Behavioural change amongst drug injectors in Scottish prisons

A study of injecting behaviour amongst a purposive sample of drug-users in Scottish prisons found that 32% reported injecting prior to current sentence. The percentage of these who were injecting during their current prison sentence (i.e. inside the prison) had fallen to 11%. Of those who were injecting prior to imprisonment, 24% reported sharing injecting equipment at that time. Of those who were still injecting in prison, however, 76% reported sharing equipment. Overall, therefore, there were fewer injectors in prison, but a higher proportion of these shared needles. Factors most closely identified with current sharing of injecting equipment in prison were: (a) having injected a wider range of drugs in prison (during both current and previous sentences); (b) frequency of Temgesic use; and (c) being prescribed methadone in the community, then having that prescription discontinued on entry to prison.