AN ETHNOGRAPHY OF RISK MANAGEMENT AMONGST ILLICIT DRUG INJECTORS AND ITS IMPLICATIONS FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF COMMUNITY-BASED INTERVENTIONS

Qualitative research which describes the social behaviour of illicit d rug users has a key role to play in refining community-based intervent ions. Such research has been used for many years in drugs research, bu t during the AIDS epoch its practical application has been most fully realised. Data are presented to illustrate the way in which qualitativ e research can inform the development of outreach initiatives targeted towards illicit drug injectors, not in contact with treatment service s. Social networks of injectors from three sites in England were studi ed and we describe the strategies they adopted to reduce the likelihoo d of viral infection. We show how informal coping strategies, such as personalising syringes and ensuring a supply of sterile injecting equi pment through secondary distribution can be integrated into peer educa tion outreach. We also examine the management of risk and the social m eanings that perpetuate sharing of injecting equipment, describe situa tions and scenarios in which syringe sharing is likely to occur, and s uggest how such research can assist the evaluation and evolution of re levant and targeted interventions.