News
DDN ONLINE All the news and views www . drinkanddrugsnews . com
Homelessness ‘ substantially ’ increases BBV risk for people who inject drugs
Homelessness and unstable housing are associated with a ‘ substantial ’ increase in acquisition risk for both HIV and hepatitis C among people who inject drugs , according to research by the University of Bristol . Recent homelessness or unstable living circumstances meant a 55 per cent increase in HIV risk and 65 per cent for hep C risk , researchers found .
Worldwide , an estimated 22 per cent of people who inject drugs reported experiencing homelessness or unstable housing within the last year , with the figure for England standing at 42 per cent . Of the estimated 15.6m people globally who inject drugs , more than one in six are thought to be infected with HIV and more than half with hep C . The study , which was carried out by the University of Bristol ’ s NIHR Health Projection Research Unit in Behavioural Sciences and published in Lancet Public Health , is the first
GHB RECLASSIFIED
GHB AND RELATED SUBSTANCES ARE TO BE RECLASSIFIED from class C to class B , the home secretary has confirmed . The ACMD recommended in a report last year that GHB , GBL and related compound 1,4-BD should be reclassified , after the government requested a review following high profile cases in which GHB had been used to facilitate rapes and murders ( DDN , December / January , page 5 ). ‘ It is clear from the report that the harms of GHB and related substances require a broad response ,’ wrote Priti Patel in a letter to ACMD chair Professor Owen Bowden-Jones . systematic review and meta-analysis of the link between BBV risk and homelessness , and combines data from 45 previous studies .
Homelessness and unstable housing mean people are less likely to access both harm reduction measures such as needle exchange or substitute medication and HIV or hep C treatment – they are also more likely to have recently been in prison and to engage in higher-risk injecting behaviour . According to the Homeless Link charity , 30 per cent of the homeless population report last-month use of heroin . The response to the COVID-19 pandemic – which saw many countries quickly provide safe and secure housing for homeless people – demonstrates that ‘ dramatic , if only temporary , changes are possible if there is the political will ’, the report states . ‘ Our study highlights the overlapping biosocial problems that worsen health inequalities among homeless people who inject drugs ,’ said lead author
THE CHANCELLOR ’ S DECISION TO FREEZE ALCOHOL DUTIES for the second year running represents a ‘ huge blow for the health of our population ’, says the Alcohol Health Alliance . Charities had been calling on the government to increase duties to help tackle rising rates of alcoholrelated deaths – provisional ONS data for the first nine months of last year show 5,460 deaths related to alcoholspecific causes , up more than 16 per cent on the same period in 2019 ( DDN , March , page 5 ).
‘ Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic , deaths caused by alcohol have hit a new record high in England and Wales and high-risk drinking increased by almost 90 per cent between February and September last year ,’ said alliance chair Professor Sir Ian Gilmore . ‘ Alcohol treatment services are on their knees whilst off-trade alcohol sales have hit new heights .’
' The response to the COVID-19 pandemic ... demonstrates that dramatic , if only temporary , changes are possible if there is the political will .'
Chiedozie Arum . ‘ Expanding access to prevention and treatment services and improving housing provision for this population should be prioritised .’
Homelessness , unstable housing and risk of HIV and hepatitis C virus acquisition among people who inject drugs at www . thelancet . com / journals / lanpub / home
' Big blow ' to health
' Alcohol treatment services are on their knees whilst off-trade alcohol sales have hit new heights .'
PROFESSOR SIR IAN GILMORE
Local News
TIME TO TALK Talking Together is a new patient-led support group for people who are HIV positive set up by Kent Community Health NHS Foundation Trust after many reported feeling alone and isolated . ‘ Some said staff at our clinics were the only people who knew they were HIV positive – they hadn ’ t felt able to tell anyone else ,’ said project manager Juliette . Pictured : Steve Bamford , HIV peer support group
SPECIALIST SUPPORT A specialist drug and mental health support hub for 18 to 25-year-olds under probation supervision will launch in July in Newham , east London . The £ 3m pilot scheme , which will run until 2023 , has been developed by Newham Probation Office and MOPAC .
SOCIAL SERVICE Two new projects to help people with a history of substance issues to secure a job in social care have been announced by SDF . More than 80 per cent of those graduating from SDF ’ s paid employment programme go on to secure a job ‘ in either addiction services or wider social care ’, said senior development officer Colin Pomeroy . www . sdf . org . uk / jobs
WWW . DRINKANDDRUGSNEWS . COM APRIL 2021 • DRINK AND DRUGS NEWS • 5