[2] People who inject drugs (PWID) are at an increased risk for Hepatitis C (HCV) and HIV due to needle sharing practices.
[9] Almost 50% of people who participate in IVDU have Hepatitis C.[10] Not only are blood borne diseases passed via needle sharing, but so are bacterial infections that can ultimately cause sepsis.
[12] In each respective country, government and cultural views towards PWID and NEPs have an impact on the resources available as demonstrated by studies done in China,[13] France,[14] Vietnam,[15] and India.
[16] Within the United States, needle sharing behavior is positively correlated to individuals who are of lower socioeconomic status, younger than 45 years old, male, and unemployed.
[17] People of a minority race or ethnicity are often at an increased risk of needle sharing, possibly due to lower levels of health education.
[18] If a sharps container is not available, needles can often be brought to local law enforcement, hospitals, or drug stores for safe collection and disposal.
[25] Additionally, in a cross-sectional survey performed in Glasgow from 1990 to 1996, the incidence of Hepatitis C had significantly decreased with the implementation of safe needle exchanges.
[26] The progression of supervised injection site implementation is currently not widely accepted due to social stigma, lack of government support, and health advocacy.