Injecting Drug Use

To determine the hospital cost of caring for newborn infants with congenital syphilis. All live-born singleton neonates with birth weight greater than 500 gm at an inner-city municipal hospital in New York City in 1989. We compared the characteristics of 114 infants with case-compatible congenital syphilis with those of 2906 infants without syphilis. Cost estimates were based on New York State newborn diagnosis-related groups (DRG) reimbursements adjusted for length of stay, birth weight, preterm delivery, and selected maternal risk factors, including infection with the human immunodeficiency virus, cocaine use during pregnancy, and history of injected drug use. For infants with congenital syphilis, the unadjusted mean cost ($11,031) and the median cost ($4961) were more than three times larger than those for infants without syphilis (p < 0.01). After adjustment, congenital syphilis was associated with an additional length of hospitalization of 7 1/2 days and an additional cost of $4690 (both p < 0.01) above mean study population values (7.13 days, $3473). Based on the number of reported cases (1991 to 1994), the average annual national cost of treating infants with congenital syphilis is approximately $18.4 million (1995 dollars). This estimate provides a benchmark to assess the cost-effectiveness of strategies to prevent, diagnose, and treat the disease.

This definition was produced to help health workers and researchers understand differences between ChemSex and using recreational drugs and/or alcohol for sex.

- (Ref): Stuart D and Collins S, Methmephangee - ChemSex vs recreational drug use: a proposed definition for health workers. HIV Treatment Bulletin, Volume 16 Number 5/6, May/June 2015. Published online ahead of press.

Background:  Like other epidemics, the current heroin epidemic
in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic is a largely invisible and
devastating social problem linked to numerous structural and social
determinants of health.
Methods: In this article, we connect a community-based participatory
research methodology – “PhotoVoice” – with the theoretical orientation
of critical medical anthropology to identify local interpretations of
complex social and structural factors that are most salient to the wellbeing
of local Dominican populations affected by drug addiction.
Results:  Specifically, we describe Proyecto Lentes (Lens Project), a
PhotoVoice initiative launched in 2014, which brought together
active drug users to visually unveil and critically analyze the microand
macro-factors shaping the marginalized and stigmatized drug
addiction epidemic in Santo Domingo.
Conclusions: While the synthesis of PhotoVoice and critical medical
anthropology provides a powerful political analysis tool, this fusion
is particularly apt in its ability to capture the “invisible voices” of
marginalized communities, potentially contributing to future policy
reform and social empowerment