Publication
Clinical and demographic characteristics of people who smoke versus inject crystalline methamphetamine in Australia: Findings from a pharmacotherapy trial
Publisher:
Wiley
Date:
06-10-2020
DOI:
10.1111/DAR.13183
Abstract: There has been a rapid increase in smoking crystalline meth hetamine in Australia. We compare the clinical and demographic characteristics of those who smoke versus inject the drug in a cohort of people who use meth hetamine. Participants ( N = 151) were dependent on meth hetamine, aged 18–60 years, enrolled in a pharmacotherapy trial for meth hetamine dependence, and reported either injecting ( n = 54) or smoking ( n = 97) meth hetamine. Measures included the Timeline Followback, Severity of Dependence Scale, Amphetamine Withdrawal Questionnaire, Craving Experience Questionnaire and the Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale (symptoms of depression, hostility, psychosis and suicidality). Simultaneous regression was used to identify independent demographic correlates of smoking meth hetamine and to compare the clinical characteristics of participants who smoked versus injected. Compared to participants who injected meth hetamine, those who smoked meth hetamine were younger and less likely to be unemployed, have a prison history or live alone. Participants who smoked meth hetamine used meth hetamine on more days in the past 4 weeks than participants who injected meth hetamine (26 vs. 19 days, P = 0.001) they did not differ significantly in their severity of meth hetamine dependence, withdrawal, craving or psychiatric symptoms ( P 0.05). After adjustment for demographic differences, participants who smoked had lower craving [b (SE) = −1.1 (0.5), P = 0.021] and were less likely to report psychotic symptoms [b (SE) = −1.8 (0.7), P = 0.013] or antidepressant use [b (SE) = −1.1 (0.5), P = 0.022]. Smoking crystalline meth hetamine is associated with a younger less marginalised demographic profile than injecting meth hetamine, but a similarly severe clinical profile.