Croxford, S and Emanuel, E and Ibitoye, A and Njoroge, J and Edmundson, C and Bardsley, M and Heinsbroek, E and Hope, V and Phipps, E (2021) Preliminary indications of the burden of COVID-19 among people who inject drugs in England and Northern Ireland and the impact on access to health and harm reduction services. Public Health, 192, pp. 8-11. doi: 10.1016/j.puhe.2021.01.004.
External website: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC78367...
OBJECTIVE: The aim of the study was to describe the impact of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic on people who inject drugs (PWID) in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.
STUDY DESIGN: This is a cross-sectional Unlinked Anonymous Monitoring (UAM) Survey of PWID.
METHODS: People who had ever injected psychoactive drugs were recruited to the UAM Survey by specialist drug/alcohol services in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. From June 2020, in addition to providing a dried blood spot sample and completing the UAM behavioural questionnaire, participants were asked to complete an enhanced coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) questionnaire. Preliminary data are presented to the end of October and were compared with data from the 2019 UAM Survey, where possible.
RESULTS: Between June and October, 288 PWID were recruited from England and Northern Ireland. One in nine (11%; 29/260) PWID reported testing positive for SARS-CoV-2 or experiencing COVID-19 symptoms. Fifteen percent (26/169) reported injecting more frequently in 2020 than in 2019; cocaine injection in the preceding four weeks increased from 17% (242/1456) to 25% (33/130). One in five PWID (19%; 35/188) reported difficulties in accessing HIV and hepatitis testing, and one in four (26%; 47/179) reported difficulties in accessing equipment for safer injecting.
CONCLUSIONS: Our preliminary findings suggest that PWID have experienced negative impacts on health, behaviours and access to essential harm reduction, testing and treatment services owing to the COVID-19 pandemic. Continued monitoring through surveillance and research is needed to understand the subsequent impact of COVID-19 on blood-borne virus transmission in this population and on health inequalities.
G Health and disease > Disease by cause (Aetiology) > Communicable / infectious disease > Viral disease / infection > Coronavirus (COVID-19)
J Health care, prevention, harm reduction and treatment > Harm reduction > Substance use harm reduction
J Health care, prevention, harm reduction and treatment > Health related issues > Health information and education > Communicable / infectious disease control
J Health care, prevention, harm reduction and treatment > Health care delivery
T Demographic characteristics > Person who injects drugs (Intravenous / injecting)
VA Geographic area > Europe > United Kingdom > England
VA Geographic area > Europe > Northern Ireland
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