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Craig L Fry

Publications and source records attributed to Craig L Fry.

9 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2006

When is a little knowledge dangerous? Circumstances of recent heroin overdose and links to knowledge of overdose risk factors.

OBJECTIVES: To describe the circumstances surrounding recent heroin overdose among a sample of heroin overdose survivors and the links to their knowledge of overdose risk. METHODS: A cross-sectional survey of 257 recent non-fatal heroin overdose survivors was undertaken to examine self-reported knowledge of overdose risk reduction strategies, behaviour in the 12 h prior to overdose and attributions of overdose causation. RESULTS: Most of the overdoses occurred in public spaces as a result of heroin use within 5 min of purchasing the drug. A substantial number of overdoses occurred with no one else present and/or involved the concomitant use of other drugs. While knowledge of at least one overdose prevention strategy was reported by 90% of the sample, less then half of the sample knew any single strategy. Furthermore knowledge of the dangers of mixing benzodiazepines and/or alcohol with heroin was associated with an increased likelihood of such mixing being reported prior to overdose. CONCLUSIONS: While heroin users can articulate knowledge of key overdose risk reduction strategies, this knowledge was not generally associated with a reduction in risk behaviours but was in some cases associated with increased reports of overdose risk behaviours. Further research is required in order to better understand this paradoxical effect, focussing on risk reduction education amenable to the social contexts in which heroin use takes place.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2005

Buprenorphine diversion and injection in Melbourne, Australia: an emerging issue?

AIMS: To examine indicators of buprenorphine diversion and injection among injecting drug users in Melbourne, Australia and to determine the factors associated with buprenorphine injection. DESIGN: Melbourne arm of the 2002 Illicit Drug Reporting System (IDRS) cross-sectional study. SETTING: Five Needle and Syringe Programme sites in Melbourne, Australia. PARTICIPANTS: A total of 156 current injecting drug users (IDU). Study eligibility criteria were at least monthly injection during the previous 6 months, and Melbourne residence for at least the preceding 12 months. MEASUREMENTS: Structured questionnaire covering demographic characteristics, drug use history, the price, purity and availability of drugs, criminal activity, risk-taking behaviours, health-related issues and general drug use trends. FINDINGS: Over one-third (37%) of the study sample reported injecting buprenorphine in their life-time and 33% reported injecting the drug in the last 6 months. Recent buprenorphine injection was associated with the injection of other drug types (i.e. polydrug injectors), opioid substitution treatment, injection-related health problems and involvement in crime. Almost half (47%) of those who reported recent buprenorphine injection reported obtaining the drug illicitly at least once during that time. CONCLUSIONS: Given the significant health harms associated with intravenous buprenorphine use (e.g. vein damage, abscesses and infections, precipitated withdrawal, blood-borne virus transmission, hospitalization and death), routine monitoring of the misuse of buprenorphine in Melbourne is warranted. These results suggest the need for development of effective countermeasures to address diversion and injection of buprenorphine in this setting.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2004

Randomized controlled trial of a brief behavioural intervention for reducing hepatitis C virus risk practices among injecting drug users.

AIM: To develop and evaluate a brief intervention for reducing risk behaviours associated with HCV transmission in injecting drug users (IDU). DESIGN: Randomized controlled trial of an individually tailored brief behavioural intervention (BBI) (experimental) versus a standardized educational intervention (control). SETTING: Specialist drug treatment facility in Melbourne, Australia. PARTICIPANTS: One hundred and forty-five IDU (aged 18 or over, injecting at least weekly in the preceding 6 months) recruited and randomized to the experimental condition (n = 73) or the control condition (n = 72). INTERVENTIONS: The BBI was based on the Blood-Borne Virus Transmission Risk Assessment Questionnaire (BBV-TRAQ)-a standardized blood-borne virus risk assessment instrument comprising injecting risk, sexual risk and other skin penetration risk subscales. The BBV-TRAQ was used to identify individual HCV risk practices and to tailor the 30-minute experimental BBI. Control participants received a standardized HCV educational session, using current educational materials. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: BBV-TRAQ subscale and total scores and measures of participant satisfaction. RESULTS: One hundred and twenty-four participants (86%) were followed-up at 4 weeks (+/-7 days). Analyses revealed a significant reduction in HCV risk behaviours for both groups at 1-month follow-up, with participants in the experimental BBI condition reporting higher overall satisfaction with the intervention compared to the control group. CONCLUSIONS: Both groups reported significant reductions in risk behaviour, indicating that while BBI methods hold promise for HCV education and prevention, they were not demonstrated to be more effective than the provision of standard educational materials. Future research could evaluate the efficacy of the BBV-TRAQ as a risk behaviour intervention and counselling tool in clinical, NSP and peer education settings.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2004

Raising the profile of public health ethics in Australia: time for debate.

