Table 1.
Characteristics by route of administration: unadjusted odds ratios
| Recently transitioned IDUs (N = 142) | Sniffers (N = 146) | OR | 95% CI | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % | % | |||
| Demographic control variables | ||||
| Gender | ||||
| Male | 71.8 | 65.1 | 1.00 | |
| Female | 28.2 | 34.9 | 0.79 | 0.39–1.32 |
| Age | ||||
| 18–20 | 17.6 | 11.6 | 1.00 | |
| 21–30 | 47.2 | 34.9 | 0.83 | 0.44–1.67 |
| 31-older | 35.2 | 53.5 | 0.46* | 0.19–0.85 |
| Ethnicity | ||||
| African-American | 25.4 | 37.7 | 1.00 | |
| Non-Hispanic White | 36.6 | 30.8 | 1.71 | 0.90–2.86 |
| Hispanic/Latino | 38.0 | 31.5 | 1.81 | 0.92–3.14 |
| Drug use history | ||||
| Heroin use | ||||
| Less than once a day | 24.6 | 54.8 | 1.00 | |
| Once a day or more | 75.4 | 45.2 | 3.39*** | 2.08–5.81 |
| Money spent on drugs a week | ||||
| $175 or under | 46.5 | 49.0 | 1.00 | |
| $176–$350 | 32.4 | 26.9 | 0.84 | 0.53–1.68 |
| $351 or more | 21.1 | 24.1 | 1.19 | 0.66–1.93 |
| Attitude towards injectors | ||||
| Highly unfavorable/unfavorable | 58.9 | 49.0 | 1.00 | |
| Neither favorable nor unfavorable | 34.8 | 49.0 | 0.52* | 0.37–0.92 |
| Favorable/highly favorable | 6.3 | 2.0 | 2.38 | 0.67–8.28 |
| Social marginalization | ||||
| Residence | ||||
| Own house/relatives/friends | 45.1 | 71.9 | 1.00 | |
| Hotel/motel/boarding house | 35.9 | 21.9 | 2.51*** | 1.48–4.26 |
| Shelter/abandoned building/street | 19.0 | 6.2 | 4.71*** | 2.38–6.88 |
| Education (HS/GED) | ||||
| No | 31.0 | 34.2 | 1.00 | |
| Yes | 69.0 | 65.8 | 1.10 | 0.56–1.78 |
| Marital status | ||||
| Single | 43.0 | 50.0 | 1.00 | |
| Married/Living with partner | 31.7 | 33.6 | 1.03 | 0.60–1.82 |
| Separated/divorced/widowed | 25.3 | 16.4 | 1.58 | 0.91–2.89 |
| Personal networks | ||||
| Percentage of acquaintances who inject drugs | ||||
| None | 5.6 | 26.2 | 1.00 | |
| Under 50% | 64.1 | 52.4 | 4.23*** | 2.50–7.14 |
| 50% or more | 30.3 | 21.4 | 5.06*** | 2.17–7.80 |
| IDU sexual partner/s | ||||
| No | 40.1 | 85.4 | 1.00 | |
| Yes | 59.9 | 14.6 | 6.53*** | 3.17–9.04 |
| Live with IDU | ||||
| No | 53.5 | 90.4 | 1.00 | |
| Yes | 46.5 | 9.6 | 5.94*** | 2.85–7.91 |
| Lifestyle | ||||
| Handled heroin | ||||
| No | 13.4 | 51.4 | 1.00 | |
| Yes | 86.6 | 48.6 | 5.14*** | 2.46–8.49 |
| Burglary | ||||
| No | 27.5 | 63.0 | 1.00 | |
| Yes | 72.5 | 37.0 | 4.60*** | 2.82–7.57 |
| Petty theft | ||||
| No | 49.3 | 84.9 | 1.00 | |
| Yes | 50.7 | 15.1 | 4.68*** | 3.36–7.03 |
| Exchange of sex for drugs and/or money | ||||
| No | 58.5 | 80.8 | 1.00 | |
| Yes | 41.5 | 19.2 | 3.02** | 1.70–5.56 |
*p < 0.05; **p < 0.01; ***p < 0.001