Discrimination can be a daily issue in the lives of people who inject drugs (PWID). However, the extent to which discrimination is related to the health of PWID remains unclear.

Data focusing on discrimination against PWID and potential health correlates were collected as part of the 2013 Illicit Drug Reporting System, a national survey with 887 PWID recruited in all Australian states and territories. Experience of discrimination, its setting, perceived reason and outcome, were self-reported by participants. The Kessler-10 scale and the mental component score of the Short Form 12-Item Health Survey were used to measure mental health. Physical health was assessed using the physical component score of the Short Form 12-Item Health Survey, specifically questions assessing injecting related problems and risk behaviour. Poisson and multinomial regression analyses were performed. Models were adjusted for socio-demographic and drug-related covariates.

 = 1.1-1.4) of PWID, who experienced discrimination, were also more likely to be below Australian population mean scores.

Self-reported experience of discrimination was associated with poor mental and physical health amongst PWID.