Background: The Kirketon Road Centre (KRC) is a primary health care (PHC) service involved in the prevention and treatment of HIV/AIDS and other transmissible infections among “at risk” young people, sex workers and injecting drug users (IDUs) in Kings Cross, Sydney. A recent assessment of the prevalence of injection-related injury and disease (IRID) among IDUs attending the nearby Medically Supervised Injecting Centre (MSIC) for the first time (n= 9,778) found that 10% (n=974) self-reported one or more of the following IRIDs: abscess (6%), thrombosis (4%), septicaemia (2%) and infective endocarditis (1%). To assess the representativeness of this information a similar assessment was undertaken for IDUs who first attended KRC during the same time period.
Methods: Demographic, drug use and IRID data recorded at IDUs’ first visit to KRC were analysed from 2001 until 2007. The prevalence and predictors of IRID were then compared to MSIC data. The prevalence and predictors of IRID-related clinical consultations among IDUs at KRC was also measured.
Results: About 14% of IDUs registered (n=2233) reported one or more IRID: abscess (11.5%), [deep vein] thrombosis (1.3%), septicaemia (3%) and endocarditis (3.2%). Significant predictors included being female; 18 or less; having sex worked and receiving income benefits. IRIDs were identified during 16% (n=5,780) of all clinical consultations (n= 36,121) among IDUs during the period, predictors of which will also be reported.
Conclusions: The prevalence of IRID reported by IDUs attending a PHC setting was somewhat higher than in a supervised injecting facility setting nearby, but predictors were similar. Rates of IRID were nonetheless lower than would be expected given how often IDUs visited KRC with IRID. Definitional issues may be among reasons for apparent disparities, potentially affecting the surveillance of this important public health issue.