CONTRASTING METHODS OF COLLECTING DATA ON INJECTORS RISK BEHAVIOR

In this paper two contrasting methods of collecting data on drug injec tors' needle and syringe sharing practices are considered, namely: dir ect questions about any previous sharing in the last 6 months, and vig nettes in which injectors are asked to indicate whether they would be prepared to share injecting equipment in a range of situations. Inject ors' statements of their preparedness to share are far in excess of th eir reports of actual sharing. The possible reasons for this discrepan cy are considered, including that injectors may have under-reported th e level of their actual sharing. It is suggested that in future studie s aiming to collect risk behaviour data should seek to combine methods rather than to rely solely upon direct questioning of any past sharin g.