People Who Inject Drugs: A Global Review

Globally, an estimated 15·6 million people aged 15–64 years inject drugs. Younger people who inject drugs are at higher risk of overdose, drug dependence, and blood-borne virus transmission and engaging in risky sexual behaviour.

In a recent study, published in The Lancet Global Health, researchers from around the world have reviewed demographic the demographic characteristics of people who inject drugs in different countries around the world.

The researchers analysed factors relating to age, the link between urban population growth, youth unemployment, access to opioid substitution therapy, and sexual risk behaviour at the country level. 

Results from the study found that:

• Globally, 25·3% of people who inject drugs were aged ≤25 years.
• The average age of onset of injecting drug use was 23·3 years.
• The highest percentage of young people who inject drugs resided in eastern Europe and the lowest in the Middle East and North Africa. 
• The youngest age of injecting drug use onset was estimated to be in Australasia at 19·1 years.
• Higher urban population growth was linked with increased age of IDU onset
• Higher youth unemployment was linked with lower age of IDU onset 
• Regions with the highest prevalence of young people who inject drugs had low coverage of interventions to prevent the spread of blood-borne viruses. 

The analysis contributed to an understanding of the factors that are linked to drug use amongst young people in specific countries. The research should be used to inform targeted country-specific interventions.