BACK
Groin injecting in the context of speedball and crack injection: qualitative research
Tim Rhodes, Director, Centre for Research on Drugs and Health Behaviour, London
Abstract
Drawing upon data from recent surveys among injecting drug users (IDUs) in England, we highlight the potential 'normalisation' of the use of the femoral vein (groin) as a site of injection. We have estimated
that 45% (428/952) of IDUs in English cities report groin injecting in the last 4 weeks, rising to over 50% in some areas (Rhodes et al: International Journal of Drug Policy, 2006, 17: 164-170). We have also estimated that 40% (381/952) of IDUs in English cities report crack injection in the last 4 weeks, rising to over 70% in some cities. We report here on preliminary findings from a qualitative interview study undertaken in 2006 in London and Bristol among over 40 injectors of 'speedball' (heroin and crack combined), or 'snowball' as it is termed in Bristol. Our findings highlight shifts towards groin injection reticulated as an 'acceptable risk'. We explore user accounts in relation to: initiation/transitions to groin injecting; rationale for, and methods of, groin injection; risk management; the 'social acceptability' of
groin injection; and groin injecting in the context of crack injection. We also draw attention to user accounts relating to neck injecting. We discuss the implications of our data for harm reduction interventions promoting safer injecting.
TOP
Biography
Tim Rhodes is Director of the Centre for Research on Drugs and Health Behaviour, and Reader in Public Health Sociology, at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, University of London. His expertise is ethnographic and qualitative research on drug use and injection, and he is currently undertaking qualitative research among crack injectors. He leads a research programme on the social aspects of drug use and drug related health harm, including with a focus on eastern Europe. He is Editor
of the International Journal of Drug Policy.
|
