A preliminary needs assessment of American Indians who inject drugs in northeastern Montana

• Published in: Harm reduction journal Vol. 14; no. 1; p. 22
• Main Authors: Anastario, Mike, FourStar, Kris, Ricker, Adriann, Dick, Rebecca, Skewes, Monica C, Rink, Elizabeth
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England BioMed Central 08.05.2017; BMC
• Subjects: Acquired immune deficiency syndrome; Addictive behaviors; Adolescent; Adult; Age; AIDS; American Indians; Blood; Disease transmission; Drug abuse; Drug use; Drug Users - statistics & numerical data; Drugs; Female; Fort Peck; Harm Reduction; Health risks; Hepatitis; Hepatitis C risk; HIV; HIV risk; Human immunodeficiency virus; Humans; Indians, North American - statistics & numerical data; Infectious diseases; Injection; Injection drug use; Male; Montana - epidemiology; Native Americans; Native North Americans; Native reservations; Needle exchange programs; Needs analysis; Needs Assessment - statistics & numerical data; Pathogens; Polls & surveys; Populations; Programming; Recruitment; Reuse; Risk analysis; Risk assessment; Risk Factors; Risk reduction; Risk-Taking; Rural communities; Sampling; Sex; Sexual behavior; Sexually transmitted diseases; STD; Substance Abuse, Intravenous - epidemiology; Substance Abuse, Intravenous - therapy; Substance use; Surveys and Questionnaires; Syringes; Young Adult; United States > US; Alaska; American Indians; Fort Peck; Injection drug use; Hepatitis C risk; HIV risk
• ISSN: 1477-7517; 1477-7517
• DOI: 10.1186/s12954-017-0146-1

Injection drug use has not been well documented in American Indians living in the USA. American Indian and Alaskan Natives (AI/ANs) show higher rates of substance use compared to the general population, and have historically been subject to a number of risk factors that are known to increase the likelihood of substance use. AI/ANs also experience increased risk for infectious diseases that are transmitted via injection drug use and/or sexual activity. Harm reduction approaches have been shown to be effective for decreasing risk of disease transmission in at-risk populations, and may be well suited for AI/AN injection drug users residing in rural reservation communities. In this study, we aimed to examine the characteristics of American Indians (AI) who use injection drugs (PWUID) in northeastern Montana to identify needs that could be addressed with harm reduction programming. For the present study, we used a respondent-driven sampling approach to generate a sample of 51 self-identified male and female injection drug users ≥18 years of age who were American Indians living on the Fort Peck Indian Reservation. Sampling weights were applied to all analyses using Respondent-Driven Sampling Analysis Tool (RDSAT). There were no strong recruitment patterns by age, sex, or ethnic identity status of the recruiter or participant, but there were strong within-group recruitment patterns by location within the reservation. The majority of the sample reported initiating substance use before the age of 18. Participants reported significant risk for HIV, hepatitis, and other infectious diseases through their drug use and/or risky sexual behavior. Sixty-five percent reported having reused syringes, and 53% reported drawing from the same filter. Seventy-five percent reported inconsistent condom use during the 3 months preceding the survey, and 53% reported injecting drugs during sex during the 3 months preceding the survey. Only 66% of participants reported having been tested for HIV in the 12 months preceding the survey. The vast majority (98%) of respondents expressed interest in a harm reduction program. Seventy-six percent reported that it was easy or very easy to obtain new syringes. We documented several risks for blood-borne pathogens, including elevated levels of syringe reuse. Further, we documented significant interest in harm reduction interventions in the present sample of AI/AN injection drug users. Findings suggest a need for increased access to harm reduction programming for AI/AN injection drug users to reduce the transmission of infectious disease and increase access to compassionate care.