TY  - JOUR
PY  - 2021//
TI  - Which illicit drugs are injected in Oslo? A study based on analysis of drug residues in used injection equipment and self-reported information
JO  - Scandinavian journal of public health
A1  - Gjerde, Hallvard
A1  - Bretteville-Jensen, Anne Line
A1  - Bache-Andreassen, Lihn
A1  - Hanoa, Kristin
A1  - Furuhaugen, Håvard
A1  - Brochmann, Gerd-Wenche
A1  - Vindenes, Vigdis
SP  - ePub
EP  - ePub
VL  - ePub
IS  - ePub
N2  - BACKGROUND: People who inject drugs (PWID) have a high risk of premature death due to fatal overdoses. Newly emerged fentanyls, much more potent than heroin and other opioids, may increase this risk further. Therefore, precise information on injected drugs is critical to improving prevention strategies. AIMS: This study aimed to analyse drug residues in used injection equipment in order to determine drug and drug combinations and compare and complement findings with self-reported information. <br><br>METHODS: Used syringes and needles (n=766) were collected at the supervised drug consumption facilities, the needle exchange service and two low-threshold health services for problem drug users in Oslo, Norway. The material was collected every third month from June 2019 to June 2020 and analysed for 64 substances using highly specific analytical methods (ultra-high performance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry). Additionally, a street-recruited sample of PWID was interviewed from 2017 to 2019 regarding their drug injection habits (n=572). <br><br>RESULTS: Heroin (65.5%) or amphetamines (59.8%), often in combination (30.5%), were commonly detected in drug residues. Other opioids, stimulants or benzodiazepines were rarely detected (6.1%). Fentanyl was detected in only one syringe. Heroin was the most reported drug (77.6% during the past four weeks, 48.3% daily/almost daily), followed by amphetamines (57.5% during the past four weeks, 23.1% daily or almost daily). Injection of methadone, buprenorphine and dissolved tablets was self-reported more frequently than determined in drug residue findings. <br><br>CONCLUSIONS: Analysis of the injection equipment proved useful as a non-invasive, rapid and accurate means to obtain detailed information on injected drugs in Oslo and supplement traditional PWID survey information.<p />  <p>Language: en</p>
LA  - en
SN  - 1403-4948
UR  - http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/14034948211043984
ID  - ref1
ER  -