Table 1.
Baseline demographic characteristics of IDU stratified by having an abscess in the past six months.
| Characteristic | No abscess past six months n = 1 244 | Abscess past six months n = 341 | Odds Ratio (95% CI) | p-value |
| Gender | ||||
| Male | 848 (68.2) | 162 (47.5) | ||
| Female | 396 (31.8) | 179 (52.5) | 2.4 (1.9 – 3.0) | < 0.001 |
| HIV status | ||||
| Negative | 919 (73.9) | 209 (61.3) | ||
| Positive | 325 (26.1) | 132 (38.7) | 1.7 (1.4 – 2.3) | < 0.001 |
| Unstable housing* | ||||
| No | 492 (39.5) | 109 (32.0) | ||
| Yes | 752 (60.5) | 387 (68.0) | 1.3 (1.1 – 1.8) | 0.011 |
| Recent incarceration* | ||||
| No | 861 (69.2) | 196 (57.5) | ||
| Yes | 383 (30.8) | 145 (42.5) | 1.7 (1.3 – 2.1) | <0.001 |
| DTES residence* | ||||
| No | 552 (44.4) | 121 (35.5) | ||
| Yes | 692 (55.6) | 220 (64.5) | 1.5 (1.1 – 1.9) | 0.003 |
| Sex trade involved* | ||||
| No | 942 (75.7) | 191 (56.0) | ||
| Yes | 302 (24.3) | 150 (44.0) | 2.4 (1.9 – 3.1) | < 0.001 |
| Heroin use* | ||||
| Less than daily | 840 (67.5) | 203 (59.5) | ||
| Daily use | 404 (32.5) | 138 (40.5) | 1.4 (1.1 – 1.8) | 0.006 |
| Cocaine use* | ||||
| Less than daily | 858 (69.0) | 182 (53.4) | ||
| Daily use | 386 (31.0) | 159 (46.6) | 1.9 (1.5 – 2.5) | < 0.001 |
Note: IDU = injection drug user, DTES = Downtown Eastside Residence. *Indicates behaviour during the six month period prior to the baseline interview.