Table 1.
Characteristics of the Sample.
| Variable | Group 1 (Detoxification) (n = 40) |
Group 2 (OST) (n = 40) |
Group 3 (Controls) (n = 49) |
Comparison (P value) |
| Age | 30.0 (10.2) | 33.0 (12.5) | 37.8 (9.6) | KW χ2 = 14.987 (.001)*a |
| Duration of opioid use in years | 9.3 (10.3) | 9.4 (10.1) | NA | U = 759 (.836) |
| History of injecting drug use | 28 (70.0%) | 14 (35.0%) | NA | χ2 = 9.825 (.002)* |
| History of overdose on opioids | 17 (42.5%) | 8 (20.0%) | NA | χ2 = 4.713 (.030)* |
| Ever been abstinent more than a month from illicit opioids | 24 (60%) | 27 (67.5%) | NA | χ2 = 0.487 (.485) |
| Current dose of buprenorphine (mg/day) | 4.2 (4.0) | 13.7 (4.6) | NA | U = 97.5 (<.001)* |
| Duration of OST in years | NA | 3.4 (4.3) | NA | NA |
| SOWS score | 12.9 (13.8) | 7.0 (7.2) | NA | U = 631.0 (.103) |
The table describes the characteristics of the sample in the three groups (detoxification, OST, and control groups). All the individuals in the three groups were males.
*Difference significant at P value <.05.aA post-hoc test reports a significant difference between group 1 and group 3.
KW, Kruskal–Wallis test; NA, not applicable; OST, opioid substitution treatment; SOWS, Subjective Opiate Withdrawal Scale.