A Pilot Study to Evaluate Skin Swabbing With Chlorhexidine to Prevent Skin And Soft Tissue Infections Among People Who Inject Drugs

A Pilot Study to Evaluate the Acceptability and Feasibility of Skin Swabbing With Chlorhexidine Gluconate to Prevent Skin And Soft Tissue Infections Among People Who Inject Drugs

The study examined chlorhexidine gluconate (CHG) swabs as a skin disinfectant in combination with a single-session safer injection training to prevent skin and soft tissue infections (SSTI) in people who inject drugs.

Skin and soft tissue infections (SSTI) are a serious and preventable complication of intravenous drug use, yet few interventions have been developed to reduce SSTI in people who inject drugs (PWID). This study tested two interventions to reduce SSTI in PWID: 1) a single-session behavioral intervention to inculcate skin swabbing behaviors, and 2) chlorhexidine swabs to be used as for cleaning the skin prior to injecting.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Self-report intravenous drug use within past 30 days

Exclusion Criteria:

• None