Camila Couto E Cruz1, Caroline L Salom2, Paul Dietze3, Lucinda Burns4, Rosa Alati2. 1. The University of Queensland, Institute for Social Science Research, 80 Meiers Road - Indooroopilly, QLD 4068, Australia. Electronic address: camila.coutoecruz@uqconnect.edu.au. 2. The University of Queensland, Institute for Social Science Research, 80 Meiers Road - Indooroopilly, QLD 4068, Australia. 3. Burnet Institute Melbourne, 85 Commercial Rd, Melbourne VIC 3004, Australia. 4. University of New South Wales, National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre (NDARC), 22-32 King St, Randwick NSW 2031, Australia.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Discrimination can be a daily issue in the lives of people who inject drugs (PWID). However, the extent to which discrimination is related to the health of PWID remains unclear. METHODS: Data focusing on discrimination against PWID and potential health correlates were collected as part of the 2013 Illicit Drug Reporting System, a national survey with 887 PWID recruited in all Australian states and territories. Experience of discrimination, its setting, perceived reason and outcome, were self-reported by participants. The Kessler-10 scale and the mental component score of the Short Form 12-Item Health Survey were used to measure mental health. Physical health was assessed using the physical component score of the Short Form 12-Item Health Survey, specifically questions assessing injecting related problems and risk behaviour. Poisson and multinomial regression analyses were performed. Models were adjusted for socio-demographic and drug-related covariates. FINDINGS: PWID reported experiencing discrimination in pharmacies, hospitals, government services and doctors/prescribers. The most commonly reported instances of discrimination were being refused service and experiencing abuse and/or violence. Experience of discrimination was associated with mental and physical health indicators. PWID who experienced discrimination were more likely to report high or very high mental distress (ARRR = 2.4, CI95 = 1.5-3.6) and mental health problems (ARRR = 1.4, CI95 = 1.2-1.7). The mental functioning (ARRR = 1.3, CI95 = 1.1-1.4) and physical functioning (ARRR = 1.1, CI95 = 1.1-1.4) of PWID, who experienced discrimination, were also more likely to be below Australian population mean scores. CONCLUSION: Self-reported experience of discrimination was associated with poor mental and physical health amongst PWID.
BACKGROUND: Discrimination can be a daily issue in the lives of people who inject drugs (PWID). However, the extent to which discrimination is related to the health of PWID remains unclear. METHODS: Data focusing on discrimination against PWID and potential health correlates were collected as part of the 2013 Illicit Drug Reporting System, a national survey with 887 PWID recruited in all Australian states and territories. Experience of discrimination, its setting, perceived reason and outcome, were self-reported by participants. The Kessler-10 scale and the mental component score of the Short Form 12-Item Health Survey were used to measure mental health. Physical health was assessed using the physical component score of the Short Form 12-Item Health Survey, specifically questions assessing injecting related problems and risk behaviour. Poisson and multinomial regression analyses were performed. Models were adjusted for socio-demographic and drug-related covariates. FINDINGS: PWID reported experiencing discrimination in pharmacies, hospitals, government services and doctors/prescribers. The most commonly reported instances of discrimination were being refused service and experiencing abuse and/or violence. Experience of discrimination was associated with mental and physical health indicators. PWID who experienced discrimination were more likely to report high or very high mental distress (ARRR = 2.4, CI95 = 1.5-3.6) and mental health problems (ARRR = 1.4, CI95 = 1.2-1.7). The mental functioning (ARRR = 1.3, CI95 = 1.1-1.4) and physical functioning (ARRR = 1.1, CI95 = 1.1-1.4) of PWID, who experienced discrimination, were also more likely to be below Australian population mean scores. CONCLUSION: Self-reported experience of discrimination was associated with poor mental and physical health amongst PWID.
Authors: Eshan U Patel; Sunil S Solomon; Allison M McFall; Neia Prata Menezes; Cecília Tomori; Aylur K Srikrishnan; Muniratnam S Kumar; David D Celentano; Gregory M Lucas; Shruti H Mehta Journal: AIDS Date: 2022-06-22 Impact factor: 4.632
Authors: Eshan U Patel; Sunil S Solomon; Gregory M Lucas; Allison M McFall; Cecília Tomori; Aylur K Srikrishnan; Muniratnam S Kumar; Oliver Laeyendecker; David D Celentano; David L Thomas; Thomas C Quinn; Shruti H Mehta Journal: Int J Drug Policy Date: 2021-07-08