[Perceived health and use of health care services in inmates of an Andalusian prison, 1999]. / Percepción del estado de salud y utilización de servicios sanitarios por parte de las personas internas en una prisión Andaluza, 1999.

BACKGROUND: The study of the health condition of the populations under confinement in penitentiaries is based on the evidence of a more deteriorated health than the general population and a greater degree of social exclusion, which is associated with worse general health. This study is aimed at ascertaining how the inmates of an Andalusian penitentiary perceive their health condition and the use made thereby of the healthcare services, as well as the factors associated with those variables. METHODS: Descriptive, cross-sectional study. The data was collected with a questionnaire. The sample size was 450 inmates, 90.4% of whom were males. RESULTS: Seventy-two percent of those taking part in the study considered their health to be good or very good, 32.7% stating having seen the doctor once a month or more often. A total 43.1% of the participants stated having chronic illnesses, mainly HIV (19.1%) and hepatitis C (18.2%); 40.9% stating that they take medication. Worse health was perceived among the older inmates, those who have to serve longer than a five-year sentence, those who are repeat offenders and those not having pending trials. Those perceiving their health to have deteriorated over the past year have chronic illnesses and take medication. The regression model for the use of healthcare services shows that they are used to a greater extent by those who are serving a longer than a 5-year sentence, those who have been in prison for less than a year and those who take medication. CONCLUSIONS: The results show the importance of increasing the monitoring of possible addictive disorders upon entering prison and of the trend and treatment of chronic diseases.

[Factors Related to the Use of Inhaled and Intravenous Heroin, Granada, Spain]. / Factores asociados al uso de la vía pulmonar e intravenosa en una muestra de consumidores de heroína en Granada.

OBJECTIVE: Heroin use has stabilized in recent years in Spain, and the use of injected heroin having decreased. Nevertheless,major differences exist among different Autonomous Communities and among injected heroin users profile. This study is aimed at ascertaining the forms of heroin use (how administered) in an intentional sample of users in a situation of social exclusion andsome variables related to said forms of use. METHODS: The sample was comprised of 285 participants (82.8% males; average age 36.06). This study was conducted in the city of Granada in July-October 2002. Structured surveys conducted by onthe-street interviewers and individuals having knowledge of the environment («peers¼) using the «snowball¼ technique. RESULTS: A total of 48.4% of the participants alternate inhaled and intravenous heroin use; 25.6% using only inhaled and 25.6% only intravenous. Following a regression analysis, it was found that the females, the youngest users and those having started use at an older age were at less risk of intravenous heroin use. A total of 21.5% of the participants who started using heron in inhaled form, also currently use both the injected and inhaled forms, the remaining 79.5% continue to use the inhaled form. CONCLUSIONS: Among individuals in a situation of social exclusion the intravenous form exceeds the estimated percentages in the Autonomous Community of Andalusia.

OBJETIVO: En los últimos años el consumo de heroína en España se ha estabilizado y el uso de la vía inyectada ha disminuido. No obstante existen importantes diferencias entre comunidades y entre los consumidores por la vía inyectada. El objetivo del presente estudio es conocer vías de administración de heroína en una muestra intencional de usuarios en situación de exclusión social y algunas de las variables que se asocian con ellas. METODOS: La muestra se compone de 285 participantes (hombres 82,8%; edad media 36,06). El estudio se llevó a cabo en la ciudad de Granada entre julio y octubre de 2002. Se realizaron entrevistas estructuradas por trabajadores de calle y personas conocedoras del medio (iguales), utilizando la técnica de «bola de nieve¼. RESULTADOS: El 48,4% de los participantes consumen heroína por vía pulmonar e intravenosa; el 25,6% la consumen sólo por vía pulmonar; y un 25,6% sólo intravenosa. Tras un análisis de regresión se observa que las mujeres, los participantes más jóvenes y los que se han iniciado más tarde en el consumo son quienes menos tienden a utilizar la vía intravenosa. De los participantes que se iniciaron con inhalación el 21,5% actualmente además de inhalar también se inyectan, y el 79,5% restante se mantiene en la vía por inhalación. CONCLUSIONES: Las personas en situación de exclusión social utilizan la vía intravenosa en porcentajes superiores al resto de la comunidad andaluza.