Methamphetamine and injury: A survey of individuals attending a 1‐day music festival in New Zealand—piloting a new methodology

Abstract

There are increasing concerns regarding the risks of injury associated with methamphetamine use. The aim of this study was to explore whether it would be feasible to collect data at a one‐day music festival, to investigate whether the sample included methamphetamine users, and whether they represented a sample that might yield information on methamphetamine use and injury. An anonymous, self‐completion questionnaire was administered to individuals waiting to enter a 1‐day music festival in Auckland, New Zealand in 2005. Of the 401 individuals approached, 188 successfully completed the questionnaire. Forty‐two respondents reported using methamphetamine in the last 12 months. Whilst reports of injury in the previous 12 months were not high, information was obtained on a range of injuries occurring in the context of personal drug use or clandestine manufacture. The research methodology successfully recruited participants and collected information that, if replicated in a larger study, could quantify the relationships between drug‐related behaviour and injury. This preliminary study suggests important public health implications of methamphetamine use.

• Methamphetamine
• Injury
• Survey

Acknowledgements

This study was funded and supported by the Accident Compensation Corporation (ACC), Wellington, New Zealand. Views and/or conclusions in this paper are those of the authors and may not reflect the position of ACC.

We would like acknowledge the involvement of Carolyn Coggan who lead the initial design of the project and secured funding. We would like to thank the field workers and all the survey participants.