SEX, DRUGS, INTERVENTION, AND RESEARCH - FROM THE INDIVIDUAL TO THE SOCIAL

Epidemiological estimates of the sexual risk behavior of drug users ha ve provided essential indicators to the current and future prevalence of HIV transmission. An overview of recent research shows the majority of drug injectors to be sexually active, low levels of reported condo m use, a significant minority of female injectors to be involved in pr ostitution, relatively high levels of sexual mixing between drug injec tors and noninjectors, and only scant indications of sexual behavior c hange. Epidemiological studies of risk, however, are unable to yield t he data required to understand the interaction between individual risk behavior and social relationships. This is required if obstacles to s afer sex compliance and sexual behavior change are to be overcome, and demands recognition of the influence and importance of social context on the production of sexual risk behavior in future research and inte rvention designs. In response, the paper explores the future role of q ualitative research in understanding the social relations of ''risk'' and in contributing toward theoretical advancements in explanations of risk perception and risk behavior. The paper concludes by discussing the implications of this analysis for developing interventions which a im to target social relationships as agents of social network and comm unity change.