Assessing the role of syringe dispensing machines and mobile van outlets in reaching hard-to-reach and high-risk groups of injecting drug users (IDUs): a review

Table 2 Standard of good practice of dispensing machine and mobile van to address some common barriers experienced by IDUs in accessing sterile injecting equipment from conventional NSPs and pharmacy outlets.

Some common barriers to access	Vending Machines' ability to address	Mobile Vans' ability to address
Worried about being seen as an IDU	Very good	Moderate
Do not feel comfortable to visit NSPs	Very good	Moderate
Worried about being seen by parents/relatives	Moderate	Moderate
Hours not open when needed	Very good	Moderate
Pharmacies do not want to sell	Very good	Very good
Did not like attitudes of pharmacy-staff	Very good	Very good
Did not know about NSPs	Very good^α	Very good^α
Too far to travel NSPs or Pharmacies	Very good^α	Very good^α
Did not like location of NSPs or Pharmacies	Very good^α	Very good ^α
Too many police around NSPs	Very good	Very good
Not easy to travel to NSP and pharmacy	Very good ^α	Very good ^α
NSPs are too busy	Very good	Very good
NSP too close to a methadone clinic	Very good ^α	Very good ^α
Limited equipment available at once	Very good^β	Very good ^δ
Did not like NSP staff	Very good	Very good ^γ
Did not understand the language	Very good	Moderate
NSPs are male dominated	Very good	Moderate ^Ω

α: If strategically important places are covered by dispensing machines and (or) vans; β: If needle-syringes are offered for coin or free of cost; δ: If not strict to one-to-one exchange; γ: If peer staff are employed; Ω: It may be very good if services are gender responsive.

ISSN: 1477-7517