High‐risk injecting behaviour in hostel accommodation for the homeless in Glasgow 2001–02: a study combining quantitative and qualitative methodology

Abstract

Aims: The aim of this study was to determine whether injecting drug users (IDUs) living in hostels for the homeless were more likely to engage in blood‐borne virus associated injecting risk behaviour than those living elsewhere.Design: Four‐hundred‐and‐fifty‐three IDUs who had commenced injecting post‐1995 were recruited from community settings in Glasgow and interviewed during 2001–02 using a structured questionnaire (quantitative component). Respondents who had commenced injecting post‐1998 were also invited to participate in an in‐depth interview to explore contextual factors that influence injecting risk behaviour (qualitative component).Results: Individuals interviewed during the qualitative component of the study reported witnessing prolific sharing of needles and syringes (n/s) in hostels. Multi‐factorial logistic regression found that hostel residence was independently associated with injecting with a n/s previously used by a friend, acquaintance or family member (OR 1.58, 95% CI 1.01–2.49), passing on used n/s (OR 1.70, 95% CI 1.08–2.69), borrowing used n/s in a ‘shooting gallery’ (OR 2.23, 95% CI 1.04–4.77), borrowing used n/s from multiple sharing partners (OR 2.33, 95% CI 1.17–4.64) and sharing spoons during drug preparation (OR 1.68, 95% CI 1.03–2.73) in the 6 months prior to interview.Conclusions: The hostel environment appears to be conducive to high‐risk injecting behaviour.