Abstract
Background: To address rising drug-related harms (including significant transmission of HIV) among people who inject drugs (PWID) in Glasgow, officials have proposed the introduction of the UK’s first drug consumption room (DCR). Using a nationally representative sample, this study aimed to determine willingness to use a DCR among PWID nationally, in Glasgow city centre (the proposed DCR location), other Scottish city centres (excluding Glasgow) and the rest of Scotland.
Methods: Bio-behavioural survey, of 1469 current PWID (injected in last 6 months) across Scotland during 2017-18. Willingness to use DCRs was examined by drug-related risk behaviours and harms, and stratified by Glasgow city centre (n=219), other Scottish city centres (n=226) and the rest of Scotland (n=1024).
Results: The majority of PWID overall in Scotland (75%) were willing to use a DCR; willingness was higher among those recruited in Glasgow city centre (83%) and other Scottish city centres (83%), compared to the rest of Scotland (74%) (p<0.001). Willingness was greater among PWID who reported (compared to those who did not report) injecting heroin (76%, p=0.002), cocaine injecting (79%, p=0.014), homelessness (86%, p<0.001), public injecting (87%, p<0.001) and an overdose (80%, p=0.026). Willingness was found to be associated with a cumulative multiple risk variable: increased from 66% among those with a score of zero to 85% with a score of at least three (p<0.001).
Conclusions: The vast majority of PWID at greatest risk of drug-related harm in Glasgow and elsewhere in Scotland would be willing to use a DCR, supporting proposals for the introduction of DCRs nationally.
Methods: Bio-behavioural survey, of 1469 current PWID (injected in last 6 months) across Scotland during 2017-18. Willingness to use DCRs was examined by drug-related risk behaviours and harms, and stratified by Glasgow city centre (n=219), other Scottish city centres (n=226) and the rest of Scotland (n=1024).
Results: The majority of PWID overall in Scotland (75%) were willing to use a DCR; willingness was higher among those recruited in Glasgow city centre (83%) and other Scottish city centres (83%), compared to the rest of Scotland (74%) (p<0.001). Willingness was greater among PWID who reported (compared to those who did not report) injecting heroin (76%, p=0.002), cocaine injecting (79%, p=0.014), homelessness (86%, p<0.001), public injecting (87%, p<0.001) and an overdose (80%, p=0.026). Willingness was found to be associated with a cumulative multiple risk variable: increased from 66% among those with a score of zero to 85% with a score of at least three (p<0.001).
Conclusions: The vast majority of PWID at greatest risk of drug-related harm in Glasgow and elsewhere in Scotland would be willing to use a DCR, supporting proposals for the introduction of DCRs nationally.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Article number | 102731 |
| Journal | International Journal of Drug Policy |
| Early online date | 22 Apr 2020 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | E-pub ahead of print - 22 Apr 2020 |
Keywords
- drug consumption rooms
- supervised injection facilities
- harm reduction
- people who inject drugs
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Trayner, K. M. A., Palmateer, N. E., Hutchinson, S. J., Goldberg, D. J., Shepherd, S. J., Gunson, R. N., Tweed, E. J., Priyadarshi, S., Sumnall, H., Atkinson, A., & McAuley, A. (2020). High willingness to use drug consumption rooms among people who inject drugs in Scotland: findings from a national bio-behavioural survey among people who inject drugs. International Journal of Drug Policy, [102731]. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.drugpo.2020.102731