Temporal relationship between a sudden disruption of a local illicit drug market in a deprived neighborhood of the Barcelona Metropolitan Area and the number of discarded syringes collected from public space

Abstract

Background: The objective of this study was to describe the temporal relationship between an illicit drug market abrupt disruption and the number of discarded syringes collected from public space in Barcelona.

Methods: The monthly number of discarded syringes collected and interrupted time-series analyses were used to analyze changes and trends from January 2014 to December 2017, before and after an illicit drug market disruption comparing three different areas of the city: intervened (A) and not intervened (B) high trafficking areas and, as a reference, a low trafficking area (C).

Results: After the disruption, a decrease in the average number of syringes collected in area A was observed, although the trend was not significant (p value 0.09). In area B, there was a significant increase with an upward trend in the average number of collected syringes (p value <0.001). A flat trend was observed throughout the period in area C (p value 0.62) The systematic counting of discarded syringes collected from public places is confirmed as a useful indicator to monitor drug dealing and use in urban areas. It may help public health services strengthen safe needle disposal practices and harm reduction interventions in these areas.

Keywords: Harm reduction; Illicit drug market; Monitoring; Syringes.