Table 1.
Bivariable analyses of factors associated with a decrease in frequency of use of SCS/OPS since COVID-19 among people who use drugs in Vancouver (n = 428)
| Frequency of SCS/OPS use since COVID-19 pandemic | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Characteristic | Less n (%) 63 (14.8%) |
More/Same n (%) 364 (85.3%) |
Odds Ratio (95% CI) | p – value |
| Age (median, IQR) | 45 (39–53) | 52 (43–58) | 0.95 (0.92–0.98) | 0.000 |
| Self-identified Gender | ||||
| Female/Other | 24 (45.3) | 160 (45.2) | 1.00 (0.54–1.78) | 0.991 |
| Male | 29 (54.7) | 194 (54.8) | ||
| Ethnicity/Ancestry | ||||
| White | 30 (56.6) | 191 (54.3) | 0.91 (0.51–1.63) | 0.750 |
| BIPOCb | 23 (43.4) | 161 (45.7) | ||
| Education | ||||
| Other | 24 (45.3) | 182 (52.3) | 1.32 (0.74–2.37) | 0.341 |
| Highschool or greater | 29 (54.7) | 166 (47.7) | ||
| Employment | ||||
| Yes | 21 (33.3) | 124 (34.1) | 0.97 (0.55–1.71) | 0.910 |
| No | 42 (66.7) | 240 (65.9) | ||
| DTES Residencea | ||||
| Yes | 39 (61.9) | 219 (60.2) | 1.08 (0.62–1.87) | 0.794 |
| No | 24 (38.1) | 145 (39.8) | ||
| Daily Rx Opioids Usea | ||||
| Yes | 3 (4.8) | 6 (1.7) | 2.98 (0.72–12.22) | 0.113 |
| No | 60 (95.2) | 357 (98.4) | ||
| Daily Cocaine Usea | ||||
| Yes | 1 (1.6) | 12 (3.3) | 0.47 (0.06–3.70) | 0.466 |
| No | 62 (98.4) | 352 (96.7) | ||
| Daily Crystal Meth Usea | ||||
| Yes | 13 (20.6) | 59 (16.2) | 1.34 (0.69–2.63) | 0.386 |
| No | 50 (79.4) | 305 (83.8) | ||
| Daily Crack Non-Injectiona | ||||
| Yes | 6 (9.5) | 54 (14.8) | 0.60 (0.25–1.47) | 0.263 |
| No | 57 (90.5) | 310 (85.2) | ||
| Benzodiazepine usea | ||||
| Yes | 4 (6.4) | 10 (2.8) | 2.40 (0.73–7.90) | 0.138 |
| No | 59 (93.7) | 354 (97.3) | ||
| Suspected Fentanyl Exposurea | ||||
| Yes | 56 (88.9) | 233 (66.2) | 4.09 (1.81–9.24) | 0.000 |
| No | 7 (11.1) | 119 (33.8) | ||
| Used Drug Alonea | ||||
| Yes | 46 (82.1) | 187 (79.9) | 1.16 (0.54–2.46) | 0.706 |
| No | 10 (17.9) | 47 (20.1) | ||
| OATac | ||||
| Yes | 48 (76.2) | 232 (64.1) | 1.79 (0.97–3.33) | 0.062 |
| No | 15 (23.8) | 130 (35.9) | ||
| Non-fatal Overdosea | ||||
| Yes | 12 (19.1) | 64 (17.7) | 1.10 (0.55–2.17) | 0.794 |
| No | 51 (81.0) | 298 (82.3) | ||
| Witnessed Overdosea | ||||
| Yes | 40 (65.6) | 186 (51.7) | 1.78 (1.01–3.14) | 0.044 |
| No | 21 (34.4) | 174 (48.3) | ||
| Experienced Physical Violence | ||||
| Yes | 12 (19.1) | 50 (13.7) | 1.48 (0.74–2.96) | 0.269 |
| No | 51 (81.0) | 314 (86.3) | ||
| Equipment Sharinga | ||||
| Yes | 17 (27.9) | 82 (23.6) | 1.25 (0.68–2.30) | 0.476 |
| No | 44 (72.1) | 265 (76.4) | ||
| Inability to access treatmenta | ||||
| Yes | 1 (1.6) | 6 (1.7) | 0.99 (0.12–8.36) | 0.992 |
| No | 60 (98.4) | 356 (98.3) | ||
| Unstable Housinga | ||||
| Yes | 44 (69.8) | 192 (53.2) | 2.04 (1.15–3.63) | 0.014 |
| No | 19 (30.2) | 169 (46.8) | ||
| Sex worka | ||||
| Yes | 4 (6.5) | 43 (11.8) | 0.51 (0.18–1.49) | 0.213 |
| No | 58 (93.6) | 321 (88.2) | ||
| Incarcerationa | ||||
| Yes | 3 (4.8) | 8 (2.2) | 2.21 (0.57–8.58) | 0.239 |
| No | 60 (95.2) | 354 (97.8) | ||
| Jacked upa | ||||
| Yes | 4 (6.4) | 15 (4.2) | 1.56 (0.50–4.86) | 0.440 |
| No | 59 (93.7) | 345 (95.8) | ||
| Cohort | ||||
| VIDUS | 39 (61.9) | 198 (54.4) | 1.36 (0.79–2.36) | 0.268 |
| ACCESS | 24 (38.1) | 166 (45.6) | ||
| Believe Infected with Covid | ||||
| Yes | 5 (8.1) | 22 (6.2) | 1.34 (0.49–3.68) | 0.596 |
| No | 57 (91.9) | 336 (93.9) | ||
| Concern about COVID | ||||
| 1–5 | 27 (43.6) | 179 (49.6) | 0.78 (0.46–1.35) | 0.380 |
| 6–10 | 35 (56.5) | 182 (50.4) | ||
| Any chronic health conditions | ||||
| Yes | 52 (82.5) | 303 (83.9) | 0.90 (0.45–1.84) | 0.782 |
| No | 11 (17.5) | 58 (16.1) | ||
| Ease of Accessing SCS/OPS changed since COVID-19 | ||||
| Harder | 19 (49.2) | 37 (12.5) | 6.77 (3.66–12.53) | < 0.001 |
| Same/Easier | 30 (50.9) | 259 (87.5) | ||
Unless otherwise specified, drug use includes injection and non-injection consumption
aDenotes behaviours/exposures in the past 6 months
bBIPOC Black, Indigenous, or other people of colour
cOAT Opioid agonist therapy