Authors: Dana Paquette Monique McEwan Joanne Bryant
Publish Date: 2012/06/19
Volume: 17, Issue: 7, Pages: 2467-2473
Abstract
This paper describes patterns of injecting drug use and blood borne virus BBVrelated risk practices among Australian Aboriginal and nonAboriginal people who inject drugs PWID A total of 588 participants 120 of whom selfidentified as Aboriginal completed a questionnaire Aboriginal participants were more likely to have been in prison 376 vs 165 to inject daily 727 vs 550 to share ancillary equipment 649 vs 448 and less likely to know about BBV transmission 720 vs 877 and treatment 472 vs 676 Aboriginal participants used services such as BBV testing and drug treatment at a comparable rate to nonAboriginal participants The findings suggest that Aboriginal PWID are at greater risk for acquiring BBV The prison setting should be used to deliver health promotion information and risk reduction messages More information is needed on Aboriginal people’s access and use of services to ensure beneficial services are received in the most appropriate settingsThe authors acknowledge the excellent support and advice provided by the projects’ Aboriginal Advisory Group including James Ward Peter Pattison Peter WaplesCrowe and Kristie Harrison The project was financially supported by the Consortium for Social Policy Research on HIV HCV and Related Diseases The authors thank Sofia Lema and Sallie Cairnduff for their contributions to the manuscript
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