Table 1. Demographic and clinical characteristics of the participants (n = 23).
| Characteristics | Male (n = 15) % | Female (n = 8) % | Total (n = 23) % |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age in years (range) | 27 (22–51) | 30 (23–34) | 27 (22–51) |
| Education | |||
| Primary (grade 1–6) | 1 (6.7) | 1 (12.5) | 2 (8.7) |
| Secondary (grade 7–10) | 7 (46.7) | 6 (75) | 13 (56.5) |
| Higher secondary (grade 11–12) | 3 (20) | 0 (0) | 3 (13) |
| Tertiary education (>grade 12) | 1 (6.7) | 1 (12.5) | 2 (8.7) |
| Technical and further education (TAFE) | 3 (20) | 0 (0) | 3 (13) |
| Ethnicity | |||
| Indigenous | 8 (53.3) | 1 (12.5) | 9 (39.1) |
| Non-Indigenous | 7 (46.7) | 6 (75) | 13 (56.5) |
| Risk exposures | |||
| Only injecting drug use | 6 (40) | 3 (37.5) | 9 (39.1) |
| Other exposures than injection (e.g. tattoo, body piercing, physical violence) | 3 (20) | 1 (12.5) | 4 (17.4) |
| Both injecting and other exposures | 6 (40) | 4 (50) | 10 (43.5) |
| Hepatitis C clinical status | |||
| No HCV antibodies | 5 (33.3) | 5 (62.5) | 10 (43.5) |
| Acute hepatitis C | 6 (40) | 2 (25) | 8 (34.8) |
| Chronic hepatitis C | 4 (26.7) | 1 (12.5) | 5 (21.7) |