Impact of COVID-19 on people who inject drugs in Melbourne

Changes to border controls, regulations around physical distancing and prohibitions on public gatherings are anticipated to have profound impacts on drug markets and people who use drugs. Interviews with the SuperMIX cohort have provided data for a preliminary analysis on drug use and markets in Melbourne, Australia.

Click to download this analysis.

SuperMIX

SuperMIX is a cohort of people who inject drugs (PWID) that has been running in various forms at the Burnet Institute since 2008. The original cohort of 688 was recruited between 2008 and 2010 with an additional 69 participants added to the cohort in 2011, making MIX/SuperMIX the largest cohort study of PWID ever conducted in Australia.

In 2017 we will recruit additional participants to bring the overall cohort size up to around 1000 and we continue to follow these people through to the end of 2021.

SuperMIX will provide important information about how injecting drug use evolves over time, focused on periods during which cohort members cease injecting drug use and if they subsequently relapse and the drivers of this cessation and relapse.

This information is crucial for designing services and interventions for promoting long-term cessation from, and preventing subsequent relapse into, injecting drug use.

Timeline

2017-2021

Publications

2020

• Motivations for crystal methamphetamine-opioid co-injection/co-use amongst community-recruited people who inject drugs: a qualitative study.
  Palmer A, Scott N, Dietze P, Higgs P
  Harm Reduct J. 2020 Feb; 17(1):14
• Blood donation amongst people who inject drugs in Australia: research supporting policy change.
  Quinn B, Pearson R, Cutts J, Seed C, Scott N, Hoad V, Dietze P, Wilson D, Maher L, Thompson A, Farrell M, Harrod M, Caris S, Pink J, Kotsiou G, Hellard M
  Vox Sang. 2020 Feb; 115(3):162-70
• Sex discrepancies in the protective effect of opioid agonist therapy on incident hepatitis C infection.
  Geddes L, Iversen J, Wand H, Esmaeili A, Tsui J, Hellard M, Dore G, Grebely J, Dietze P, Bruneau J, Prins M, Morris MD, Shoukry NH, Lloyd AR, Kim AY, Lauer G, Cox AL, Page K, Maher L; InC3 Collaborative.
  Clin Infect Dis. 2020 Jan; 70(1):123-131

2019

• "I'm obviously not dying so it's not something I need to sort out today": Considering hepatitis C treatment in the era of direct acting antivirals.
  Wright C, Cogger S, Hsieh K, Goutzamanis S, Hellard M, Higgs P
  Infect Dis Health. 2019 May; 24(2):58-66

