Factors associated with professional support access among a prospective cohort of methamphetamine users

Abstract

Encouraging out-of-treatment methamphetamine users who engage in problematic use patterns to initiate access of drug treatment and other health and support services is a key focus of drug policy. We followed a community-recruited cohort (N = 255) of regular methamphetamine users in Melbourne, Australia, to investigate patterns of engagement with professional support for methamphetamine use and/or associated harms over 12 months. Multivariate logistic regression identified factors independently associated with initiating contact with services during follow-up. Generalised estimating equations identified factors associated with current (at the time of interview) service access. General practitioners were the most common source of professional support during follow-up (24%). Overall, service utilisation was associated with riskier methamphetamine use patterns (e.g., injecting), professional support access for other issues (e.g., mental health), and greater experience of methamphetamine-related harms (e.g., adverse social consequences). These findings provide insights to inform strategies that will improve treatment initiation and retention by methamphetamine users.