Table 1.
Selected characteristics by injection initiation status among people who inject drugs (PWID) and are 30 years of age or older in Los Angeles and San Francisco, California (N=696)
| Variable | Total (n=696) N (%) | Late Initiate (n=130) N (%) | Typical initiate (n=566) N (%) | P= |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Female | 178 (26%) | 49 (38%) | 129 (23%) | 0.001 |
| Age | ns | |||
| 30 to 39 | 86 (12%) | 13 (10%) | 73 (13%) | |
| 40–49 | 223 (32%) | 42 (32%) | 181 (32%) | |
| 50 or more | 387 (56%) | 75 (58%) | 312 (55%) | |
| Race | 0.008 | |||
| White | 214 (31%) | 28 (22%) | 186 (33%) | |
| African American | 229 (33%) | 58 (45%) | 171 (30%) | |
| Hispanic | 174 (25%) | 32 (25%) | 142 (25%) | |
| All others | 64 (11%) | 11 (9%) | 64 (11%) | |
| Born in the US | 0.09 | |||
| Yes | 656 (94%) | 118 (91%) | 538 (95%) | |
| Recruitment Site | 0.001 | |||
| San Francisco | 348 (50%) | 47 (36%) | 301 (53%) | |
| Los Angeles | 348 (50%) | 83 (64%) | 265 (47%) | |
| Monthly income | ns | |||
| <$1,351 | 563 (80%) | 110 (85%) | 453 (80%) | |
| $1,351 plus | 133 (20%) | 20 (15%) | 113 (20%) | |
| High school education or equivalent | ns | |||
| Yes | 443 (64%) | 90 (69%) | 353 (62%) | |
| Homeless | ns | |||
| Yes | 435 (63%) | 83 (64%) | 352 (62%) | |
| Ever in a gang (n=394) | 0.01 | |||
| Yes | 92 (23%) | 9 (12%) | 83 (26%) | |
| Served in the US armed forces | ns | |||
| Yes | 81 (12%) | 16 (12%) | 65 (12%) | |
| Gay, lesbian or bisexual | ns | |||
| Yes | 95 (14%) | 17 (13%) | 78 (14%) | |
| Reported sex with an person 5 years of age or older prior to 16th birthday -Yes | 0.03 | |||
| 310 (45%) | 47 (36%) | 263 (47%) | ||
| First injection initiator | 0.10 | |||
| Friend | 375 (54%) | 69 (53%) | 306 (54%) | |
| Acquaintance | 82 (12%) | 12 (9%) | 70 (12%) | |
| Spouse, main sex partner | 57 (8%) | 15 (12%) | 42 (7%) | |
| Other family member | 64 (9%) | 4 (3%) | 60 (11%) | |
| Criminal associate | 17 (3%) | 2 (2%) | 15 (3%) | |
| Injected self | 99 (14%) | 27 (21%) | 72 (13%) | |
| Relative age of initiator (N=594) | ||||
| Same age or younger | 178 (30%) | 49 (49%) | 129 (26%) | 0.001 |
| Older | 416 (70%) | 52 (51%) | 364 (74%) | |
| Gender of initiation (n=589) | 0.07 | |||
| Male | 468 (79%) | 72 (71%) | 396 (81%) | |
| Female | 121 (21%) | 29 (29%) | 92 (19%) | |
| First drug injected | ns | |||
| Cocaine or crack | 82 (12%) | 11 (9%) | 71 (13%) | |
| Heroin | 438 (63%) | 87 (67%) | 351 (62%) | |
| Methamphetamine | 143 (21%) | 28 (22%) | 115 (20%) | |
| Prescription drug | 33 (5%) | 4 (3%) | 29 (5%) | |
| Source of drugs | ns | |||
| Gift | 398 (57%) | 74 (58%) | 323 (57%) | |
| Bought it myself | 261 (38%) | 49 (38%) | 212 (38%) | |
| Other | 35 (5%) | 5 (4%) | 30 (5%) | |
