Experience of non-viral injecting-related injuries and diseases amongst people who regularly inject drugs

Objective: Much of the literature regarding harms experienced by people who inject drugs (PWID) focuses on overdose and bloodborne viruses, most commonly hepatitis C and HIV. However, there is a range of other harms that PWID may experience, including vascular damage and localised and systemic infections. Dwyer and colleagues [1] conducted a large multi-site study into the experience of non-viral injecting-related injuries and diseases (IRID); fi nding that injection of non-powder drugs (e.g. pharmaceutical tablets) was a predictor of experience of an IRID. The current study aims to examine the correlates and experience of IRID in a sample of people who frequently inject drugs; particularly pertinent given the increasing rates of injection of pharmaceutical drugs amongst some groups of PWID in recent years. Method: Structured interviews were conducted with more than 800 people who regularly inject drugs, as part of the national Illicit Drug Reporting System in 2012. Questions were included from the 2006 IRID study [1], regarding lifetime and 12 month experience of nonserious, potentially serious and serious IRID. Results: Correlates of non-serious, potentially serious and serious IRID will be presented. These will be compared with the results from Dwyer and colleagues’ study [1]. A review of currently available resources aimed at reducing experience of IRID amongst PWID will be presented, and recommendations for further development of such materials will be made.