Safe Injection Self-Efficacy is associated with HCV and HIV seropositivity among people who inject drugs in the San Diego-Tijuana border region.

Background: Safe injection self-efficacy (SISE) is negatively associated with injection risk behaviors among people who inject drugs (PWID) but has not been examined in differing risk environments. We compared responses to a validated SISE scale between PWID in San Diego, California and Tijuana, Mexico, and examine correlates of SISE among PWID in Tijuana. Methods: PWID were recruited via street outreach for a longitudinal cohort study from October 2020 - September 2021. We compared SISE scale items by city. Due to low variability in SISE scores among San Diego residents, we restricted analysis of factors associated with SISE to Tijuana residents and identified correlates of SISE scores (low, medium, high) using ordinal logistic regression. Results: Of 474 participants, most were male (74%), Latinx (78%) and Tijuana residents (73%). Mean age was 44. Mean SISE scores among San Diego residents were high (3.46 of 4 maximum) relative to Tijuana residents (mean: 1.93). Among Tijuana residents, White race and having previously resided in San Diego were associated with higher SISE scores. HCV and HIV seropositivity, homelessness, fentanyl use, polysubstance co-injection, and greater injection frequency were associated with lower SISE scores. Conclusions: We found profound inequalities between Tijuana and San Diego SISE, likely attributable to differential risk environments. Associations with fentanyl and polysubstance co-injection, injection frequency, and both HIV and HCV seropositivity suggest that SISE contribute to blood-borne infection transmission risks in Tijuana. SISE reflects an actionable intervention target to reduce injection risk behaviors, but structural interventions are required to intervene upon the risk environment.

Implementing a decentralized opioid overdose prevention strategy in Mexico, a pending public policy issue.

The public health crisis due to opioid overdose is worsening in Mexico's northern region due to the introduction of illicitly manufactured fentanyl into the local drug supply. Though there is an increase in overdose deaths, there is no accurate report of overdoses by Mexican government agencies and no comprehensive opioid overdose prevention strategy. There is currently only an anti-drug marketing strategy which is likely insufficient to mitigate the growing epidemic. In order to address the growing opioid overdose crisis in the country, it is necessary to create and implement a decentralized prevention strategy, that includes naloxone distribution, expanded treatment services in regions most in need, and create active dialogue with community organisations already implementing harm reduction actions. Decisive action must be taken by the Mexican government to ensure the health and wellbeing of the Mexican citizens, especially those at high risk for opioid overdose.

Attitudes towards safe consumption sites among police and people with lived experience in Tijuana, Mexico: initial report from the field / Actitudes sobre salas de consumo seguro entre policía y personas con experiencia vivida en Tijuana, México: informe inicial de campo

Abstract Introduction Mexico northern border has high levels of heroin use. For more than 10 years, the country has implemented several harm reduction interventions to reduce the risks associated with drug use. New strategies such as Safe Consumption Sites (SCS) must be considered as a next step to service vulnerable populations and increase their health outcomes. Objective This report seeks to measure and compare attitudes on a potential SCS intervention in Tijuana among police and people with lived experience (PLE) in heroin use in the city. Method Two parallel studies on police practices and everyday experiences of heroin users in Tijuana were able to ask similar questions about attitudes toward SCS and its implementation in the city. They conducted quantitative interviews with 771 active police officers and 200 PLE while in rehabilitation services. Results Both groups showed a high personal support for SCS of nearly 82% and a perceived implementation success around 80%. Officers reported 58.9% peer support for SCS while PLE 79%. Around 76% of both groups agreed that a SCS would help to improve their personal health. Finally, 86.2% of the officers would refer people to a SCS while 62.5% of PLE would use the service. Discussion and conclusions The strong positive attitudes from police officers and PLE towards SCS in the city of Tijuana reported in both studies indicate the possibility of a successful implementation of a SCS. This intervention would represent an innovative way to protect PLE from police harassment and victimization, helping reduce HIV and HCV risk behaviors while improving community health.

Resumen Introducción En la frontera norte de México hay niveles altos de consumo de heroína. Durante más de 10 años, el país ha implementado diversas intervenciones de reducción de daños para minimizar los riesgos asociados con el uso de sustancias. Los sitios de consumo seguro (SCS) se deben considerar como una opción que brinde servicios a poblaciones vulnerables para mejorar su salud. Objetivo Este reporte mide y compara actitudes entre policías y personas con experiencia vivida (PEV) en uso de heroína en Tijuana, relacionadas con una posible implementación de SCS en la ciudad. Método Dos estudios paralelos sobre prácticas policiales y experiencias cotidianas de usuarios de heroína en Tijuana incluyeron preguntas similares sobre actitudes hacia los SCS y su implementación en la ciudad. Se realizaron 771 entrevistas cuantitativas con oficiales de policía y 200 con PEV internadas en centros de rehabilitación. Resultados Ambos grupos mostraron un alto apoyo hacia los SCS cercano al 82% y un éxito percibido en implementación del 80%. Los oficiales reportaron 58.9% de apoyo entre pares a las SCS y del 79% entre PEV. Un 76% en ambos grupos coincidieron que un SCS ayudaría a mejorar su salud personal. Finalmente, el 86.2% de los oficiales referirían hacia un SCS, mientras que 62.5% de PEV las usarían. Discusión y conclusiones Las actitudes hacia los SCS indican una posible implementación exitosa de SCS en la ciudad. Esta intervención representaría una forma innovadora de disminuir el acoso y victimización policial hacia las PEV, reduciendo los factores de riesgo de VIH y VHC, mejorando la salud comunitaria.