| Drug used by other route before 1st injection | 328 (47%) | 78 (60%) | 250 (44%) | 0.001 |
| Non-injection drug use, last 30 days | ||||
| Crack cocaine | 301 (43%) | 58 (45%) | 243 (43%) | ns |
| Powder cocaine | 51 (7%) | 8 (6%) | 43 (8%) | ns |
| Methamphetamine | 151 (22%) | 28 (22%) | 123 (22%) | ns |
| Heroin | 95 (14%) | 22 (17%) | 73 (13%) | ns |
| Speedball (Heroin and cocaine) | 20 (3%) | 8 (6%) | 12 (2%) | 0.02 |
| Goofball (heroin and meth) | 14 (2%) | 1 (1%) | 13 (2%) | ns |
| Opiate prescription misuse | 167 (24%) | 30 (23%) | 137 (24%) | ns |
| Tranquilizer prescription misuse | 160 (23%) | 20 (15%) | 140 (25%) | 0.02 |
| Methadone prescription misuse | 153 (22%) | 20 (15%) | 133 (24%) | 0.05 |
| Non-injection use of 2+ drugs, last 30 d | ns | |||
| Yes | 268 (39%) | 50 (39%) | 218 (39%) | |
| Injected drug use, last 30 days | ||||
| Crack cocaine | 66 (10%) | 9 (7%) | 57 (10%) | ns |
| Powder cocaine | 78 (11%) | 9 (7%) | 69 (12%) | 0.09 |
| Methamphetamine | 242 (35%) | 41 (32%) | 201 (36%) | ns |
| Heroin | 555 (80%) | 103 (79%) | 453 (80%) | ns |
| Speedball (Heroin and cocaine) | 121 (17%) | 17 (13%) | 104 (18%) | ns |
| Goofball (heroin and meth) | 78 (11%) | 9 (7%) | 69 (12%) | 0.09 |
| Opiate prescription medication | 80 (12%) | 10 (8%) | 70 (12%) | ns |
| Injected 2 or more drugs, last 30 days | 0.03 | |||
| Yes | 255 (37%) | 37 (29%) | 218 (39%) | |
| Injection frequency, last 30 days | 0.10 | |||
| Less than once a day | 331 (48%) | 68 (52%) | 263 (47%) | |
| Once or twice a day | 181 (27%) | 39 (30%) | 152 (27%) | |
| Three times or more a day | 174 (25%) | 23 (18%) | 151 (27%) | |
| HIV positive | ns | |||
| Yes | 52 (8%) | 8 (7%) | 44 (8%) | |
| Mental health diagnosis | ||||
| Depression – Yes | 205 (30%) | 33 (25%) | 172 (30%) | ns |
| Bipolar disorder – Yes | 125 (18%) | 14 (11%) | 111 (20%) | 0.02 |
| Schizophrenia – Yes | 72 (10%) | 10 (8%) | 62 (11%) | ns |
| Post-traumatic disorder – Yes | 61 (9%) | 8 (6%) | 53 (9%) | ns |
| Overdosed in the last 6 months | 0.03 | |||
| Yes | 46 (6%) | 3 (2%) | 43 (8%) | |
| Syringe sharing, last 30 days | ||||
| Distributive – Yes | 93 (13%) | 19 (15%) | 74 (13%) | ns |
| Receptive – Yes | 90 (13%) | 16 (12%) | 74 (13%) | ns |
| Treatment prior to first injection | 0.001 | |||
| Yes | 84 (17%) | 28 (33%) | 56 (13%) | |
| Any alcohol or drug treatment | 0.04 | |||
| Yes | 511 (74%) | 86 (66%) | 425 (75%) | |
| Drug treatment ever | ||||
| Methadone Detoxification | 319 (46%) | 39 (30%) | 280 (50%) | 0.001 |
| Methadone Maintenance | 301 (43%) | 36 (28%) | 265 (47%) | 0.001 |
| Buprenorphine | 48 (7%) | 6 (5%) | 42 (7%) | ns |
| Outpatient | 220 (32%) | 30 (23%) | 190 (34%) | 0.02 |
| Self-help | 361 (52%) | 56 (43%) | 305 (54%) | 0.03 |