A combined research approach with both quantitative and qualitative methods
was used to contextualise risk behaviour among injecting drug users (IDUs)
in Ho chi Minh City (HCMC), Vietnam, in April 1997. A total of 630 IDUs (3
30 inside and 300 outside the rehabilitation centre) were recruited to the
study. Very high-risk injecting behaviour among IDUs in the past, including
sharing needles, syringes and drug solutions from the same drug pot in sho
oting galleries, may explain why HIV prevalence among IDUs in HCM has been
growing rapidly. IDUs who had in the past injected on the street, used syri
nges from shooting galleries, were injected by drug dealers and/or joined i
n needle sharing were more likely to be sharing needles and syringes curren
tly. Condom use was low, and was mainly with female sex: workers but nor wi
th regular partners. Both IDUs who continue to use shooting galleries and s
hooting gallery owners should be educated on the necessity of using clean i
njecting equipment and on how to clean it properly. Co-ordination between m
inistries and agencies involved in HIV/AIDS and drugs programmes is needed
to create policies for supportive environments to bring about changes in bo
th drug use and HIV risk behaviours.