Heroin pipe distribution to reduce high-risk drug consumption behaviors among people who use heroin: a pilot quasi-experimental study.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Heroin pipe distribution may encourage people who use heroin (PWUH) to transition from injecting to smoking heroin, reducing harms associated with injection drug use. A syringe services program (SSP) in Seattle, Washington, led by people who use drugs developed a heroin pipe distribution program.

Methods

We conducted a pretest-posttest quasi-experimental study to evaluate the impact of heroin pipe distribution on drug consumption behaviors among PWUH between March and December 2019. SSP clients were surveyed during three weeklong timepoints before and four weeklong timepoints after heroin pipe distribution. Primary outcomes were change in proportion of SSP clients who exclusively injected heroin, exclusively smoked heroin, and both injected and smoked heroin in th

SUBMITTER: Fitzpatrick T 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9493152 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature