Table 1.
Characteristics of participants at opioid agonist therapy initiation among 1107 people who use illicit drugs in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
| Characteristics | Frequency | Proportion (%) |
|---|---|---|
| Sociodemographic factors | ||
| Age in years, median (quartile 1 – quartile 3) | 35.5 | 26.8–43.6 |
| Male | 669 | 60.4 |
| White ethnicity | 621 | 56.1 |
| Employment status (regular/temporary job; self-employed) a | 192 | 17.3 |
| Unstable housing | 710 | 64.1 |
| Substance use a | ||
| Heroin | 855 | 77.2 |
| Injection | 815 | 73.6 |
| Non-injection | 160 | 14.5 |
| Illicit prescription opioid | 350 | 31.6 |
| Injection | 240 | 21.7 |
| Non-injection | 169 | 15.3 |
| Cocaine | 559 | 50.5 |
| Injection | 505 | 45.6 |
| Non-injection | 138 | 12.5 |
| Crack cocaine | 548 | 49.5 |
| Crystal methamphetamine | 226 | 20.4 |
| Injection | 179 | 16.2 |
| Non-injection | 107 | 9.7 |
| Cannabis | 577 | 52.1 |
| Daily alcohol | 92 | 8.3 |
| Benzodiazepines | 93 | 8.4 |
| Treatment experience a | ||
| Any other addiction treatment or services | 0 | 0.0 |
| Behavioural risk factor a | ||
| Incarceration | 271 | 24.5 |
| Sex work involvement | 191 | 17.3 |
| Drug dealing | 224 | 20.2 |
| Other factor | ||
| Year of study enrolment | 2005 | 1997-2008 |
a
Denotes behaviours in the previous six months from the time of interview.