Client characteristics associated with desire for additional services at syringe exchange programs

ABSTRACT

Objectives

The objective of this study was to explore the relationship between client characteristics and desired services offered at syringe exchange program (SEP) sites among women who inject drugs (WWID). We investigated whether a desire for additional services varied as a function of these client characteristics.

Methods

A sample of 69 women who were syringe exchange clients participated in a survey about adding services to syringe exchange programs. Three Poisson regression analyses were run to examine if client age, education, housing status, polysubstance use, and previous pregnancies were associated with overall desire for services, desire for health-related services, and desire basic needs services.

Results

Participant characteristics of polysubstance use (IRR 1.62, 95% CI 1.34–1.96; p < .01) and greater number of previous pregnancies (IRR 1.14, 95% CI 1.08–1.22; p < .05), were predictive of a greater number of desired services. Engagement in polysubstance use was predictive of a greater number of desired basic need services (IRR 1.45, 95% CI 1.23–1.70; p < .05).

Conclusions

WWID desired services at SEP sites can inform policymakers to formulate policies to better promote utilization of health-related and basic need services among WWID and, in turn, facilitate improved outcomes for WWID.

KEYWORDS:

• Syringe exchange
• women who inject drugs
• services
• HIV
• harm reduction

Acknowledgments

The authors express gratitude to the community-based SEP for their early collaboration and contributions to this work.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health [P50DA048756].