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. 2019 Mar-Apr;30(2):142-150.
doi: 10.1097/JNC.0000000000000016.

Association of Self-Reported Abscess With High-Risk Injection-Related Behaviors Among Young Persons Who Inject Drugs

Alice K Asher, Yuna Zhong, Richard S Garfein, Jazmine Cuevas-Mota, Eyasu Teshale

Association of Self-Reported Abscess With High-Risk Injection-Related Behaviors Among Young Persons Who Inject Drugs

Alice K Asher et al. J Assoc Nurses AIDS Care. 2019 Mar-Apr.

Abstract

Abscess is a common source of morbidity for people who inject drugs. We used data from the Study to Assess Hepatitis C Risk to measure prevalence of abscess and identify factors associated with the history of abscess. Of 541 participants, 388 (72%) were male and 149 (28%) were female. Almost half (n = 258, 48%) reported ever having an abscess. Persons who inject drugs with an abscess history were significantly more likely to have more injection partners (p = .01), inject heroin daily (p < .05), and share cookers (p = .001) and less likely to report using new syringes with each injection (p = .02). Most reported self-treating their last abscess and increasing drug use when having an abscess. High-risk injection-related activity was associated not only with infections such as HIV and hepatitis C virus but also with abscess. Nurses should screen patients presenting with abscess for high-risk practices and provide prevention education.

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Conflict of interest statement

Disclosures

The authors report no real or perceived vested interests related to this article that could be construed as a conflict of interest.

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