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Table 1 Unadjusted and adjusted* backward stepwise Cox regression models for vulnerabilities associated with HCV incidence among Cedar participants who used injection drugs (n = 148)

From: The Cedar Project: high incidence of HCV infections in a longitudinal study of young Aboriginal people who use drugs in two Canadian cities

Variable

Baseline^ n (%)

Unadjusted HR (95%CI)

P value

Adjusted HR (95%CI)

P value

Location

   

-

 

Prince George

63 (42.6)

1.48 (0.82, 2.66)

0.676

  

Vancouver

85 (57.4)

1.0 (Reference)

   

Sex

     

Female

79 (53.4)

1.43 (0.79, 2.60)

 

-

 

Male

69 (46.6)

1.0 (Reference)

0.240

  

Age at enrolment

23.1** (3.9)

0.95 (0.87, 1.02)

0.161

-

-

Sexual identity

     

Gay/bisexual/two-spirited

17 (11.5)

1.62 (0.72, 3.63)

0.242

-

-

Straight

131 (88.5)

1.0 (Reference)

   

At least one parent in residential school

   

-

-

Yes

81 (54.7)

0.95 (0.53, 1.70)

0.850

  

No/unsure

67 (45.3)

1.0 (Reference)

   

Ever taken into foster care

   

-

-

Yes

101 (68.2)

1.29 (0.67, 2.51)

0.445

  

No

47 (31.8)

1.0 (reference)

   

Ever sexually abused

    

-

Yes

76 (52.1)

1.66 (0.91, 3.04)

0.098

-

 

No/unsure

70 (47.9)

1.0 (reference)

   

Sexual assault last 6 months

   

-

-

Yes

3 (2)

1.19 (0.37, 3.85)

0.770

  

No

145 (98)

1.0 (reference)

   

Relationship status last 6 months

   

-

-

Single

115 (77.8)

0.96 (0.64, 1.45)

0.856

  

In a relationship

33 (22.2)

1.0 (Reference)

   

Ever on streets for >3 nights

  

0.845

-

-

Yes

56 (38.1)

0.94 (0.52, 1.72)

   

No

91 (61.9)

1.0 (reference)

   

On street for > nights last 6 months

    

-

Yes

n/a

1.26 (0.83, 1.90)

0.275

-

 

No

 

1.0 (reference)

   

Ever been in jail prison

     

Yes

97 (66)

1.11 (0.59, 2.09)

0.742

-

-

No

50 (34)

1.0 (reference)

   

Been in jail or prison last 6 months

   

-

-

Yes

38 (25.7)

1.25 (0.83, 1.89)

0.291

  

No

110 (74.3)

1.0 (reference)

   

Ever attempted suicide

     

Yes

66 (44.6)

0.67 (0.37, 1.23)

0.195

-

-

No

82 (55.4)

1.0 (reference)

   

Number of lifetime sexual partners

  

0.530

-

-

>20

70 (48.6)

1.21 (0.67, 2.18)

   

<20/refused

74 (51.4)

1.0 (reference)

   

Ever involved in sex work

   

-

-

Yes

67 (45.6)

1.63 (0.90, 2.96)

0.107

  

No

80 (54.4)

1.0 (reference)

   

Involved in sex work last 6 months

     

Yes

47 (31.8)

1.71 (1.16, 2.53)

0.007

1.59 (1.05, 2.42)

0.030

No

101 (68.2)

1.0 (reference)

 

1.0 (reference)

 

Condom use for insertive sex with regular partner last 6 months

   

-

-

Not always

62 (41.9)

0.82 (0.51, 1.34)

0.437

  

Always

86 (58.1)

1.0 (reference)

   

Condom use for insertive sex with causal partner last 6 months

   

-

-

Not always

28 (18.9)

0.60 (0.24, 1.48)

0.268

  

Always

120 (81.1)

1.0 (reference)

   

Condom use for insertive sex with clients last 6 months

   

-

-

Not always

6 (4.1)

1.96 (0.61, 6.36)

0.260

  

Always

142 (95.9)

1.0 (reference)

   

Ever had a STI

     

Yes

65 (43.9)

1.17 (0.65, 2.12)

 

-

-

No

83 (56.1)

1.0 (reference)

0.604

  

Had a STI last 6 months

     

Yes

16 (10.8)

0.94 (0.36, 2.50)

0.908

-

-

No

132 (89.2)

1.0 (reference)

   

Ever overdose

     

Yes

48 (32.4)

0.76 (0.42, 1.40)

0.382

-

-

No

100 (67.6)

1.0 (reference)

   

Overdose last 6 months

     

Yes

20 (13.5)

1.71 (0.82, 3.58)

0.152

-

-

No

128 (86.5)

1.0 (reference)

   

Time since initiation of injection drug use1

     

< 2 years

n/a

4.57 (2.19, 9.51)

<0.001

4.14 (1.91, 8.94)

<0.001

2-5 years

 

2.43 (1.09, 5.45)

0.031

2.12 (0.94, 4.77)

0.070

> 5 years

 

1.0 (reference)

 

1.0 (reference)

 

Frequency of injection cocaine last 6 months

     

Daily

16 (10.8)

3.94 (2.49, 6.24)

<0.001

2.47 (1.51, 4.05)

<0.001

< Daily/non-user

132 (89.2)

1.0 (reference)

 

1.0 (reference)

 

Frequency of injection methamphetamine last 6 months

   

-

-

Daily

4 (2.7)

1.79 (0.90, 3.57)

0.099

  

< Daily/non-user

144 (97.3)

1.0 (reference)

   

Frequency of injection opiates last 6 months

   

-

-

Daily

27 (18.2)

2.06 (1.43, 2.98)

<0.001

  

< Daily/non-user

125 (81.7)

1.0 (reference)

   

Syringe sharing last 6 months

     

Yes

19 (12.8)

3.35 (2.09, 5.39)

<0.001

2.56 (1.47, 4.49)

0.001

No

129 (87.2)

1.0 (reference)

 

1.0 (reference)

 

Reuse of own syringes last 6 months

   

-

-

Yes

13 (9.1)

2.17 (1.48, 3.19)

<0.001

  

No

131 (90.9)

1.0 (reference)

   

Hard to find new syringes last 6 months

   

-

-

Yes

15 (10.1)

2.16 (1.31, 3.57)

0.003

  

No

133 (89.9)

1.0 (reference)

   

Need help injecting last 6 months

   

-

-

Yes

38 (25.7)

1.14 (0.61, 2.14)

0.687

  

No

110 (74.3)

1.0 (reference)

   

Accessed any alcohol or drug treatment program last 6 months

   

-

-

Yes

31 (21.1)

1.25 (0.81, 1.93)

0.317

  

No

116 (78.9)

1.0 (reference)

   

Unable to access drug treatment program

   

-

-

Yes

22 (15)

0.90 (0.48, 1.69)

0.741

  

No

125 (85)

1.0 (reference)

   

Currently in methadone treatment program

   

-

-

Yes

5 (3.4)

2.11 (0.83, 5.37)

0.117

  

No

143 (96.6)

1.0 (reference)

   
  1. *All variables significant at the p ≤ 0.10 level in unadjusted analysis were included in the adjusted backward stepwise Cox proportional hazards model.
  2. HR Hazard Ratio.
  3. ^Responses with less than n = 148 participants reflect missing data.
  4. **Mean age (standard deviation).
  5. 1For those who had seroconverted to HCV positive, variable was time to seroconversion; and those who were non-incident cases, variable measured time to last follow up visit since initiation of injection.
  6. n/a: not available.