The influence of social capital on drug use-related health behaviours: A study of marginalized drug users

Marginalized drug users such as injection drug users and crack smokers are at risk for several health problems, including blood-borne disease infections such as HIV, Hepatitis B and C, and overdose. Behaviours that contribute to health risk stem not only from an individual's knowledge and beliefs, but are also shaped by processes of influence and constraint operating within networks of social relationships. The analysis of users' social network relationships is therefore important to understand users' engagement in drug use-related risk and protective behaviours.;The study identified interesting relationships between various forms of social capital and different drug use-related health behaviours. The study showed that particular types of resources embedded in participants' drug use networks had a positive effect on engagement in protective health behaviours, while certain aspects of network structure within the drug network had a positive effect on engagement in health risk behaviours. Findings showed that resources embedded in the non-drug use network had a negative effect on engagement in protective health behaviours. The study also detected significant differences between IDUs and CSs with respect to levels of social capital and effect on drug use-related health behaviours. Several individual- and structural-level factors were also found to be associated with engagement in drug use-related health behaviours.;This study examined the influence of social network relationships on the drug use-related health behaviours of a convenience sample of 80 drug users (40 injection drug users and 40 crack smokers) in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. In the study, social network relationships were conceptualized as social capital. A comprehensive approach to social capital was incorporated which examined access to and use of social capital, as well as the influence of two dimensions of social capital, network structure and network resources, on a variety of drug use-related risk and protective health behaviours. Furthermore, differences between injection drug users (IDUs) and crack smokers (CSs) were examined to determine if these groups have differential health service needs. Quantitative and qualitative research methods were utilized in the study to explore these relationships.