Key findings

• Nine hundred and nighty-nine IDRS participants were interviewed in SA from 2007-2016. Demographics across the years have remained relatively stable.
• Over the last decade, recent use of ‘any’ form of methamphetamine has remained high and fairly consistent.
• A change was observed from 2007 to 2016 for crystal methamphetamine users, with an increase in the proportion of participants reporting recent use of crystal methamphetamine, from 41% in 2007 to 75% in 2016.
• Binary logistic regression analysis indicated that in 2016, participants were significantly less likely to have recently used powder or base, when compared to crystal methamphetamine (p<0.01).
• From 2007 to 2016 a significant increase occurred in the proportion of participants reporting crystal methamphetamine as the form most used, from 29% in 2007 to 86% in 2016 (p<0.01).
• Multinomial regression analysis indicated that in 2014, 2015 and 2016, participants were significantly less likely to report powder as the form most used, when compared to crystal methamphetamine (p<0.01).
• No significant difference was found between 2010 and 2016 in relation to stimulant dependence, although half of respondents in 2016 had scores indicative of stimulant dependence.

Resources

• IDRS April 2017_FINAL.PDF