Table 1 Baseline sample characteristics stratified by requiring assistance with injecting in the previous 6 months among PWID in Vancouver, Canada (n = 1119)

 Age (median, IQR)

43 (36–48)

42 (35–48)

0.596

36 (28–43)

37 (29–45)

0.605

 Caucasian

100 (66.2)

409 (69.1)

0.499

70 (55.1)

125 (50.2)

0.367

 <High school diploma

78 (51.7)

249 (42.1)

0.039

65 (51.2)

141 (56.6)

0.368

 In a stable relationship

40 (26.5)

148 (25.0)

0.683

55 (43.3)

96 (38.6)

0.390

 Homeless^a

63 (41.7)

230 (38.9)

0.519

57 (44.9)

86 (34.5)

0.051

 Sex work^a

7 (4.6)

11 (1.9)

0.069

54 (42.5)

102 (41.0)

0.822

 Incarcerated^a

29 (19.2)

115 (19.4)

0.951

28 (22.1)

33 (13.3)

0.031

 Victim of violence^a

50 (33.1)

137 (23.1)

0.013

43 (33.9)

51 (20.5)

0.007

Drug use-related characteristics

 Years injecting (median, IQR)

20 (8–30)

19 (12–31)

0.347

12 (8–24)

16 (10–24)

0.044

 ≥Daily heroin injection^a

52 (34.4)

187 (31.6)

0.504

62 (48.8)

86 (34.5)

0.007

 ≥Daily cocaine injection^a

20 (13.3)

52 (8.8)

0.100

18 (14.2)

27 (10.8)

0.347

 ≥Daily crystal meth injection^a

14 (9.3)

24 (4.1)

0.009

8 (6.3)

9 (3.6)

0.229

 ≥Daily PO injection^a

8 (5.3)

47 (7.9)

0.269

7 (5.5)

12 (4.8)

0.772

 Injecting in public^a

77 (51.0)

242 (40.9)

0.021

67 (52.8)

92 (37.0)

0.003

 Syringe borrowing^a

15 (9.9)

56 (9.5)

0.860

22 (17.3)

21 (8.4)

0.011

 Non-fatal overdose^a

18 (11.9)

36 (6.1)

0.014

14 (11.0)

23 (9.2)

0.608

 Accessed VANDU Injection Support Team^a

26 (17.2)

67 (11.3)

0.014

17 (13.4)

26 (10.4)

0.574

 Ever learned safe injection technique by healthcare provider

34 (22.5)

124 (21.0)

0.932

37 (29.1)

45 (18.1)

0.026