Opiate substitution treatment to reduce in-prison drug injection: A natural experiment

Abstract

Background: There is emerging evidence that opiate substitution treatment (OST) in prison is associated with reduced injecting drug use (IDU). In Australia OST is available in prison for men and women in all jurisdictions except Queensland, where it is available only for women. The aim of this study was to examine the association between in-prison OST and in-prison IDU in New South Wales (NSW) and Queensland. Methods: Cross-sectional survey of Australian prisoners in NSW ( N=. 1128) and Queensland ( N=. 1325). Lifetime IDU and in-prison IDU measured by self-report. Results: Lifetime history of IDU was significantly more common among females than males in both jurisdictions. Among those with ..