This paper argues for greater dialogue on public health ethics. There has been little discussion in Australia about the significant ethical dilemmas in this field, and there is no agreed framework for analysing and responding to these challenges. We highlight concerns about the suitability of biomedical principles-based ethics for public health, and encourage public health professionals in this country to reflect on ethical challenges in public health research. A focus on research ethics concerns will deliver concrete examples demonstrating the need for a public health ethics framework. Recommendations are offered for how public health ethics promotion may occur locally.

Australia↗
PubMed2003

Psychometric properties of the Blood-borne Virus Transmission Risk Assessment Questionnaire (BBV-TRAQ).

AIMS: To develop a standard measure of blood-borne virus transmission risk behaviour, and examine the underlying psychometric properties. DESIGN: The Blood-borne Virus Transmission Risk Assessment Questionnaire (BBV-TRAQ) was developed over three consecutive phases of the original BBV-TRAQ study in adherence to classical scale development procedures, culminating in the recruitment of a development sample of current injecting drug users via convenience and snowball sampling. SETTING: Needle and syringe programmes (NSPs), medical clinics, alcohol/drug agencies, peer-based and outreach organizations across inner and outer metropolitan Melbourne. PARTICIPANTS: Two hundred and nine current injecting drug users. The mean age was 27 years, 68% were male, 65% unemployed, 36% with prison history and 25% in methadone maintenance. MEASUREMENTS: BBV-TRAQ items cover specific injecting, sexual and skin penetration risk practices. BBV-TRAQ characteristics were assessed via measures of internal and test-retest reliability; collateral validation; and principal components analyses. FINDINGS: The BBV-TRAQ has satisfactory psychometric properties. Internal (a=0.87), test-retest (r=0.84) and inter-observer reliability results were high, suggesting that the instrument provides a reliable measure of BBV risk behaviour and is reliable over time and across interviewers. A principal components analysis with varimax rotation produced a parsimonious factor solution despite modest communality, and indicated that three factors (injecting, sex and skin penetration/hygiene risks) are required to describe BBV risk behaviour. CONCLUSIONS: The BBV-TRAQ is reliable and represents the first risk assessment tool to incorporate sufficient coverage of injecting, sex and other skin penetration risk practices to be considered truly content valid. The questionnaire is indicated for use in addictions research, clinical, peer education and BBV risk behaviour surveillance settings.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2002

Recent trends in benzodiazepine use by injecting drug users in Victoria and Tasmania.

To address the lack of data on patterns of benzodiazepine use among injecting drug users (IDU) in Victoria and Tasmania, convenience samples of 152 Melbourne and 100 Hobart IDU were recruited from needle and syringe programme outlets and administered a structured survey on patterns of benzodiazepine use, injection-related health problems and drug use history. Most respondents had used benzodiazepines during the preceding 6 months, and more than one-third (Melbourne 36%, 95% CI, 28-44; Hobart 37%, 95% CI, 27-47) had injected benzodiazepines during this period. Diazepam was the preferred benzodiazepine for those using orally, while intravenous benzodiazepine users preferred to inject temazepam. Benzodiazepine injection for Melbourne IDU was related to greater levels of injection-related health problems. Patterns of benzodiazepine use amongst Melbourne and Hobart IDU are different to that in other Australian jurisdictions, with available data suggesting that prevalence of injection may be increasing. Ongoing monitoring of benzodiazepine injection, together with in-depth studies of supply characteristics and health impacts in jurisdictions where significant trends are detected is needed. Consideration of regulatory, supply, education and training options for the prevention of benzodiazepine injection is also indicated.

Administration, Oral↗