2018

• Geo-spatial analysis of individual-level needle and syringe coverage in Melbourne, Australia.
  O'Keefe D, Wilkinson A, Aitken C, Dietze P
  PLoS One. 2018 Dec; 13(12):e0209280
• Drug overdose in the ED: a record linkage study examining emergency department ICD-10 coding practices in a cohort of people who inject drugs.
  Di Rico R, Nambiar D, Stoové M, Dietze P
  BMC Health Serv Res. 2018 Dec; 18(1):945
• Incarceration history and risk of HIV and hepatitis C virus acquisition among people who inject drugs: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
  Stone J, Fraser H, Lim AG, Walker JG, Ward Z, MacGregor L, Trickey A, Abbott S, Strathdee SA, Abramovitz D, Maher L, Iversen J, Bruneau J, Zang G, Garfein RS, Yen YF, Azim T, Mehta SH, Milloy MJ, Hellard ME, Sacks-Davis R, Dietze PM, Aitken C, Aladashvili M, Tsertsvadze T, Mravčík V, Alary M, Roy E, Smyrnov P, Sazonova Y, Young AM, Havens JR, Hope VD, Desai M, Heinsbroek E, Hutchinson SJ, Palmateer NE, McAuley A, Platt L, Martin NK, Altice FL, Hickman M, Vickerman P
  Lancet Infect Dis. 2018 Oct; 18(12):1397-1409
• Analysis of time of drug use according to needle and syringe program operating hours in Melbourne, Australia: Effects on individual-level needle and syringe coverage.
  O'Keefe D, Aitken C, Scott N, Dietze P
  Drug Alcohol Depend. 2018 Aug; 191:259-265
• Should sterile needle and syringe wastage be included within individual-level needle and syringe coverage measures?
  O'Keefe D, Aitken C, Dietze P
  Int J Drug Policy. 2018 Aug; 60:8-9
• Experiences of liver health related uncertainty and self-reported stress among people who inject drugs living with hepatitis C virus: a qualitative study.
  Goutzamanis S, Doyle JS, Thompson A, Dietze P, Hellard M, Higgs P; TAP study group.
  BMC Infect Dis. 2018 Apr; 18(1):151
• Are people who inject drugs frequent users of emergency department services? A cohort study (2008-2013).
  Nambiar D, Spelman T, Stoové M, Dietze P
  Subst Use Misuse. 2018 Feb; 53(3):457-465
• The association between intentional overdose and same-sex sexual intercourse in a cohort of people who inject drugs in Melbourne, Australia.
  O'Keefe D, Bowring A, Aitken C, Dietze P
  Subst Use Misuse. 2018 Feb; 53(5):755-762
• The effect of female sex on hepatitis C incidence among people who inject drugs: results from the international multi-cohort InC3 Collaborative.
  Esmaeili A, Mirzazadeh A, Morris MD, Hajarizadeh B, Sacks HS, Maher L, Grebely J, Kim AY, Lauer G, Cox AL, Hellard M, Dietze P, Bruneau J, Shoukry NH, Dore GJ, Lloyd AR, Prins M, Page K; InC3 Collaborative.
  Clin Infect Dis. 2018 Jan; 66(1):20-28
• Assessing individual-level needle and syringe coverage parameters and the measurement of coverage in Melbourne, Australia: methods and impacts.
  O'Keefe D, Scott N, Aitken C, Dietze P
  J Public Health. 2018 Jan; 40(3):e336-e342

2017

• A prospective cohort study of hospital separations among people who inject drugs in Australia: 2008-2013.
  Nambiar D, Stoové M, Hickman M, Dietze P
  BMJ Open. 2017 Aug; 7(8):e014854
• Longitudinal changes in personal wellbeing in a cohort of people who inject drugs.
  Scott N, Carrotte ER, Higgs P, Stoové MA, Aitken CK, Dietze PM
  PLoS One. 2017 May; 12(5):e0178474
• Frequent emergency department presentations among people who inject drugs: A record linkage study.
  Nambiar D, Stoové M, Dietze P
  Int J Drug Policy. 2017 May; 44:115-120
• Longitudinal analysis of change in individual-level needle and syringe coverage amongst a cohort of people who inject drugs in Melbourne, Australia.
  O'Keefe D, Scott N, Aitken C, Dietze P
  Drug Alcohol Depend. 2017 Apr; 176:7-13
• The effects of needle-sharing and opioid substitution therapy on incidence of hepatitis C virus infection and reinfection in people who inject drugs.
  Aitken CK, Agius PA, Higgs PG, Stoové MA, Bowden DS, Dietze PM
  Epidemiol Infect. 2017 Mar; 145(4):796-801

2016

• Longitudinal changes in psychological distress in a cohort of people who inject drugs in Melbourne, Australia.
  Scott N, Carrotte ER, Higgs P, Cogger S, Stoové MA, Aitken CK, Dietze PM
  Drug and Alcohol Dependence. 2016 Aug; 168:140-146
• Individual-level needle and syringe coverage in Melbourne, Australia: a longitudinal, descriptive analysis.
  O'Keefe D, Scott N, Aitken C, Dietze P
  BMC Health Serv Res. 2016 Aug; 16(1):411
• The introduction of CCTV and associated changes in heroin purchase and injection settings in Footscray, Victoria, Australia.
  Scott N, Higgs P, Caulkins JP, Aitken C, Cogger S, Dietze P
  J Exp Criminol. 2016 Apr; 12(2):265-275
• How is methamphetamine typically purchased and used in Melbourne, Australia? Reports from a cohort of people who inject drugs.
  Scott N, Caulkins JP, Dietze P
  Addiction Research and Theory. 2016 Mar; 24(5):416-425
• Age-related differences in patterns of criminal activity among a large sample of polydrug injectors in Australia.
  Horyniak D, Dietze P, Degenhardt. L, Agius P, Higgs P, Bruno R, Alati R, Burns L
  J Subst Abuse. 2016 Jan; 22(1):48-56
• From initiating injecting drug use to regular injecting: Retrospective survival analysis of injecting progression within a sample of people who inject drugs regularly.
  O'Keefe D, Horyniak D, Dietze P
  Drug Alcohol Depend. 2016 Jan; 158:177-180

