Table 1.

Background characteristics of clients at first visit to HDI, 2001 – 2008

Variable	N = 2526
Age
Mean age (SD)	25 (±8.4)
Missing data	-
Gender, n (%)
Male	1702 (67)
Female	824 (33)
Missing data	-
Marital status, n (%)
Married or cohabiting	197 (8)
Unmarried a	1869 (74)
Missing data	460 (18)
Education b, n (%)
≥ High school	589 (23)
< High school	1766 (70)
Missing data	171 (7)
Children under 18 years, n (%)
Yes c	599 (24)
No	1713 (68)
Missing data	214 (8)
Referral to treatment, n (%)
Self-referral	1258 (50)
Other referrals d	1184 (47)
Missing data	84 (3)
Primary drugs of abuse, n (%)
Use of alcohol as primary drugs	659 (26)
Use of cannabis as primary drugs	382 (15)
Use of prescription medicines as primary drugs	55 (2)
Use of opiates as primary drugs	788 (31)
Use of stimulants as primary drugs	599 (24)
Use of Other drugs as primary drugs e	43 (2)
Missing data	-

HDI – Helsinki Deaconess Institute.

^a including – unmarried, separated/divorced or widowed.

^b < high school = elementary school, ≥ high school = high/vocational school, university and others.

^c Including those children living in the same household, in foster care, elsewhere or unspecified.

^d Referral by friends and family, the police, employers and other sources.

^e Others – including hallucinogens, solvents/inhalants, gamma-hydroxybutyric acid and anabolic steroids.