Publications

Roberts A, Mathers BM, Degenhardt L, on behalf of the Reference Group to the United Nations on HIV and Injecting Drug Use.

Women who inject drugs are an important but highly stigmatized population. Compared to male injectors, women who inject drugs are more likely to become infected with HIV. They also face higher rates of violence, move from drug use to drug dependence faster, face higher levels of social stigma and are more likely to die. These risks are due in part to women’s higher levels of risky injecting behaviours such as injecting with used equipment contaminated with other injectors’ blood and their higher likelihood of having injection related problems. Risks also come from their higher levels of risky sexual behaviours such as having unsafe sex and exchanging sex for money. Because of these different risks and outcomes, women who inject have different needs than men from service providers and treatment facilities, however, most of these services are provided in a gender-blind fashion which may not sufficiently address the needs of these women.