Drug-related bloodborne viruses in Ireland 2018

Health Protection Surveillance Centre

dc.contributor.author	Health Protection Surveillance Centre
dc.date.accessioned	2018-10-04T10:35:39Z
dc.date.available	2018-10-04T10:35:39Z
dc.date.issued	2018-09
dc.identifier.uri	http://hdl.handle.net/10147/623847
dc.description	The main risk factor for transmission of bloodborne viruses (BBVs) in drug users in Ireland is injecting opioids, particularly heroin. Estimates from a 2014 capture-recapture study indicate that there are just under 19,000 problem opioid users in Ireland, with over 70% living in Dublin 1. This is similar to the estimate from a previous capture-recapture study carried out in 20062. However, the age profile of opioid users changed significantly between 2006 and 2014. Results from the 2014 study indicate that 60% of Ireland’s opioid users are aged between 35 and 64 years compared to less than one third in the 2006 study. Furthermore, only 6% were aged between 15 and 24 years compared to over one fifth in the previous study. These results indicate a high prevalence of opioid use among older drug users, but a declining incidence of problem opioid use in Ireland. Trends from the National Drug Treatment Reporting System (NDTRS) indicate a steady decline in new entrants to treatment who reported opioids as their primary problem drug between 2009 and 2016, and a decrease in the proportion who inject3-6. However, cocaine and benzodiazepine use has increased in recent years. These are associated with a lower risk of BBVs, as they are less likely to be injected. However, 2% of those entering treatment for cocaine in 2015 were currently injecting and a further 12% had injected drugs in the past. Cocaine was also hypothesised to be responsible for high rates of HIV infection in a cohort of drug users in an inner-city area of Dublin in a 2001 study7. Furthermore, people who use cocaine, benzodiazepines and other drugs, such as new psychoactive substances, image and performance enhancing drugs, or chemsex drugs, may be less likely to self-identify as problem drug users and less likely to avail of BBV testing, harm reduction and drug treatment.	en_US
dc.language.iso	en	en_US
dc.publisher	Health Service Executive (HSE)	en_US
dc.relation.url	http://www.hpsc.ie/a-z/hepatitis/injectingdrugusers/publications/Drug-related%20bloodborne%20viruses%20in%20Ireland,%202018.pdf	en_US
dc.rights	Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 United States	*
dc.rights.uri	http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/us/	*
dc.subject	BLOODBORNE TRANSMISSION	en_US
dc.subject	DRUG USERS	en_US
dc.subject	VIRUS	en_US
dc.title	Drug-related bloodborne viruses in Ireland 2018	en_US
dc.type	Report	en_US
dc.contributor.department	Health Service Executive (HSE)	en_US
refterms.dateFOA	2018-10-04T10:35:40Z