Development and validation of a novel scale for measuring interpersonal factors underlying injection drug using behaviours among injecting partnerships.

ABSTRACT:

Background

People who inject drugs with sexual partners or close friends have high rates of syringe/ancillary equipment sharing and HIV and hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. Although evidence suggests that interpersonal factors underlie these higher risk profiles, there is no quantitative measure of how interpersonal factors operate within injecting relationships. We aimed to develop and validate a quantitative scale to assess levels of injecting drug-related interpersonal factors associated with risky injecting behaviours within injecting partnerships.

Methods

We conducted qualitative interviews with 45 people who inject drugs (PWID) who reported having injecting partners to inform item development, and tested these items in a quantitative study of 140 PWID from San Franci

SUBMITTER: Morris MD 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5652066 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature