Although intimate partnerships where both partners inject drugs have emerged as the focus of research and interventions, the gender dynamics characterising risk behaviours in injecting partnerships have largely been neglected. This study explored qualitative interview accounts focusing on the ways gender dynamics that reflect power differences between male and female injecting partners influenced risk perception and management. It drew upon a qualitative study of risk negotiation practices of injecting partners (n = 16) in Uyo, Nigeria. Analysis highlighted three key themes: ‘caring and drug-using partnerships’; ‘risk reduction and production’, and ‘male dominance and gendered violence’. Although the intimate partnerships of PWID provided emotional and social support in a high-risk environment, factors operating within these partnerships, including affection, trust, and gendered violence, undermined agency and risk-reducing behaviours, creating conditions that increased vulnerability to HIV particularly for women. The findings support calls to move beyond individual risk factors and privilege a relationship orientation in HIV prevention work. In particular, the analysis highlights a need for intervention models that build and maintain trust among drug-using partners, while improving communication skills, preventing violence and promoting HIV prevention through the adoption of risk-reducing measures.

尽管双方都注射毒品的亲密伙伴关系已成为研究和干预的重点，但在很大程度上忽视了在注射伙伴关系中表征风险行为的性别动态。这项研究探索了定性访谈记录，侧重于反映男性和女性注射伴侣之间力量差异的性别动态影响风险感知和管理的方式。它对尼日利亚乌约的注射合作伙伴（n = 16）的风险谈判做法进行了定性研究。分析强调了三个关键主题：“关怀和吸毒伙伴关系”；“减少风险和生产”，以及“男性主导和性别暴力”。尽管PWID的亲密伙伴关系在高风险的环境中提供了情感和社会支持，但是在这些伙伴关系中，包括感情，信任和性别暴力，破坏了代理和降低风险的行为，创造了增加艾滋病毒易感性的条件，特别是对妇女而言。研究结果支持呼吁超越个人危险因素，并在艾滋病预防工作中优先考虑关系导向。该分析特别强调需要建立干预模型，以建立和维持吸毒伙伴之间的信任，同时通过采取降低风险的措施，提高沟通技巧，预防暴力并促进艾滋病毒的预防。研究结果支持呼吁超越个人危险因素，并在艾滋病预防工作中优先考虑关系导向。该分析特别强调需要建立干预模型，以建立和维持吸毒伙伴之间的信任，同时通过采取降低风险的措施，提高沟通技巧，预防暴力并促进艾滋病毒的预防。研究结果支持呼吁超越个人危险因素，并在艾滋病预防工作中优先考虑关系导向。该分析特别强调需要建立干预模型，以建立和维持吸毒伙伴之间的信任，同时通过采取降低风险的措施，提高沟通技巧，预防暴力并促进艾滋病毒的预防。