Table 1.
Participant characteristics
| Characteristic | |
|---|---|
| Gender | |
| Female | 6 (25%) |
| Male | 18 (75%) |
| Age (median, range) | 48 years (33–56) |
| Housing | |
| In apartment or house they own/rent | 17 (71%) |
| Supportive or transitional housing | 6 (25%) |
| Homeless | 1 (4%) |
| Ethnicity | |
| White/Caucasian only | 18 (75%) |
| Aboriginal | 5 (21%) |
| Mixed | 1 (4%) |
| Paid employment (of any kind): last 12 months | |
| Yes | 12 (50%) |
| No | 11 (46%) |
| Permanently unable to work | 1 (4%) |
| HIV/hepatitis C (HCV) | |
| HIV positive | 22 (92%) |
| HCV positive | 13 (54%) |
| HIV and HCV co-infected | 11 (46%) |
| Self-reported health status | |
| Poor | 2 (8%) |
| Fair | 5 (21%) |
| Good | 8 (33%) |
| Very Good | 9 (38%) |
| Excellent | 0 |
| Most common substances used: last 3 months, ever | |
| Alcohol | 19 (79%), 23 (96%) |
| Cannabis | 20 (83%), 24 (100%) |
| Cocaine | 15 (62%), 22 (92%) |
| Prescription opioids (not prescribed) | 12 (50%), 20 (83%) |
| Sedatives | 9 (38%), 18 (75%) |
| Methamphetamine | 8 (33%), 20 (83%) |
| Street opioids (e.g., heroin, opium) | 5 (21%), 15 (62%) |
| Prescription stimulants | 4 (17%), 13 (54%) |
| Poly-substance usea in last 3 months | 16 (67%) |
aPoly-substance use defined as the use of more than one drug (excluding alcohol and cannabis)