Comparing Characteristics of Early-Onset Injection Drug Users to Those With Late-Onset Injection in Kermanshah, Iran
© 2017 Taylor & Francis Group, LLC. Background: Characteristics and behaviors of early-onset injection drug users are under studied topics in Iran. This study aimed to identify and compare the demographic characteristics as well as the drug using behaviors of early-onset and late-onset injecti...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Journal Article |
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Informa Healthcare
2017
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| Online Access: | http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/54980 |
| _version_ | 1848759513486721024 |
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| author | Jorjoran Shushtari, Z. Noroozi, A. Mirzazadeh, A. Ahounbar, E. Hajbi, A. Najafi, M. Bazrafshan, A. Farhadi, M. Farhoudian, A. Higgs, Peter Shahboulagh, F. Waye, K. Noroozi, M. |
| author_facet | Jorjoran Shushtari, Z. Noroozi, A. Mirzazadeh, A. Ahounbar, E. Hajbi, A. Najafi, M. Bazrafshan, A. Farhadi, M. Farhoudian, A. Higgs, Peter Shahboulagh, F. Waye, K. Noroozi, M. |
| author_sort | Jorjoran Shushtari, Z. |
| building | Curtin Institutional Repository |
| collection | Online Access |
| description | © 2017 Taylor & Francis Group, LLC. Background: Characteristics and behaviors of early-onset injection drug users are under studied topics in Iran. This study aimed to identify and compare the demographic characteristics as well as the drug using behaviors of early-onset and late-onset injection drug users in Kermanshah, West Iran. Methods: In this cross-sectional study using snowball and convenience sampling, we recruited 450 people during the Fall of 2014 from two drop in centers in Kermanshah, Iran. We collected data through face-to-face interviews. Early-onset injection is defined as whether the person reported their first injection at 22 years of age or younger. Subsequently, late-onset injection is defined as 23 years of age or older. We compared the characteristics of the two groups through both univariate and multiple logistic analyses. Results: Overall, 54% (CI 95%: 44.3%, 62.2%) were early injectors. After controlling for low socioeconomic status, initiation of drug use at a young age, multiple drug use and methamphetamine use were all significantly associated with a higher likelihood of early-onset injection. Additionally, early-onset injection was associated with recent syringe borrowing (OR = 2.6, p = 0.001), recent syringe lending (OR = 1.4, p = 0.01), recent cooker sharing (OR = 3.2, p = 0.01) and injecting two or more times a day (OR = 2.2, p = 0.04). Conclusion: Early-onset injectors were more likely to report a lower socioeconomic status, initiation of first drug use at a younger age, using methamphetamine alongside polydrug use, and engaging in higher risk taking behaviors like borrowing needles. With these associations, the study emphasizes the need for drug-prevention programs to focus on the transition to injection drug use at younger ages. |
| first_indexed | 2025-11-14T10:01:05Z |
| format | Journal Article |
| id | curtin-20.500.11937-54980 |
| institution | Curtin University Malaysia |
| institution_category | Local University |
| last_indexed | 2025-11-14T10:01:05Z |
| publishDate | 2017 |
| publisher | Informa Healthcare |
| recordtype | eprints |
| repository_type | Digital Repository |
| spelling | curtin-20.500.11937-549802017-09-13T15:49:26Z Comparing Characteristics of Early-Onset Injection Drug Users to Those With Late-Onset Injection in Kermanshah, Iran Jorjoran Shushtari, Z. Noroozi, A. Mirzazadeh, A. Ahounbar, E. Hajbi, A. Najafi, M. Bazrafshan, A. Farhadi, M. Farhoudian, A. Higgs, Peter Shahboulagh, F. Waye, K. Noroozi, M. © 2017 Taylor & Francis Group, LLC. Background: Characteristics and behaviors of early-onset injection drug users are under studied topics in Iran. This study aimed to identify and compare the demographic characteristics as well as the drug using behaviors of early-onset and late-onset injection drug users in Kermanshah, West Iran. Methods: In this cross-sectional study using snowball and convenience sampling, we recruited 450 people during the Fall of 2014 from two drop in centers in Kermanshah, Iran. We collected data through face-to-face interviews. Early-onset injection is defined as whether the person reported their first injection at 22 years of age or younger. Subsequently, late-onset injection is defined as 23 years of age or older. We compared the characteristics of the two groups through both univariate and multiple logistic analyses. Results: Overall, 54% (CI 95%: 44.3%, 62.2%) were early injectors. After controlling for low socioeconomic status, initiation of drug use at a young age, multiple drug use and methamphetamine use were all significantly associated with a higher likelihood of early-onset injection. Additionally, early-onset injection was associated with recent syringe borrowing (OR = 2.6, p = 0.001), recent syringe lending (OR = 1.4, p = 0.01), recent cooker sharing (OR = 3.2, p = 0.01) and injecting two or more times a day (OR = 2.2, p = 0.04). Conclusion: Early-onset injectors were more likely to report a lower socioeconomic status, initiation of first drug use at a younger age, using methamphetamine alongside polydrug use, and engaging in higher risk taking behaviors like borrowing needles. With these associations, the study emphasizes the need for drug-prevention programs to focus on the transition to injection drug use at younger ages. 2017 Journal Article http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/54980 10.1080/10826084.2016.1263666 Informa Healthcare restricted |
| spellingShingle | Jorjoran Shushtari, Z. Noroozi, A. Mirzazadeh, A. Ahounbar, E. Hajbi, A. Najafi, M. Bazrafshan, A. Farhadi, M. Farhoudian, A. Higgs, Peter Shahboulagh, F. Waye, K. Noroozi, M. Comparing Characteristics of Early-Onset Injection Drug Users to Those With Late-Onset Injection in Kermanshah, Iran |
| title | Comparing Characteristics of Early-Onset Injection Drug Users to Those With Late-Onset Injection in Kermanshah, Iran |
| title_full | Comparing Characteristics of Early-Onset Injection Drug Users to Those With Late-Onset Injection in Kermanshah, Iran |
| title_fullStr | Comparing Characteristics of Early-Onset Injection Drug Users to Those With Late-Onset Injection in Kermanshah, Iran |
| title_full_unstemmed | Comparing Characteristics of Early-Onset Injection Drug Users to Those With Late-Onset Injection in Kermanshah, Iran |
| title_short | Comparing Characteristics of Early-Onset Injection Drug Users to Those With Late-Onset Injection in Kermanshah, Iran |
| title_sort | comparing characteristics of early-onset injection drug users to those with late-onset injection in kermanshah, iran |
| url | http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/54980 |