Table 1. Sample characteristics stratified by having ever left hospital against medical advice (n = 488).
| Characteristic | Total (%) (n = 488) | Ever left hospital against medical advice | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yes (%) (n = 212) | No (%) (n = 276) | ||
| Age (med, IQR) | 44 (38–50) | 41 (35–47) | 45 (40–51) |
| Male gender | 277 (56.8) | 109 (51.4) | 168 (60.9) |
| Aboriginal ancestry | 177 (36.3) | 85 (40.1) | 92 (33.3) |
| HIV-positive serostatus | 284 (58.2) | 130 (61.3) | 154 (55.8) |
| In a stable relationship* | 134 (27.5) | 61 (28.8) | 73 (26.4) |
| Homelessness* | 163 (33.4) | 83 (39.2) | 80 (29.0) |
| Daily heroin injection* | 102 (20.9) | 53 (25.0) | 49 (17.8) |
| Daily cocaine injection* | 44 (9.0) | 21 (9.9) | 23 (8.3) |
| Daily crystal methamphetamine injection | 15 (3.1) | 8 (3.8) | 7 (2.5) |
| Daily prescription opioid injection* | 24 (4.9) | 11 (5.2) | 13 (4.7) |
| Daily crack cocaine non-injection* | 208 (42.6) | 109 (51.4) | 99 (35.9) |
| Binge drug use* | 207 (42.4) | 85 (40.1) | 122 (44.2) |
| Need help injecting* | 87 (17.8) | 41 (19.3) | 46 (16.7) |
| Unstable employment* | 417 (85.5) | 186 (87.7) | 231 (83.7) |
| Drug dealing* | 150 (30.7) | 77 (36.3) | 73 (26.4) |
| Sex work* | 69 (14.1) | 34 (16.0) | 35 (12.7) |
| Incarceration* | 71 (14.5) | 45 (21.2) | 26 (9.4) |
| Enrollment in MMT* | 219 (44.9) | 83 (39.2) | 136 (49.3) |
| Difficulty finding drug use paraphernalia* | 113 (23.2) | 50 (23.6) | 63 (22.8) |
| Negative experiences with healthcare professionals | 76 (15.6) | 36 (17.0) | 40 (14.5) |
IQR: interquartile range; MMT: methadone maintenance therapy
*Refers to the six-month period prior to interview