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The risk of injecting drugs

As well as being highly addictive and damaging to social and financial facets of life, injecting drugs also poses the very serious threat of acquired diseases. Hepatitis B and HIV pose some of the greatest risks to intravenous drug users because they can lead to severe health complications and fatalities. As of yet, there is no cure for HIV and so behavioural interventions are necessary if more cases are to be avoided.

Booth et al. (1998) note that one way in which behaviour changes can be implemented is via the uptake of drug treatment programmes, such as a residential addiction rehab. Residential rehabilitation is the most intensive and effective form of treatment (Gossop et al.,1996).  Booth et al. (1998) focused on investigating the barriers that stop people accessing such treatment programmes.

Booth et al. (1998) further investigated the notion that psychological therapies may induce positive behaviour change. Specifically focused on was motivational interviewing, which consists of strategies that motivate individuals to become substance free. At the time of the study, motivational interviewing had been used predominantly with alcohol dependent individuals or drug abusers already in treatment. The study aimed to extend these findings to drug users not receiving any form of drug addiction treatment.

When compared to risk reduction, motivational interviewing did not have the anticipated effect on motivation towards treatment as the authors expected. However, they highlighted the importance of the therapy being conducted in accordance with the individual’s stage of change in order to meet as little resistance as possible. In terms of the barriers towards entering treatment, Booth et al. (1998) found that this included having to pay for treatment, perceiving oneself to be at less risk of contracting HIV or AIDS, and associating more with other drug users.

References

Booth, R., Kwiatkowski, C., Iguchi, M., Pinto, F., & John, D. (1998). Facilitating treatment entry among out-of-treatment injection drug users. Public Health Reports, 113, 116-128.

NTORS The National Treatment Outcome Research Study: Summary of the project, the clients, and preliminary findings: First Bulletin. (1996). Gossop, M., Marsden, J., Stewart, D., Edwards, C., Lehmann, P., Wilson, A., & Segar, G. Department of Health: London.

Published by on 06/12/2020.

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