Needle xation , the drug user ’ s perspective : a qualitative study

Aims. Changing drug users’ injecting behaviour is central to the project of drug services. Information about the idea of “needle Ž xation” is fragmentary and of uncertain relevance to contemporary injecting drug users. The aim of the study is to describe injecting drug users’ ideas about needle Ž xation. Participants and design. Twenty-four participants, some of whom identiŽ ed themselves as needle Ž xated, were recruited from four drugs agencies in south Wales. Participants took part in semi-structured interviews, recorded, transcribed and qualitatively analysed using Atlas/ti software. Findings. Participants describe a range of behaviours and experiences which Ž t with previous ideas of needle Ž xation, including ritualization, substitution of other drugs, injection of water and associations with deliberate-self-harm and sex. Participants describe high levels of needle aversion and add detail to previous partial descriptions of needle Ž xation. Conclusions. Issues conveniently considered together as needle Ž xation are current among injecting drug users and may be relevant to the inability of some drug users to change from injecting drug use.