Predictors of injecting and injecting risk‐taking behaviour among methadone maintenance clients

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Abstract
A sample of 222 methadone maintenance clients were interviewed regarding current injecting and needle risk‐taking in order to ascertain factors associated with these behaviours. Just over half (55%) of subjects had injected in the month preceding interview. Current injecting was associated with being female, having a regular sexual partner who was a current injecting drag user, polydrug use and higher levels of global psychopathology. Approximately 15% of subjects had shared needles in the month preceding interview, predominantly with one other person. Needle sharing was associated with having a regular sexual partner who was a current injecting drug user, current criminality and injecting at places other than home. Needle‐sharing episodes in the study period were considered safe by practically all sharers. The implications of these findings are discussed.