RESEARCH-AND-DEVELOPMENT FOCUSING ON PEER INTERVENTION FOR DRUG-USERS

Peer interventions have been advocated as a means of expanding and con solidating existing HIV interventions among drug users. They have been promoted as having the potential to redress the limitations of tradit ional outreach by maximizing contacts with hidden populations of drug users, and replacing individually focused health education with effort s to change 'community norms' towards safer drug use. Yet, despite suc h accolades, there has been little published information on the practi calities of implementing or developing such interventions among drug u sers in the UK. This paper outlines a survey of peer interventions amo ng drug services in North Thames Regional Health Authority. The findin gs provide some insight into the ay in which these interventions are b eing introduced into the drugs field. The paper also highlights the po tential role for local forums of service providers in the management a nd development of community interventions.