@article{ref1,
title="Drug checking in the fentanyl era: utilization and interest among people who inject drugs in San Diego, California",
journal="International journal on drug policy",
year="2023",
author="Bailey, Katie and Abramovitz, Daniela and Artamonova, Irina and Davidson, Peter and Stamos-Buesig, Tara and Vera, Carlos F. and Patterson, Thomas L. and Arredondo, Jaime and Kattan, Jessica and Bergmann, Luke and Thihalolipavan, Sayone and Strathdee, Steffanie A. and Bórquez, Annick",
volume="118",
number="",
pages="e104086-e104086",
abstract="BACKGROUND: In North America, overdose rates have steeply risen over the past five years, largely due to the ubiquity of illicitly manufactured fentanyls in the drug supply. Drug checking services (DCS) represent a promising harm reduction strategy and characterizing experiences of use and interest among people who inject drugs (PWID) is a priority. <br><br>METHODS: Between February-October 2022, PWID participating in a cohort study in San Diego, CA and Tijuana, Mexico completed structured surveys including questions about DCS, socio-demographics and substance use behaviors. We used Poisson regression to assess factors associated with lifetime DCS use and characterized experiences with DCS and interest in free access to DCS. <br><br>RESULTS: Of 426 PWID, 72% were male, 59% Latinx, 79% were experiencing homelessness and 56% ever experienced a nonfatal overdose. One third had heard of DCS, of whom 57% had ever used them. Among the latter, most (98%) reported using fentanyl test strips (FTS) the last time they used DCS; 66% did so less than once per month. In the last six months, respondents used FTS to check methamphetamine (48%), heroin (30%) or fentanyl (29%). Relative to White/non-Latinx PWID, those who were non-White/Latinx were significantly less likely to have used DCS [adjusted risk ratio (aRR): 0.22; 95% CI: 0.10, 0.47), as were PWID experiencing homelessness (aRR:0.45; 95% CI: 0.28, 0.72). However, a significant interaction indicated that non-White/Latinx syringe service program (SSP) clients were more likely to have used DCS than non-SSP clients (aRR: 2.79; CI: 1.09, 7.2). Among all PWID, 44% expressed interest in free access to FTS, while 84% (of 196 PWID) expressed interest in advanced spectrometry DCS to identify and quantify multiple substances. <br><br>CONCLUSIONS: Our findings highlight low rates of DCS awareness and utilization, inequities by race/ethnicity and housing situation, high interest in advanced spectrometry DCS versus FTS, and the potential role of SSPs in improving access to DCS, especially among racial/ethnic minorities.<p /> <p>Language: en</p>",
language="en",
issn="0955-3959",
doi="10.1016/j.drugpo.2023.104086",
url="http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.drugpo.2023.104086"
}