Sunday, August 16, 2015

Crack Pipe Sharing among Street-Involved Youth in Vancouver

Over the study period, 567 youth reported smoking crack cocaine and contributed 1288 observations, among which 961 (75%) included a report of crack pipe sharing. In multivariate analysis, factors that were associated with crack pipe sharing included difficulty accessing crack pipes; homelessness; daily non-injection crystal methamphetamine use; daily crack smoking; encounters with the police; and reporting unprotected sex.

The prevalence of crack pipe sharing was high among our sample and independently associated with structural factors including difficulty accessing crack pipes and homelessness. Crack pipe sharing was also associated with high-intensity drug use and a number of other markers of risk and vulnerability. Collectively, these findings highlight opportunities for health services to better engage with this vulnerable group and reduce this risky behaviour.

Via:  http://ht.ly/QXBUx  HT @bccfe 

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