The YAD Study was an investigation of injecting drug use, sexual behaviour and the psychosocial context of risk behaviour in a group of normal (non-delinquent, non-homeless) young people living in Perth, Western Australia. One hundred and five young people (under 21), three quarters of whom had injected illicit drugs at least once, were interviewed. The analysis was largely qualitative.
The major finding of the study was that most respondents felt that they were at little or no risk of HIV infection. The prevalence of HIV/AIDS in Perth, especially among young people, was believed to be low, and there was a general feeling that 'safe' partners (both sexual and injecting) could be chosen. Half of the injectors claimed never to have shared a needle, and those who had, or thought they might at some future time, maintained that needle sharing occurred only in those situations when the injector was ‘desperate’ - that is, wanted to inject but did not have a clean needle to hand. Those occasions were said to be rare. Unprotected sex was the norm, and there was a general dislike of condoms.
Respondents knew about HIV/AIDS and were clearly afraid of contracting it. However, a range of constraints prevented them from enacting their wish to remain HIV/AIDS free. These constraints operated through limited knowledge about HIV/AIDS and the prevention of infection, taken-for granted social beliefs and understandings, the demands of peer relationships, social disadvantage, gender roles, engagement in criminal behaviour, the nature of health and welfare services, the attitudes and practices of service providers, and the legal and structural provisions of the society in which respondents lived.
In general it was concluded that these young people were at risk of HIV/AIDS, other blood borne viral infections and sexual transmissible diseases because of inadequate education, lack of social support and a limited range of health and welfare services. A range of innovative health promotion programs and services needs to be initiated and/or expanded if they are to be protected.