368P
ACCEPTABILITY OF A DESIGNATED YOUTH SUPERVISED INJECTION FACILITY FOR HOMELESS YOUTH IN VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA
E Jones, L Redekop, B Chakraborty, C MacMillan, I Sandstra, D Taylor, J Maginley, G Ogilvie, M Rekart
British Columbia Centre for Disease Control, Vancouver, British Columbia
Objective: Injection drug use puts individuals at increased risk for contracting HIV. The purpose of this study was to determine the acceptability of a youth designated supervised injection facility (SIF) from the perspective of homeless street youth living in downtown Vancouver.
Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted surveying intravenous drug using (IDU) homeless youth (aged 15–25 years). This was a sub-group analysis of youth who participated in the Health Canada Enhanced STD Surveillance in Canadian Street Youth. A survey of 8 questions was developed to obtain information, which included: locations of injecting, willingness to use a SIF, acceptability of a youth-designated SIF, and factors that would increase or decrease the likelihood that youth would access such a site.
Results: Eighty-four youth (58 male; 26 female) who self-reported using intravenous drugs in the past three months were enrolled into the sub-analysis. The most frequently reported venue for injecting was on the street, in an alley or in a doorway (81.4%). Sixty-seven % of respondents said they that they would be willing to inject in a safe place and 55.9% said they would use a designated youth SIF. Barriers to accessing a SIF included fear of incrimination and loss of confidentiality. Factors that would increase use included convenience of location, personal security and a psychologically safe place.
Conclusions: There was a general acceptance of a designated youth SIF among homeless IDU youth in Vancouver.