Table 1.
Demographic features of NPS users and non-NPS users
| NPS users (n=31) | Per cent | Non-NPS users (n=442) | Per cent | |
| Mean age (SD) | 35.1 (9.8)* | 40 (11.7)* | ||
| Gender | ||||
| Male | 23* | 74.19 | 218* | 49.3 |
| Female | 8* | 25.81 | 221* | 50.0 |
| Transgender | 0 | 0.00 | 3 | 0.7 |
| Employment | ||||
| Unemployed | 12 | 38.71 | 176 | 39.8 |
| Student | 1 | 3.23 | 17 | 3.8 |
| Employed | 1 | 3.23 | 51 | 11.5 |
| Full time | 1 | 3.23 | 44 | 10.0 |
| Part time | 0 | 0.00 | 7 | 1.6 |
| Self-employed | 0 | 0.00 | 8 | 1.8 |
| Retired | 0 | 0.00 | 1 | 0.2 |
| Prison | 0 | 0.00 | 6 | 1.4 |
| Not recorded | 17 | 54.84 | 183 | 41.4 |
| Home circumstances | ||||
| Independent | 12 | 38.71 | 250 | 56.6 |
| Fully independent | 5 | 16.13 | 165 | 37.3 |
| Benefits | 5 | 16.13 | 71 | 16.1 |
| Council tenancy | 2 | 6.45 | 14 | 3.2 |
| Supported | 6 | 19.35 | 14 | 3.2 |
| Homeless | 2 | 6.45 | 21 | 4.8 |
| Prison | 0 | 0.00 | 1 | 0.2 |
| Not recorded | 11 | 35.48 | 138 | 31.2 |
| Forensic history | 17** | 54.84 | 86** | 19.5 |
| Previous custodial sentence | 4 | 12.90 | 27 | 6.1 |
| Use of MHA | ||||
| Any use of MHA | 20 | 64.52 | 155 | 35.1 |
| EDC | 10 | 32.26 | 53 | 12.0 |
| STDC | 12 | 38.71 | 133 | 30.1 |
| CTO | 1 | 3.23 | 30 | 6.8 |
| ICD-10 diagnosis groupings | ||||
| F00–09 | 0 | 0.00 | 3 | 0.7 |
| F10–19 | 17** | 54.84 | 48** | 10.86 |
| F20–29 | 11 | 35.48 | 122 | 27.60 |
| F30–39 | 1** | 3.23 | 144** | 32.58 |
| F40–49 | 1 | 3.23 | 42 | 9.50 |
| F50–59 | 0 | 0.00 | 2 | 0.45 |
| F60–69 | 1 | 3.23 | 53 | 11.99 |
| F70–79 | 0 | 0.00 | 1 | 0.23 |
| F80–89 | 0 | 0.00 | 1 | 0.23 |
| Not recorded | 0 | 0.00 | 16 | 3.62 |
| Other | 0 | 0.00 | 11 | 2.49 |
| Substance use | ||||
| Cannabis | 18** | 58.10 | 93** | 21.00 |
| Alcohol | 8 | 25.80 | 120 | 27.10 |
| Non-substitute opiates | 8* | 25.80 | 43* | 9.70 |
| Substitute opiates | 7 | 22.60 | 46 | 10.40 |
| Other | 7* | 22.60 | 17* | 3.80 |
| MDMA | 4* | 12.90 | 16* | 3.60 |
| Amphetamines | 3 | 9.70 | 25 | 5.70 |
| Cocaine | 3 | 9.70 | 39 | 8.80 |
| Benzodiazepines | 3 | 9.70 | 34 | 7.70 |
| Any substance use | 26** | 83.90 | 217** | 49.10 |
Denotes a statistically significant difference between NPS users and non-NPS users, *P<0.05 and **P<0.001.
CTO, compulsory treatment order; EDC, Emergency Detention Certificate; F00–F09, Organic, including symptomatic, mental disorders; F10–19, Mental and behavioural disorders due to psychoactive substance use; F20–F29, Schizophrenia, schizotypal and delusional disorders; F30–39 Mood (affective) disorders; F40–F49, Anxiety, dissociative, stress-related, somatoform and other non-psychotic mental disorders; F50–F59, Behavioural syndromes associated with physiological disturbances and physical factors; F60–F69, Disorders of adult personality and behaviour; F70–F79, Mental retardation; F80–89, Disorders of psychological development; ICD, International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems; MDMA, 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine; MHA, Mental Health Act; NPS, novel psychoactive substances; Other, b and emotional disorders with onset usually occurring in childhood and adolescence/unspecified mental disorder; STDC, Short-Term Detention Certificate.