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APHA Scientific Session and Event Listing

Mary Ellen Mackesy-Amiti, PhD and Lawrence J. Ouellet, PhD. Division of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University of Illinois at Chicago, School of Public Health, 1603 W. Taylor, Chicago, IL 60612, 312-355-4892, mmamiti@uic.edu

Inhalation of volatile solvents, aerosol propellants, and fuel gases such as butane, provides a quick, inexpensive high, with potentially fatal consequences. In general population studies of adolescents, inhalant use has been linked to delinquent behavior, and later binge drinking, poly-substance use, and injection drug use. This secondary analysis of data from the Collaborative Injection Drug Users Studies II investigates the prevalence of inhalant use, and characteristics of inhalant users among injection drug users in Chicago. Risky injection behaviors (i.e. sharing syringes or other injection equipment) are compared between inhalant using and non-inhalant using injectors. Thirty percent of the IDU reported ever using inhalants, and 10% reported current use. Inhalant users were more likely than nonusers to be White, of younger age, live in the suburbs, and have spent time in a mental health facility or mental hospital. Inhalant use was associated with heavy alcohol use, and among males, with recent crack cocaine use. Even after adjusting for crack use, current inhalant users were nearly three times as likely as non-inhalant users to report sharing injection equipment other than syringes (cookers, cottons, or rinse water). Injection drug users who use inhalants may be at increased risk of HIV or HCV infection through sharing contaminated injection equipment.

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