Abscess and Self-Treatment Among Injection Drug Users at Four California Syringe Exchanges and Their Surrounding Communities

This is the authors' abstract. We don't add key points for this paper.

This study aimed to identify the prevalence and determinants of soft tissue infections and self-treatment among injection drug users (IDUs) in California. The study interviewed 864 IDUs in California using computer-assisted personal interview (CAPI) from 2003 to 2005. Multiple logistic regression analyses were performed to examine adjusted associations for recent abscess and abscess self-treatment. In these analyses, Latinos had higher odds than African Americans to self-treat, while IDUs reporting a usual place of health care had lower odds of self-treatment. Findings suggest an expansion of wound care facilities to mitigate the self-treatment of abscesses, with special consideration to Latinos.