CAARUD client profiles and practices in 2012

Support centres for the reduction of drug-related harms (CAARUDs) see populations that are often fragile. The harm reduction (HR) measures undertaken aim at limiting the impact of drug use (especially viral infections), providing information on the risks related to different substances and practices and promoting access to care, social benefits and acceptable living conditions, without, however, first requiring users to stop using drugs.

Subsequently, French CAARUDs mainly admit users who, although they can be followed up by French healthcare system services (whether or not specialised in addiction medicine), tend to have more uncontrolled problem use than users in general. They also tend to live in more precarious social situations.

This issue of Tendances presents the results of the 2012 “ENa-CAARUD” survey (the first three surveys took place in 2006, 2008 and 2010), which monitors the characteristics of treated drug users and help improve the responses of professionals and public authorities to the changing needs of this population.