Encounters with Private Security Guards among People Who Inject Drugs in a Canadian Setting

Highlights

• We examined encounters with security guards among people who inject drugs (PWID).
• Over one third of PWID reported having at least one encounter with a security guard.
• Security guard encounters often involved physical and verbal abuse.
• Various markers of vulnerability and harm were associated with security guard encounters.
• The findings suggest a need for structural interventions to reduce harm among PWID.

Abstract

Objectives

Private security guards are increasingly regulating public space, including areas within urban drug scenes. We examined the prevalence and correlates of encounters with security guards among people who inject drugs (PWID) in Vancouver, Canada.

Methods

Data were derived from two prospective cohort studies of PWID collected between December 2005 and May 2014. We used multivariable generalized estimating equations to identify factors associated with reporting encounters with private security guards.

Results

Among 1714 participants, 616 (35.9%) reported encounters with security guards over the study period. In multivariable analyses, factors independently and positively associated with security guard encounters included: unstable housing; daily non-injection crack use; daily methamphetamine use; street-based income generation; incarceration; experiencing violence; non-fatal overdose; syringe sharing; public injection; and inability to access addiction treatment (AOR = 1.60) (all p < 0.05).

Conclusion

Encounters with security guards were independently associated with various measures of vulnerability and drug-related harm. These findings highlight the need for regulatory reforms and broader structural interventions to reduce harm among PWID in this setting.

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By:  Mary Clare Kennedy, M.-J. Milloy, Nicole Markwick, Ryan McNeil, Huiru Dong, Evan Wood, Thomas Kerr

Affiliations

British Columbia Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS, St. Paul's Hospital, 608-1081 Burrard Street, Vancouver, BC, V6Z 1Y6, CANADA

Department of Medicine, University of British Columbia, St. Paul's Hospital, 608-1081 Burrard Street, Vancouver, V6Z 1Y6, BC, CANADA

Correspondence

Corresponding author. Director, Urban Health Research Initiative B.C. Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS University of British Columbia St. Paul's Hospital 608-1081 Burrard Street, Vancouver, B.C., V6Z 1Y6 Canada. 

 

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