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Prevalence of skin problems and leg ulceration in a sample of young injecting drug users
(BMC, 2014-08-13) Coull, Alison; Atherton, Iain; Taylor, Avril; Watterson, Andrew E.
Background Drug users suffer harm from the injecting process, and clinical services are reporting increasing numbers presenting with skin-related problems such as abscesses and leg ulcers. Skin breakdown can lead to long-term health problems and increased service costs and is often the first indication of serious systemic ill health. The extent of skin problems in injecting drug users has not previously been quantified empirically, and there is a dearth of robust topical literature. Where skin problems have been reported, this is often without clear definition and generic terms such as ‘soft tissue infection’ are used which lack specificity. The aim of this study was to identify the range and extent of skin problems including leg ulceration in a sample of injecting drug users. Definitions of skin problems were developed and applied to descriptions from drug users to improve rigour.
Risk factors for leg ulceration in people who inject drugs: A cross‐sectional study
(Wiley, 2021-02-26) Coull, Alison; Kyle, Richard G.; Hanson, Coral L.; Watterson, Andrew E.
Aims and Objectives The aim of this study was to assess, for the first time in a hard‐to‐reach population, the risk factors for leg ulceration among PWID, with the objective of making improvements to prevention and care.