Longitudinal changes in psychological distress in a cohort of people who inject drugs in Melbourne, Australia

Journal article


Scott, Nick, Carrotte, Elise Rose, Higgs, Peter, Cogger, Shelley, Stoové, Mark A., Aitken, Campbell K. and Dietze, Paul M.. (2016). Longitudinal changes in psychological distress in a cohort of people who inject drugs in Melbourne, Australia. Drug and Alcohol Dependence. 168, pp. 140 - 146. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2016.08.638
AuthorsScott, Nick, Carrotte, Elise Rose, Higgs, Peter, Cogger, Shelley, Stoové, Mark A., Aitken, Campbell K. and Dietze, Paul M.
Abstract

Background: Previous research into psychological distress among people who inject drugs (PWID) is predominantly cross-sectional; we determined longitudinal predictors of change in psychological distress among a cohort of PWID. Method: We examined Kessler Psychological Distress Scale (K10) scores from 564 PWID (66% male) enrolled in the Melbourne Injecting Drug User Cohort Study. Gender-stratified linear models with fixed effects for each participant were used to examine correlates of change in individual K10 scores. Further linear regressions of adjusted K10 scores were used to measure correlations between demographic variables. Results: Participants reported higher K10 scores (higher psychological distress) than the general Australian population (mean K10 scores 23.4 (95%CI 22.6–24.2) and 14.5 (95%CI 14.3–14.7) respectively). The cohort’s mean K10 score did not significantly differ over time, but individual variations were common. Women reported higher K10 scores than men (mean baseline K10 scores 25.2 (95%CI 23.9–26.6) and 22.4 (95%CI 21.5–23.3) respectively), however no significant differences remained after controlling for temporal factors. Key predictors of increases in K10 scores were being the victim of an assault in the past six months (P < 0.001 for women and men) and intentionally overdosing in the past 12 months (P = .010 for women and P < 0.001 for men). Conclusions: PWID experience higher levels of psychological distress than the general population. Temporal rather than individual factors may account for the higher levels of psychological distress reported among women. Interventions to reduce rates of assault and/or intentional overdose should be explored to reduce high levels of psychological distress among PWID.

Keywordsinjecting drug use; heroin use; psychological distress; mental health; cohort study; longitudinal research
Year2016
JournalDrug and Alcohol Dependence
Journal citation168, pp. 140 - 146
PublisherElsevier Ireland Ltd.
ISSN0376-8716
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)https://doi.org/10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2016.08.638
Scopus EID2-s2.0-84994311171
Page range140 - 146
Publisher's version
File Access Level
Controlled
Grant IDNHMRC/545891
NHMRC/1001144
Place of publicationIreland
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