Behavioural Patterns of Drug Users In Highland

Thirty-five (46.1%) injectors had injected with needles and syringes previously used by someone else in the six months prior to interview: 7 (20%) on a daily basis, 10 (28.6%) weekly and 18 (51.4%) monthly or less. Of this thirty-five, twenty said they borrowed from close friends, 19 shared with their sexual partner and 9 shared with an associate. The mean number of people from whom injectors borrowed was 1.83. One injector borrowed from as many as six other users and 21 each borrowed from one I.D.U. only.

Thirty claimed always to clean used equipment and 4 did so some of the time. Methods of cleaning were varied: 9 cleaned equipment with hot water, 8 with cold water, 8 with bleach, 7 with boiling water and 2 employed other methods. The most common reason given for sharing needles and syringes was a lack of new and unused injecting equipment (32).

With regard to other injecting practices 12 (15.8%) filled their syringes from one already used by another injector at least once in the previous six months. Spoons were shared by 60 (78.9%), filters by 45 (59.2%) and water by 49 (67.1%). Most (37, 60.7%) shared injecting equipment with close friends, 27 (44.3%) with their sexual partner, 20 (32.8%) with associates, 9 (14.8%) with a dealer, 3 (4.9%) with a family member and 2 (3.2%) with others. The average number of people with whom injectors shared spoons, filters or water was 1.97. One injector reported sharing with 8 others and 30 (49.2%) reported sharing with one.

Compared with injecting with needles already used by others, respondents were more inclined to pass on their used needles and syringes to others, with 43 (56.6%) reporting such behaviour in the six months prior to interview: 5 (6.5%) on a daily basis, 13 (17.1%) weekly and 25 (32.9%) monthly or less. Twenty-nine of the 43 passed on their used needles to a close friend, 17 passed them to their sexual partner, 15 to an associate, 4 to a family member, 2 to a dealer and one to someone they did not know. Those who did pass on their needles and syringes gave to a mean of 2.9 people. One respondent reported passing their equipment to up to 20 other persons. Eleven (14.5%) of the sample reported letting others fill a syringe from one already used by the respondent.

Table 8 shows that the majority of the sample obtained new needles and syringes from either a pharmacist (46, 60.5%) or needle exchange (27, 35.6%). Nine of the 24 respondents who used more than one source described pharmacists as their most important source, followed by eight for mobile or fixed needle exchanges, and four for friends.

The mean number of needles and syringes obtained in an average week over the last six months from the pharmacist/chemist was 6.21 for personal use and 2.58 for others: from the needle exchange scheme 5.43 for personal use and 1.27 for others.