Table 2.
Syringe access and acquisition history and experiences (location based on where participants reported spending most of their time)
| RI | MA | Total sample | P value | |
| Syringe cost (per syringe) | ||||
| Mean cost from pharmacy, in cents (S.D.)a | 20.7 (40.0) | 15.3 (35.4) | 17.5 (37.3) | 0.42 |
| Median cost from pharmacy, in centsa | 32.5 | 30 | 30 | |
| Mean cost from someone else, in centsb | 82.8 (36.6) | 87.0 (32.4) | 85.2 (34.2) | 0.56 |
| Median cost from someone else, in centsb | 99 | 99 | 99 | |
| RI: N (%)c | MA: N (%)c | Total: N (%)c | P value | |
| Syringe sources, prior 6 monthsd | ||||
| Bought at a pharmacy | 50 (78.1) | 75 (87.2) | 125 (83.3) | 0.33 |
| From a friend | 13 (20.3) | 20 (23.3) | 33 (22.0) | 0.84 |
| Bought from someone | 10 (15.6) | 11 (12.8) | 21 (14.0) | 0.63 |
| SEP | 18 (28.1) | 1 (1.2) | 19 (12.7) | <0.01 |
| Other | 3 (4.7) | 2 (2.3) | 5 (3.3) | 0.65 |
| No response | 4 (6.3) | 2 (2.3) | 6 (4.0) | |
| Able to obtain all syringes needed, prior 6 months | ||||
| Yes | 58 (90.6) | 79 (91.9) | 137 (91.3) | 0.75 |
| No | 5 (7.8) | 5 (5.8) | 10 (6.7) | |
| No response | 1 (1.6) | 2 (2.3) | 3 (2.0) | |
| Tried to buy at pharmacy, prior 6 months | ||||
| Yes | 54 (84.4) | 80 (93.0) | 134 (89.3) | 0.08 |
| No | 9 (14.1) | 4 (4.7) | 13 (8.7) | |
| No response | 1 (1.6) | 2 (2.3) | 3 (2.0) | |
| Pharmacist ever declined syringe sale | ||||
| Yes | 15 (23.4) | 10 (11.6) | 25 (16.7) | 0.07 |
| No | 46 (71.9) | 73 (84.9) | 119 (79.3) | |
| No response | 1 (1.6) | 3 (3.5) | 4 (2.7) | |
| Treatment when buying syringe | ||||
| Bad/uncomfortable | 12 (18.8) | 21 (24.4) | 33 (22.0) | 0.12 |
| Okay/slightly uncomfortable | 35 (54.7) | 35 (40.7) | 70 (46.7) | |
| Good | 11 (17.2) | 25 (29.1) | 36 (24.0) | |
| No response | 3 (4.7) | 3 (3.5) | 6 (4.0) | |
| Not applicable | 3 (4.7) | 2 (2.3) | 5 (3.3) | |
| Desired services from pharmaciesd | ||||
| Drug treatment/counseling | 16 (25.0) | 33 (38.4) | 49 (32.7) | 0.15 |
| Safe syringe disposal | 16 (25.0) | 30 (34.9) | 46 (30.7) | 0.36 |
| Overdose prevention | 16 (25.0) | 22 (25.6) | 38 (25.3) | 1.00 |
| HIV, HCV testing | 11 (17.2) | 23 (26.7) | 34 (22.7) | 0.31 |
| Applying for medical insurance | 20 (31.3) | 13 (15.1) | 33 (22.0) | 0.01 |
| Community services | 19 (29.7) | 13 (15.1) | 32 (21.3) | 0.02 |
| Medical services | 17 (26.6) | 15 (17.4) | 32 (21.3) | 0.15 |
| No response | 8 (12.5) | 6 (7.0) | 14 (9.3) | |
| Ever participated in SEP | ||||
| Yes | 31 (48.4) | 15 (17.4) | 46 (30.7) | <0.01 |
| No | 31 (48.4) | 69 (80.2) | 100 (66.7) | |
| No response | 2 (3.1) | 2 (2.3) | 4 (2.7) | |
| Issues that prevented participants from accessing SEPd | ||||
| Not aware of the program | 13 (20.3) | 28 (32.6) | 41 (27.3) | 0.13 |
| Buying at the pharmacy is easier | 18 (28.1) | 19 (22.1) | 37 (24.7) | 0.33 |
| Too far away | 11 (17.2) | 22 (25.6) | 33 (22.0) | 0.31 |
| Can get needles elsewhere | 10 (15.6) | 22 (25.6) | 32 (21.3) | 0.22 |
| Afraid someone would find out | 3 (4.7) | 13 (15.1) | 16 (10.7) | 0.06 |
| Afraid of police harassment | 4 (6.3) | 6 (7.0) | 10 (6.7) | 1.00 |
| Not open when I want it to be | 5 (7.8) | 3 (3.5) | 8 (5.3) | 0.28 |
| Felt unsafe going | 3 (4.7) | 5 (5.8) | 8 (5.3) | 1.00 |
| Other | 3 (4.7) | 2 (2.3) | 5 (3.3) | 0.80 |
| No response | 10 (15.6) | 11 (12.8) | 21 (14.0) | |
aFor this question, N = 54 for RI and N = 80 for MA
bFor this question, N = 60 for RI and N = 82 for MA
cN = 64 for RI, N = 86 for MA, total N = 150
dPercent total does not equal 100 because multiple responses were permitted