2015

• Mortality in the Melbourne injecting drug user cohort study (MIX).
  Nambiar D, Agius PA, Stoové M, Hickman M, Dietze P
  Harm Reduct J. 2015 Dec; 12(1):55
• Patterns of, and Factors Associated With, Illicit Pharmaceutical Opioid Analgesic Use in a Prospective Cohort of People Who Inject Drugs in Melbourne, Australia.
  Horyniak D, Agius PA, Degenhardt L, Reddel S, Higgs P, Aitken C, Stoové M, Dietze P
  Subst Use Misuse. 2015 Nov; 50(13):1650-1659
• Cessation of injecting drug use: The effects of health service utilisation, drug use and demographic factors.
  Nambiar D, Agius PA, Stoové M, Hickman M, Dietze P
  Drug Alcohol Depend. 2015 Jun; 154:208-213
• How patterns of injecting drug use evolve in a cohort of people who inject drugs.
  Scott N, Caulkins JP, Ritter A, Dietze P
  Trend Issues Crime Crim Justice. 2015 Jun; 502:1-20
• Patterns of drug preference and use among people who inject drugs in Melbourne, Australia
  Scott N, Caulkins JP, Ritter A, Dietze P
  Addict Res Theory. 2015 Apr; 23(6):459-468
• How do drug market changes affect characteristics of injecting initiation and subsequent patterns of drug use? Findings from a cohort of regular heroin and methamphetamine injectors in Melbourne, Australia.
  Horyniak D, Stoové M, Degenhardt L, Aitken C, Kerr T, Dietze P
  Int J Drug Policy. 2015 Jan; 26(1):43-50
• High-Frequency Drug Purity and Price Series as Tools for Explaining Drug Trends and Harms in Victoria, Australia.
  Scott N, Caulkins JP, Ritter A, Quinn C, Dietze P
  Addiction. 2015 Jan; 110(1):120-128

2014

• Experiences of and Attitudes Toward Injecting Drug Use Among Marginalized African Migrant and Refugee Youth in Melbourne, Australia.
  Horyniak D, Higgs P, Cogger S, Dietze P, Bofu T, Seid G
  J Ethn Subst Abuse. 2014 Oct; 13(4):405-429
• A cross-sectional study describing factors associated with utilisation of GP services by a cohort of people who inject drugs.
  Nambiar D, Stoové M, Dietze P
  BMC Health Serv Res. 2014 Jul; 14:308
• Are users' most recent drug purchases representative?
  Bond B, Caulkins JP, Scott N, Kilmer B, Dietze P
  Drug Alcohol Depend. 2014 Jun; 142:133-138

2013

• Establishing the Melbourne injecting drug user cohort study (MIX): rationale, methods, and baseline and twelve-month follow-up results.
  Horyniak D, Higgs P, Jenkinson R, Degenhardt L, Stoové M, Kerr T, Hickman M, Aitken C, Dietze P
  Harm Reduct J. 2013 Jun; 10(1):11
• Concordance between self-reported and actual hepatitis C virus infection status in a cohort of people who inject drugs.
  O'Keefe D, Aitken C, Higgs P, Dietze P
  Drug Alcohol Rev. 2013 Feb; 32(2):208-210
• The relationship between alcohol use and injecting drug use: Impacts on health, crime and wellbeing.
  Dietze P, Jenkinson R, Aitken C, Stoové M, Jolley D, Hickman M, Kerr T
  Drug Alcohol Depend. 2013 Feb; 128(1-2):111-115
• A response to: Self-reported and actual hepatitis C virus infection status.
  O'Keefe D, Aitken C, Higgs P, Dietze P
  Drug Alcohol Rev. 2013 Jan; 32(1):107
• A cross-sectional study of emergency department visits by people who inject drugs.
  Aitken C, Kerr T, Hickman M, Stoové M, Higgs P, Dietze P
  Emerg Med J. 2013 Jan; 30(5):421-422