Amphetamine use and psychiatric admissions: a 10-year perspective.

Objective: We aimed to (i) describe the 10-year trend in admissions associated with amphetamine use, (ii) describe the distinguishing characteristics of people with an amphetamine-related diagnosis (ARD) and (iii) examine predictors of repeated admissions among people with an ARD.

Method: We conducted a retrospective cohort study. We (i) counted the number of admissions with an ARD and evaluated any trends, and using univariate and multivariate tests, (ii) compared those who had an ARD with those who did not and (iii) compared those with an ARD who had one, two to four, and five or more admissions.

Qualitative accounts of needle and syringe cleaning techniques among people who inject drugs in Sydney, Australia.

Introduction And Aims: Cleaning needles/syringes is an important second-line harm reduction strategy, yet there is limited information on practices employed by people who inject drugs in Australia. This study attempts to identify and assess cleaning practices in terms of the techniques involved and the social contexts in which cleaning takes place.

Design And Methods: As part of an exploratory qualitative study in south-west Sydney, in-depth interviews and simulated cleaning exercises were conducted with 12 people who inject drugs.