EXPLANATIONS FOR SHARING INJECTION EQUIPMENT IN INJECTING DRUG-USERS AND BARRIERS TO SAFER DRUG-USE

We examined the explanations given by a sample of 1245 injecting drug users in Sydney, Australia for accepting used injection equipment. Fac tor analysis of these reasons revealed three dimensions of sharing: no t caring when withdrawing or intoxicated, unavailability of equipment, and not seeing it as high risk or ease of injecting. The most common reasons given were difficulty in obtaining sterile equipment (73% of c ases), the dangers not seeming so important when in withdrawal (40%) a nd sharing being something done with friends or lovers (31%). Most com mon reasons for not sharing ring were related to health issues (91% ci ting AIDs and 67% hepatitis). These data suggest that interventions ta rget Provision Of sterile equipment, and education which highlights ri sk situations such as intoxication and withdrawal.