Risk Factors Associated with Unsafe Injection Practices at the First Injection Episode among Intravenous Drug Users in France: Results from PrimInject, an Internet Survey

New drug use patterns may increase the risk of human immunodeficiency virus and hepatitis infections. In France, new injection patterns among youths with diverse social backgrounds have emerged, which may explain the persistently high rates of hepatitis C virus infection. This study explores factors associated with injection risk behaviours at first injection among users who began injecting in the post-2000 era.

A cross-sectional study was conducted on the Internet from October 2010 to March 2011, through an online questionnaire. Multivariate logistic regression identified the independent correlates of needle sharing and equipment (cooker/cotton filter) sharing.

Among the 262 respondents (mean age 25 years), 65% were male. Both risk behaviours were positively associated with initiation before 18 years of age and being injected by another person. Initiation at a party was an independent correlate of equipment sharing.

Results suggest a need for innovative harm reduction programmes targeting a variety of settings and populations, including youths and diverse party scenes. Education of current injectors to protect both themselves and those they might initiate into injection is critically important.

Full article at: http://goo.gl/UZqSAi

By: Guichard A1, Guignard R2, Lert F3, Roy E4.

• 1French National Institute of Prevention and Health Education, Scientific Affairs Department, 42 boulevard de la Libération, 93203 Saint-Denis Cedex, France ; Faculty of Nursing, Université Laval, Pavillon Ferdinand-Vandry, Bureau 3465, 1050 avenue de la Médecine, Québec City, QC, Canada G1V 0A6.
• 2French National Institute of Prevention and Health Education, Scientific Affairs Department, 42 boulevard de la Libération, 93203 Saint-Denis Cedex, France.
• 3French National Institute of Health and Medical Research (INSERM), U1018, Hôpital Paul Brousse, 16 avenue Paul Vaillant Couturier, 94807 Villejuif Cedex, France.
• 4Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Sherbrooke, Campus de Longueuil, 150 Place Charles-LeMoyne, Bureau 200, Longueuil, QC, Canada J4K 0A8.  

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