Estimating Individual Syringe Coverage at Syringe Services Programs

Abstract

The purpose of this guidance is to help syringe services programs (SSPs) in collecting and analyzing data on individual syringe coverage for their participants. Syringe coverage is an indicator that can help SSPs and other stakeholders estimate if people who inject drugs have enough syringes to reduce risks of infections and vein damage. This guidance is focused on calculating syringe coverage for the participants of one program and for sub-groups of participants of a program (e.g. participants who are unhoused). Health departments and researchers who work with SSPs could use this information to meaningfully engage with harm reduction staff to survey people who inject drugs and assess resource gaps.