From: Prevalence of problem alcohol use among patients attending primary care for methadone treatment
Variable | This study | Patients attending GPs for methadone treatment (Barry, Personal Communication, 2005) | Patients attending general practice for methadone treatment[23, 24] | All patients attending for problem drug use treatment in Ireland[14] | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Demographics | % male | 68% | 68% | 72% | 71% |
% employed | 45% | NA | NA | 25.8% | |
% homeless | 2% | NA | NA | 3% | |
Median age at time of study (range) | 32(20–55) | 32(18–62) | 28* | 25.8(17.2–40.7) | |
Median age of first heroin use (range) | 18(13–52) | NA | NA | NA | |
Median age of first injecting drug use | 19(13–39) | NA | 19.4* | 19(15–28) | |
Bloodborne virus infections | % (of those tested) who were known to be HCV positive | 55 | NA | 73 | NA |
% (of those tested) who were known to be HIV positive | 5 | NA | 9 | NA | |
Geographical location of practice by health region | East Coast Area | 38(30%) | 333(13%) | NA | NA |
Northern Area | 39(18%) | 751(29%) | NA | NA | |
South West Area | 115(45%) | 1325(51%) | NA | NA | |
Rest of Ireland | 4(11%) | 197(8%) | NA | NA |