Injection drug users’ use of pharmacies for purchasing needles in Anchorage, Alaska

Abstract 

Objectives: Sterile needle and syringe (NS) access may play a significant role in the reduction of disease transmission. This study describes various characteristics of injection drug users’ (IDUs) procurement of NS at pharmacies.

Methods: IDUs were recruited as part of a two-arm clinical trial with one arm being taught how to purchase NS at pharmacies and the other arm being able to exchange NS at a needle exchange. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics (chi-square and binomial tests for categorical data, t-tests, ANOVA, correlation and Wilcoxon rank sums for interval-level data) and run using SAS [SAS/STAT User’s Guide, Version 6, 4th ed., vols. 1 and 2, SAS Institute Inc., Cary, NC].

Results: IDUs were able to purchase NS at most Anchorage pharmacies. More IDUs randomised to a syringe exchange programme (SEP) arm of a clinical trial obtained NS from known sterile sources as compared to those IDUs randomised to the pharmacy sales arm.

Conclusions: Communities seeking to maximise the proportion of IDUs who obtain sterile NS need to have both legal pharmacy sales and SEPs.

Keywords:  Needle exchange, Pharmacy sales, Clinical trial