Using & 'the scene' Patterns and contexts of drug use among Sydney gay men

Abstract

This report combines qualitative and quantitative data gathered by the National Centre in HIV Social Research to produce an in-depth picture of patterns of injecting and non-injecting drug use on the Sydney gay 'scene'. As well as incorporating findings from the Sydney Men and Sexual Health (SMASH) study, the report provides an analysis of qualitative interview data collected from men. While the SMASH data indicate broad trends in drug use, the qualitative material focuses on the meanings and experiences of drug use among the men interviewed. The authors were particularly concerned with identifying patterns and contexts of use and broader phenomena that related to the collective function of drug use within the subcultural milieu.