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Profile of Injection Drug Use in Atlantic Canada

FINAL REPORT

 

Prepared by Caroline Ploem for
PPHB Atlantic Regional Office
October 12, 2000

PDF Format PDF (1150 KB)

 

The views expressed in this document are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Health Canada.

For additional copies or further information
about this publication, please contact:

Population and Public Health Branch - Atlantic Region
18th Floor Maritime Centre, Suite 1816
1505 Barrington Street
Halifax, NS B3J 3Y6
Tel: (902) 426-2700
Fax: (902) 426-9689

© HER MAJESTY THE QUEEN IN RIGHT OF CANADA (2000) as represented by the Minister of Health

Table of Contents

i   EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
1.0   INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background and Rationale
1.2 Project Objective
1.3 Focus of This Report
2.0   METHODOLOGY
2.1 Project Outline
2.2 Questionnaires and Interview Guides

2.2.1 Key Informant Questionnaire
2.2.2 Provincial Epidemiological Survey
2.2.3 Key Informant Telephone Interview Guide
2.2.4 Data Analyses

2.3 Key Informant Sampling and Follow-up Strategies
3.0   MAIN FINDINGS
3.1 Participant Rate and Sample Size

3.1.1 Key Informant Questionnaire
3.1.2 Provincial Epidemiological Survey and Key Informant Interviews


3.2 Key Informant Experience Related to Injection Drug Use

3.2.1 Occupation/Role and Main Focus
3.2.2 Settings of IDU-related Involvement
3.2.3 Extent of IDU-related Experience


3.3 Information on Drug Use and Injection Activity

3.3.1 Drugs Being Injected
3.3.2 Drugs of Choice
3.3.3 Trends or Patterns Related to Drugs Being Used/Drugs of Choice
3.3.4 Injection Drug Use Settings
3.3.5 Trends or Patterns Related to IDU Settings
3.3.6 Additional Comments Regarding Drugs of Choice or Injection Drug Use Settings


3.4 Demographic Characteristics and Trends

3.4.1 Overview
3.4.2 Gender and Formal Education
3.4.3 Age Differences and Trends
3.4.4 Ethnic/Cultural Differences
3.4.5 Urban/Rural Differences
3.4.6 Regional and Provincial “Hotspots”


3.5 Injection and Sexual Risk Activities

3.5.1 Overview
3.5.2 Unsafe Needle Use
3.5.3 Unsafe Sexual Activities
3.5.4 Responses to Safer Sex and Safer Needle Use Messages
3.5.5 Other Health-related Risks


3.6 Communicable Disease Testing and Prevalence

3.6.1 Overview
3.6.2 Reported Cases
3.6.3 Prevalence Estimates of Testing and Infection Rates


3.7 Additional Comments
4.0   REFERENCES
5.0   APPENDICES

A. Key Informant Questionnaire and Cover Letter
B. Provincial Epidemiological Survey
C. Key Informant Interview Guide
D. List of Key Informants
E. Listing of Related Research and Documentation

LIST OF FIGURES

1.   Respondents by Province
2.   Main Occupation/Role Related to IDU 9
3.   Main Focus of Work or Involvement Related to IDU
4.   Main Setting of Involvement Related to IDU
5.   Work Experience with Injection Drug Users
6.   Experience/Knowledge with Subgroups of Atlantic Canadian IDUs
7.   Awareness of Drugs Being Injected in Atlantic Canada
8.   Perceived Drugs of Choice in Atlantic Canada
9.   Perceived Two Most Common IDU Settings in Atlantic Canada
10.   Gender Differences in IDU
11.   Average Level of Formal Education Completed by IDUs
12.   Two Most Common Age Groups of IDUs in Atlantic Canada
13.   Age-related Trends or Patterns in IDU
14.   Ethnic/Cultural Differences in IDU
15.   Work Experience with IDUs of Various Ethnic/Cultural Backgrounds
16.   Urban/Rural Differences in IDU
17.   New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island “Hotspots”
18.   Newfoundland “Hotspots”
19.   Estimated Proportion of IDUs Engaging in Unsafe Injection Practices
20.   Estimated Proportion of IDUs Engaging in Sexual Risk Activities

LIST OF TABLES

1.   Project Outline: Phases and Main Components
2.   Key Informant Sampling Strategy
3.   Provincial Samples and Return Rates
4.   Key Informant Interview Participants
5.   Years of Injection Drug Use–related Experience
6.   Descriptions of Respondents’ IDU-related Work
7.   IDU-related Services in Various Atlantic Region Communities
8.   Key Informants’ Awareness of Drugs Being Injected in Their Communities
9.   Key Informants’ Perceptions Regarding Drugs of Choice in Their Communities
10.   Key Informants’ Awareness of Injection Drug Use Settings in Their Communities
11.   Additional Comments: Drugs of Choice or Injection Drug Use Settings
12.   Open-ended Responses: Gender Differences in Injection Drug Use
13.   Open-ended Responses: Age Differences and Trends in Injection Drug Use
14.   Open-ended Responses: Urban/Rural Differences in IDU Activity
15.   Estimated Number of Injection Drug Users Based on HCV Epidemiological Data
16.   Estimated Number of IDUs Across Provincial “Hotspot” Communities
17.   Estimated Proportion of IDUs Engaging in Injection and Sexual Risk Activities
18.   Additional Comments Regarding Unsafe Injection or Sexual Behaviours
19.   Listing of Other Potential Health-related Issues and Complications
20.   HIV/AIDS, HCV and HBV Epidemiological Information
21.   Estimated Proportion of IDUs Tested for HIV, Hepatitis B and Hepatitis C
22.   Additional Comments

Please note that this document was published by Health Canada prior to the announcement of the establishment of the Public Health Agency of Canada on September 24, 2004. Any reference to Health Canada should be assumed to be to the Public Health Agency of Canada.

 

"Our mission is to promote and protect the health of Canadians through leadership, partnership, innovation and action in public health."
Date Modified: 2006-03-16

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