Risk Behaviours associated with female heroin usage

Abstract

Heroin addiction and related miss behaviours appeared as a serious threat to the social order and in many other aspects of social life in urban areas particularly in Colombo and suburbs in Sri Lanka. The problem assumed as a major social problem victimizing thousands of people in deferent geographical locations of the country, meanwhile the empirical evidence clearly shows Colombo district as the most vulnerable district which is abusing heroin in Sri Lanka. The problem is appeared as only effected on males and rather very small number of females connected to the menace as direct counterparts. Though the number of female heroin abusers are less, their involvement could not be neglected due to the risk factors adjoining with female drug use. Main research problem stands for identify the behavioural patterns of Female heroin users and the risk behaviours adjoining. Significant research locations selected from living proximities of mostly prevailed areas of heroin in Colombo city, based on the already existing information. Questionnaire method used for data collection and there are 150 female heroin users were taken as the population of this study. Snow balling sampling technic was used to select the sample. Findings clearly show that abusers are highly vulnerable for physical violence and victimization. 129 (86%) of the population had experienced physical assault during the past two years. More than two third of the sample 91(61%) currently engaged with commercial sex as their profession. According to the results there is a tendency among the female heroin users for unsafe sex and thirty-nine (26%) says they do not concern on protection even they knew it is a risky behaviour directs them getting sexually transmitted deceases. Significant Changes in the dieting habits are also common among the users. Family violence and poor parenting is widely shown among the female heroin users