Mw. Ross et al., EXPLANATIONS FOR SHARING INJECTION EQUIPMENT IN INJECTING DRUG-USERS AND BARRIERS TO SAFER DRUG-USE, Addiction, 89(4), 1994, pp. 473-479
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.