Table 1.
Sample characteristics for individual, interpersonal and sex work environment factors among homeless and housed street-based FSWs
| Characteristic | Absolute Homeless FSWs (last 18 months) 43.32 (%) n = 107 |
Housed FSWs (last 18 months) 56.68 (%) n = 140 |
p - value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Individual Sociodemographic Factors | |||
| Age (years, Interquartile range) | 27 [ IQR1:23-37] | 38 [IQR: 32-42] | < .001 |
| Ethnicity | |||
| Caucasian | 54 (50.94) | 82 (58.99) | |
| Aboriginal | 52 (49.06) | 57 (41.01) | 0.571 |
| Education | |||
| Less than high school | 75 (42.61) | 101 (57.39) | |
| High School Graduate | 22 (48.89) | 23 (51.11) | 0.967 |
| College/University | 9 (36.00) | 16 (64.00) | 0.292 |
| Drug Use Patterns | |||
| Cocaine injection * | 35 (44.30) | 44 (55.70) | 0.042 |
| Heroin injection* | 59 (49.17) | 61 (50.83) | 0.033 |
| Crystal methamphetamine* | 22 (68.75) | 10 (31.25) | 0.005 |
| Intensive, daily crack cocaine smoking)* | 47 (48.45) | 50 (51.55) | 0.003 |
| Interpersonal Factors | |||
| Receptive sharing of used syringes/pipes* | 75 (75.00) | 60 (60.00) | 0.064 |
| Number of clients per week (10+) | 40 (49.38) | 41 (50.62) | 0.012 |
| Consistent condom use by clients* | 16 (55.17) | 13 (44.83) | 0.957 |
| Physical/sexual violence by client* | 25 (47.17) | 28 (52.83) | 0.596 |
| Physical violence by an intimate partner* | 31 (47.69) | 34 (52.31) | 0.119 |
| Sexual violence by an intimate partner* | 5 (45.45) | 6(54.55) | 0.039 |
| Physical Work Environment Factors | |||
| Primarily solicits clients on main streets/commercial areas* | 27 (81.82) | 6 (18.18) | 0.453 |
| Primarily services clients in outdoor public spaces (streets, alleys, parks)* | 43 (84.31) | 8 (15.69) | 0.103 |
1 IQR = interquartile range
* = last 6 months.