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Injecting Drug Users

Evidence-Based Strategies for Preventing Opioid Overdose: What’s Working in the United States (An introduction for public heath, law enforcement, local organizations, and others striving to serve their community)

This document is to assist community leaders, local and regional organizers, non-profit groups, law enforcement, public health, and members of the public in understanding and navigating effective strategies to prevent opioid overdose in their communities.

HIV and Substance Abuse in the United States

This fact sheet summarizes the link between HIV and substance abuse in the U.S. The report then summarizes the most commonly used substances and HIV risk, as well prevention challenges and how CDC is enhancing its prevention methods.

HIV and Injection Drug Use Syringe Services Programs for HIV Prevention

This Vital Signs highlights the importance of expanding access to SSPs, which provide sterile needles and syringes and ideally offer many other comprehensive services to help improve the health of PWID and their communities, such as treatment for substance use disorder, HIV, and hepatitis testing and linkage to treatment, and safe disposal of used syringes.

Deeper Look: Opioids

This webpage discusses the opioid crisis is one of the greatest public health challenges facing the U.S., causing an unprecedented surge in overdose deaths, and fueling the rapid rise in new Hepatitis C infections from injection drug use in communities across the country. Find helpful infographics at the bottom of the page.

Measuring Syringe Coverage at SSPs: An Indicator for Equity and Needs-Based Distribution

On July 20, 2023, NASTAD hosted a webinar for the University of Washington Supporting Harm Reductions Programs team, “Measuring Syringe Coverage at SSPs: An Indicator for Equity and Needs-Based Distribution.” During this webinar, UW SHaRP shared tools and tips for syringe services programs interested in measuring syringe coverage among their program participants.  

Harm reduction tips for monkeypox

This webpage houses recommendations and guidelines for syringe services programs and other stakeholders as it pertains to mpox.

Moldova Expands Harm Reduction Services to All Prisons

This video discusses how any new prisoner to the country’s 17 penitentiaries sees a psychiatrist, a doctor and if needed is offered to join a treatment programme. Comprehensive harm reduction services not only include drug dependence treatment but also needle syringe exchange and HIV testing and treatment. HIV prevalence is 11% among people who inject drugs in Moldova vs 0.36% among the general population.  They are one of the most affected groups in the country. UNAIDS, UNODC and WHO have been long-time supporters of expanding these services to all prisons.

Leave no one behind and that includes people who use drugs

This video discusses how Daouda Diouf comes daily to the Fann Hospital compound daily in Dakar, Senegal. He is one of 250 people enrolled in CEPIAD’s opioid substitution therapy programme (OST). OST is a globally recognized intervention to reduce injecting behaviors that put people who inject drugs at risk of contracting HIV and other blood-borne diseases, such as viral hepatitis.

Injection Drug Use (IDU) Infographic

This infographic discusses how in 2018, injection drug use (IDU) was highest among men (21%),