of preventive services and improve the quality of preventive care received by IDUs, such as increased access to drug treatment and SEPs, are needed.
Authors: Helene L Philogene-Khalid; Eric Cunningham; Daohai Yu; Jaclyn E Chambers; Adam Brooks; Xiaoning Lu; Mary F Morrison Journal: Addict Behav Date: 2020-06-04 Impact factor: 3.913
Authors: Carolyn K Burr; Deborah S Storm; Mary Jo Hoyt; Loretta Dutton; Linda Berezny; Virginia Allread; Sindy Paul Journal: Public Health Rep Date: 2014 Jan-Feb Impact factor: 2.792
Authors: Czarina N Behrends; Ann V Nugent; Don C Des Jarlais; Jemima A Frimpong; David C Perlman; Bruce R Schackman Journal: J Acquir Immune Defic Syndr Date: 2018-10-01 Impact factor: 3.731
Authors: Samuel R Friedman; Brooke S West; Barbara Tempalski; Cory M Morton; Charles M Cleland; Don C Des Jarlais; H Irene Hall; Hannah L F Cooper Journal: Ann Epidemiol Date: 2014-01-24 Impact factor: 3.797
Authors: David S Fink; Suzanne P Lindsay; Donald J Slymen; Alex H Kral; Ricky N Bluthenthal Journal: Subst Use Misuse Date: 2013-04-12 Impact factor: 2.164