Upper Extremity Infection Related to Intravenous Drug Use: Considering the True Cost of the COVID-19 Pandemic and Lockdown.

ABSTRACT:

Background

The COVID-19 pandemic caused significant morbidity and mortality in people who inject drugs (PWID). Upper extremity soft tissue infections are frequently associated with intravenous drug use (IVDU) due to poor compliance with aseptic technique. In Canada, multiple safe injection sites providing clean injection supplies closed, leaving many PWID with no alternatives to inject safely. It was hypothesized that these closures will correspond with increased morbidity and mortality among PWID. The main objective of this study was to determine the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on the incidence of upper extremity infections in PWID.

Methods

This was a retrospective chart review study. The primary outcome of interest was the frequency of upper extremity infections in PWI

SUBMITTER: Sardiwalla Y 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10470235 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature