Sharing injecting equipment and sexual behavior in ambulatory intravenous drug users: a national survey (Spain).

This article examines the relationship between sharing and sexual behavior in a nationwide sample of 1,074 intravenous drug users (IVDUs) in ambulatory treatment in Spain. Of our sample, 31.9% shared or had shared injecting equipment. Sharing was associated with sex-less frequent in males--and yielded an inverse relationship with age, years of education, and age at first intravenous drug use. Sharers, especially women, engaged more frequently in sex in exchange for money. A small proportion (6.3%) of male IVDUs had bisexual or homosexual relations. Condoms were always used by 18.4% of males and 15.9% of females. The sharing of injecting equipment was not generally associated with a particular type of penetrative sexual encounter, although condom use was less frequent among IVDUs who shared injecting equipment. The limitations of the present study are discussed.