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Table 3 Drug-use behaviors for PWID at initiation and transition

From: When and how do individuals transition from regular drug use to injection drug use in Uganda? Findings from a rapid assessment

Type of behavior

Value

Age of first drug use (median)

15

Age of first injection (median)

19

Interval between first drug use and first injection (mean)

4.5

The types of first drug used (n(%))a

Cannabis

86 (68.8)

Alcohol

112 (89.6)

Khat

97 (77.6)

Kuba

42 (33.6)

Fuel (sniffing)

8 (6.4)

Heroin

5 (4.0)

Cocaine

26 (20.8)

The types of first drug injected, n(%)

Brown heroin

76 (60.8)

White heroin

29 (23.2)

Cocaine

17 (13.6)

Others

3 (2.4)

Place of first injection, n(%)

Ghetho/dungeon/hideout

78 (62.4)

My home

3 (2.4)

Supplier’s home/premise

26 (20.8)

Friend’s home

11 (8.8)

Others

7 (5.6)

Sharing practice

Shared injecting equipment during first injection

106 (84.8)

Reasons for transitioning

My friends were injecting

59 (47.2)

To achieve a greater/more effective high

33 (26.4)

Curiosity

15 (12)

Other

18 (14.4)

  1. aMultiple options were available due to polypharmacy