The health and social consequences during the initial period of the COVID-19 pandemic among current and former people who inject drugs: A rapid phone survey in Baltimore, Maryland.
Drug Alcohol Depend
; 221: 108584, 2021 04 01.
Article
in English
| MEDLINE | ID: covidwho-1081710
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND:
There is limited data on the health and social consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic among people who inject drugs (PWID).METHODS:
We conducted a rapid telephone survey from April-June 2020 among participants of the community-based AIDS Linked to the IntraVenous Experience (ALIVE) cohort study in Baltimore, Maryland. This interviewer-administered survey collected information on COVID-19 knowledge, symptoms, testing, diagnosis, and prevention behaviors, recent substance use, housing conditions, interruptions to healthcare, access to harm reduction and drug treatment, mental health, and social support.RESULTS:
Of 443 current and former PWID who participated in the survey, 36 % were female, 85 % were Black, 33 % were living with HIV and 50 % reported any substance use in the prior six months. COVID-19 awareness was high, but knowledge of symptoms and routes of transmission were lower. PWID reporting recent substance use were less likely to always socially distance (63 % vs. 74 % among those without recent use, p = 0.02), and Black PWID were more likely than non-Black to socially distance (73 % vs. 48 %, p < 0.0001) and use when alone (68 % vs.35 %, p < 0.01). Only 6% reported difficulty accessing healthcare, yet only 48 % of those on opioid-agonist treatment had a four-week supply available. While 34 % reported increased depressive symptoms, participants reported high levels of social support.CONCLUSIONS:
This rapid assessment highlighted that PWID currently using drugs may be less able to practice social distancing and increased SARS-CoV-2 transmission may occur. Ongoing monitoring of substance use and mental health, as well as overdose prevention is necessary as the pandemic and public health responses continue.Keywords
Full text:
Available
Collection:
International databases
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
Social Support
/
Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice
/
Drug Users
/
COVID-19
/
Health Services Accessibility
Type of study:
Cohort study
/
Observational study
/
Prognostic study
/
Qualitative research
Limits:
Adult
/
Aged
/
Female
/
Humans
/
Male
/
Middle aged
Country/Region as subject:
North America
Language:
English
Journal:
Drug Alcohol Depend
Year:
2021
Document Type:
Article
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