Table 1 Socio-demographics, drug use and offending history by regular use of heroin in year before prison
From: Heroin use impairs smoking cessation among Australian prisoners
| Â | Not regularly used heroin % (N = 265) | Regularly used heroin % (N = 160) | Total men % (N = 425) | P-value |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Socio-demographics | Â | Â | Â | Â |
Age group | Â | Â | Â | Â |
  < 25 years | 25.3 | 19.4 | 23.1 |  |
  25-29 years | 17.4 | 24.4 | 20.0 | P < 0.01 |
  30-39 years | 23.4 | 37.5 | 28.7 |  |
  40+ years | 34.0 | 18.9 | 28.2 |  |
Mean age | 34.4 | 32.0 | 33.5 | P < 0.02 |
  (+SD; Range) | (11.2; 18–65) | (8.0; 19–54) | (10.2; 18–65) |  |
Aboriginal origin | 14.3 | 16.3 | 15.1 | NS |
Born in Australia | 74.8 | 75.0 | 74.9 | NS |
Left school no qualification | 39.3 | 50.6 | 43.5 | P < 0.03 |
Mean age left school | 15.5 | 14.6 | 15.1 | P < 0.01 |
  (+SD; Range) | (1.7; 12–26) | (2.3; 0–19) | (2.0; 0–26) |  |
Institutionalised as a child (juvenile detention and/or placed in care) | 31.3 | 48.8 | 37.9 | P < 0.01 |
Homeless prior to prison | 4.5 | 11.3 | 7.1 | P < 0.01 |
Employed while in prison | 79.3 | 60.0 | 72.0 | P < 0.01 |
Ever use drugs by drug type | Â | Â | Â | Â |
Cannabis | 89.1 | 98.8 | 92.7 | P < 0.01 |
Amphetamines | 66.0 | 95.0 | 76.9 | P < 0.01 |
Cocaine | 44.2 | 81.9 | 58.4 | P < 0.01 |
Heroin | 30.1 | 100.0 | 56.5 | P < 0.01 |
Other opiates | 18.9 | 66.9 | 36.9 | P < 0.01 |
Tranquilisers | 22.6 | 66.9 | 39.3 | P < 0.01 |
Any drugs (other than heroin) | 92.1 | 100.0 | 38.6 | P < 0.01 |
Any drugs | 92.5 | 100.0 | 95.3 | P < 0.01 |
Regularly (daily or almost daily) use drugs prior to prison by drug type | Â | Â | Â | Â |
Cannabis | 52.8 | 73.1 | 60.5 | P < 0.01 |
Amphetamines | 41.9 | 60.0 | 48.7 | P < 0.01 |
Cocaine | 23.8 | 56.9 | 36.2 | P < 0.01 |
Other opiates | 3.0 | 37.5 | 16.0 | P < 0.01 |
Tranquilisers | 6.4 | 35.6 | 17.4 | P < 0.01 |
Any drugs (other than heroin) | 69.1 | 92.5 | 77.9 | P < 0.01 |
Any drugs | 69.4 | 100.0 | 80.9 | P < 0.01 |
Offending history | Â | Â | Â | Â |
Previously incarcerated | 50.6 | 85.6 | 63.8 | P < 0.01 |
Median number adult prison terms | 2.0 | 4.0 | 2.0 | P < 0.01 |
  (+SD; Range) | (2.7; 1–20) | (2.8; 1–15) | (2.9; 1–20) |  |
Median years in prison at baseline | 1.9 | 1.8 | 1.9 | NS |
  (+SD; Range) | (4.2; 0.02-27.1) | (4.1; 0.03-23.2) | (4.2; 0.02-27.1) |  |
Median sentence length in years | 3.9 | 3.1 | 3.6 | NS |
  (+SD; Range) | (13.4; 0.5-113.9) | (15.4; 0.4-115.8) | (14.2; 0.4-115.8) |  |