Table I.
Demographic, social and behavioral characteristics of subjects with negative and positive PCR post HCV infection
| Total | PCR negative | PCR positive | P-value | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Study participants | 420 | 62 (14.8) | 358 (85.2) | |||
| Age | 18-29 | 10 (2.4) | 3 (4.8) | 7 (2) | 0.027 | |
| 30-39 | 46 (11) | 6 (9.7) | 40 (11.2) | |||
| 40-49 | 228 (54.3) | 42 (67.7) | 186 (52) | |||
| ≥50 | 136 (32.4) | 11 (17.7) | 125 (34.9) | |||
| Gender | Male | 337 (80.2) | 49 (79) | 288 (80.5) | 0.796 | |
| Female | 83 (19.8) | 13 (21) | 70(19.6) | |||
| Race | African American | 325 (77.4) | 36 (58.1) | 289 (80.7) | <0.001 | |
| Caucasian | 68 (16.2) | 18 (29) | 50 (14) | |||
| Hispanic/Other | 27 (6.4) | 8 (12.9) | 19 (5.3) | |||
| Education | <High School | 28 (6.7) | 4 (6.5) | 24 (6.7) | 0.603 | |
| High School | 310 (73.8) | 43 (69.4) | 267 (74.6) | |||
| Some college | 82 (19.5) | 15 (24.2) | 67 (18.7) | |||
| Housing status | Permanent | 95 (22.6) | 15 (24.2) | 80 (22.4) | 0.748 | |
| Temporary/streets | 325 (77.4) | 47 (75.8) | 278 (77.7) | |||
| Marital status | Without a partner | 344 (81.9) | 54 (87.1) | 290 (81) | 0.253 | |
| With a partner | 76 (18.1) | 8 (12.9) | 68 (19) | |||
| Injecting drug use ever | Yes | 272 (64.8) | 43 (69.4) | 229 (64) | 0.413 | |
| No | 148 (35.2) | 19 (30.6) | 129 (36) | |||
| Injecting drug use* | Yes | 63 (15) | 10 (16.1) | 53 (14.8) | 0.787 | |
| Crack cocaine* | Yes | 376 (89.5) | 55 (88.7) | 321 (89.7) | 0.821 | |
| Powder cocaine* | Yes | 63 (15) | 11 (17.7) | 52 (14.5) | 0.513 | |
| Methamphetamines* | Yes | 14 (3.3) | 2 (3.2) | 12 (3.4) | 0.959 | |
| Fry* | Yes | 3 (0.7) | 1 (1.6) | 2 (0.6) | 0.385 | |
| Marijuana* | Yes | 201 (47.9) | 30 (48.4) | 171 (47.8) | 0.928 | |
| Heroin* | Yes | 31 (7.4) | 4 (6.5) | 27 (7.5) | 0.762 | |
| Speedball* | Yes | 16 (3.8) | 0 (0) | 16 (4.5) | ||
| Codeine* | Yes | 15 (3.6) | 3 (4.8) | 12 (3.4) | 0.563 | |
| Other street drugs* | Yes | 60 (14.3) | 13 (21) | 47 (13.1) | 0.103 | |
| Combination drug* | Used 1 drug | 66 (15.7) | 10(16.1) | 56 (15.6) | 0.731 | |
| Used 2 drugs | 140 (33.3) | 18 (29) | 122 (34.1) | |||
| Used ≥ 3 drugs | 214 (51) | 34 (54.8) | 180 (50.3) | |||
| Traded sex for money/drugs* | Yes | 80 (19.1) | 13 (21) | 67 (18.7) | 0.677 | |
| Men having sex with men | Yes | 50 (11.9) | 8 (12.9) | 42 (11.7) | 0.812 | |
| New sexual partners* | ≥ 1 | 133 (31.7) | 17 (27.4) | 116 (32.4) | 0.126 |
*
in past 30 days