A qualitative analysis of transitions to heroin injection in Kenya: implications for HIV prevention and harm reduction

Harm Reduction Journal
Andy GuiseTim Rhodes

Abstract

Heroin injection is emerging as a significant dimension of the HIV epidemic in Kenya. Preventing transitions to injecting drug use from less harmful forms of use, such as smoking, is a potentially important focus for HIV prevention. There is, however, little evidence to support comprehensive programming in this area, linked to a shortage of analysis of the social and structural context for transitions, particularly in low-income settings. We explore accounts of transitions from smoking to injecting in Kenya to understand the role of individual, social and structural processes. We combine data from two separate studies conducted in Kenya: an in-depth qualitative study of HIV care access for people who inject drugs (study 1) and an ethnographic study of the political economy of the heroin trade in Kenya (study 2). In-depth interviews with PWID and community observation from study 1 are triangulated with accounts from stakeholders involved in the heroin trade and documentary data from study 2. People who inject drugs link transitions to injecting from smoking to a range of social and behavioural factors, as well as particular aspects of the local drug supply and economy. We present these results in the form of two narratives that ...Continue Reading

References

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Dec 7, 2007·Harm Reduction Journal·Michelle KermodeNick Crofts
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Mar 5, 2015·The International Journal on Drug Policy·Paul DrausKanzoni Asabigi

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Citations

Feb 4, 2016·The International Journal on Drug Policy·Jennifer L SyvertsenKarla D Wagner
Sep 28, 2017·Journal of Urban Health : Bulletin of the New York Academy of Medicine·Dan WerbD Des Jarlais
Dec 7, 2019·Harm Reduction Journal·Nirvana MorganUgasvaree Subramaney
Nov 7, 2019·Substance Use & Misuse·Ediomo-Ubong E Nelson, Isidore S Obot
Aug 7, 2017·AIDS Care·Angela Robertson BazziJennifer L Syvertsen
Dec 1, 2018·Current Addiction Reports·Ann E KurthBarrot H Lambdin

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