An interview study of participants in the Tacoma, Washington, syringe exchange

• Published in: Addiction (Abingdon, England) Vol. 88; no. 12; pp. 1691 - 1697
• Main Authors: HAGAN, HOLLY, JARLAIS, DON C. DES, PURCHASE, DAVID, FRIEDMAN, SAMUEL R., REID, TERRY, BELL, THOMAS A.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford, UK Blackwell Publishing Ltd 01.12.1993; Blackwell; Carfax
• Subjects: Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome - prevention & control; Addictive behaviors; Adult; Adult and adolescent clinical studies; Biological and medical sciences; Drug abuse; Drug Addiction; Drug Use; Effectiveness; Female; Health policy; Health Promotion; Health Surveys; Heroin; Humans; Intravenous drug addicts; Male; Medical sciences; Needle exchange schemes; Participation; Program Evaluation; Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry; Psychopathology. Psychiatry; Risk-Taking; Substance Abuse, Intravenous; Surveys and Questionnaires; Syringes - statistics & numerical data; U.S.A; United States; Washington; Washington (State); Human; Immunopathology; Drug addiction; Seropositivity; Intravenous administration; Psychological counseling; Treatment efficiency; AIDS; Hemopathy; Health education; Infection; Prevention; Sharing; Viral disease; Syringe; Therapeutic schedule
• ISSN: 0965-2140; 1360-0443
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1360-0443.1993.tb02044.x

Although European and Australian studies of syringe exchange programs have reported safer injection among participants and no increase in drug use, the generalizability of these findings to the US is uncertain. We report on the operations and potential effectiveness of the longest‐operating syringe exchange in the US and compare our results to studies of exchange programs outside the US. The sample of 204 study subjects reported no change in the frequency of injection, from 155 to 152 injections per month, and a decline in the frequency of unsafe injections, from 56 to 30 times per month, while participating in the program. In all studies, participants report reduction in unsafe injections, and no increase in illicit drug use. However, the comparison also suggests that a high proportion of Tacoma exchangers have higher initial rates of drug injection, unsafe injection and homelessness, all of which were associated with unsafe injection while using the exchange. These indicate a need for additional services but that the Tacoma program is no less effective than European and Australian programs.