Infectious and other somatic comorbidity in problem drug users - results of a cross-sectional study with medical examination

Abstract

Problem drug use is associated with excess risk of infectious and other somatic diseases resulting mainly from injecting drug use. At the end of 2013, a complete medical history and physical examination was done in 40 problem drug users (30 males and 10 females), mean age 35.5 years (37.0 and 30.9, respectively), recruited in 4 low-threshold facilities in Prague.

Of them, 37 were ex- or active injecting drug users, predominantly of methamphetamine (pervitin) and less often of buprenorphine.

Keywords

• somatic comorbidity
• infectious diseases
• problem drug use
• injection drug use
• methamphetamine
• buprenorphine
• medical examination
• medical care