The impact of needle exchange-based health services on emergency department use

J Gen Intern Med. 2002 May;17(5):341-8. doi: 10.1046/j.1525-1497.2002.10663.x.

Abstract

Objective: To examine the impact of the New Haven Community Health Care Van (CHCV), a mobile needle exchange-based health care delivery system, in reducing emergency department (ED) use among out-of-treatment injection drug users (IDUs) between January 1, 1996 and December 31, 1998.

Design: A pre-post comparison of ED utilization was performed using linked medical records from New Haven's only two emergency departments. Fixed-effect negative binomial regression analysis was used to explore the impact of the CHCV on ED use within a longitudinal cohort.

Setting: Mobile health clinic in New Haven, Conn.

Participants: Out-of-treatment IDUs.

Intervention: Acute care, linkages to medical, drug treatment, and social services.

Measurements and main results: Among 373 IDUs, 117 (31%) were CHCV clients, and 256 had not used CHCV services. At baseline, CHCV users were more frequent users of ED services (P <.001). After full-scale implementation, mean ED utilization declined among CHCV clients and increased within the non-CHCV group. CHCV use is associated with statistically significant reductions in ED use, with an incidence rate ratio (IRR) of 0.79 (95% confidence interval [95% CI], 0.66 to 0.95). Subgroup analyses demonstrated significant IRR reductions, notably among Hispanics (0.65; 95% CI, 0.47 to 0.90), men (0.79; 95% CI, 0.64 to 0.98], HIV-negative IDUs (0.79; 95% CI, 0.63 to 0.98), and those with mental illness (0.75; 95% CI, 0.60 to 0.94).

Conclusion: Needle exchange-based health care services can reduce ED utilization among high-risk injection drug users. Such services may have an important role within communities with high rates of drug use and HIV/AIDS.

Publication types

  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Connecticut
  • Emergency Service, Hospital / statistics & numerical data*
  • Female
  • HIV Infections / prevention & control
  • HIV Infections / transmission
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Mobile Health Units / statistics & numerical data*
  • Needle-Exchange Programs*
  • Substance Abuse, Intravenous / complications
  • Time Factors