The Impact of Syringe Services Program Policy on Risk Behaviors Among Persons Who Inject Drugs in 3 US Cities, 2005-2015

Abstract

Objectives: The impact of a syringe services program (SSP) policy on risk behaviors and its durability are not as well studied as the impact of the SSPs themselves. We examined whether trends in syringe sharing among persons who inject drugs (PWID) were associated with changes to syringe access policies in 3 US cities: Denver, New Orleans, and Philadelphia. Methods: PWID were surveyed through National HIV Behavioral Surveillance System surveys in each city in 2005, 2009, 2012, and 2015. We assessed changes in syringe sharing from 2005 to 2015 by city. We used multivariable stepwise logistic regression analysis to measure the associations among syringe sharing and injection works sharing, time, and SSP access. Results: From 2005 to 2015, syringe sharing decreased significantly from 49.1% to 33.1% in Denver (P