SKIN Study

Preventing Bacterial and Viral Infections among Injection Drug Users

Principal Investigator

Jane Liebschutz, MD, MPH (subcontract PI)

Michael Stein, MD
Professor of Medicine, Health Services, Policy & Practice
Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University
Director of the General Medicine Research Unit (GMRU) at Butler Hospital

Funder

NIDA

Project Contact

Julia Keosaian, Project Manager
617-414-6969

Grant Abstract

Injection drug users (IDUs) are at increased risk of developing viral and bacterial infections. This study is a randomized controlled trial of a motivational interviewing intervention (Skin intervention) seeking to reduce the number of bacterial skin infections among hospitalized injection drug users during the year after they are discharged from the hospital. We also seek to learn if the SKIN intervention will reduce high risk injection practices for bacterial infections and HIV (sharing needles, re-using needles) and if it will reduce health services utilization. We will evaluate whether a reduced number of bacterial infections will be mediated by less frequent injection, more frequent skin cleaning and improved skin and needle cleaning skills.