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Table 1 Baseline sociodemographic characteristics and substance use behaviours associated with initiating drug dealing among street-involved youth in Vancouver, Canada (n = 194)

From: Elevated risk of incarceration among street-involved youth who initiate drug dealing

Characteristic

Drug dealing initiation

p value

Yes

56 (29%)

No

138 (71%)

Odds ratio

(95% CI)

Incarcerationa

 Yes

4 (7)

10 (7)

0.99 (0.30–3.30)

0.985

 No

51 (91)

126 (91)

 

Age (median, IQRb)

21 (19–22)

21 (19–23)

0.94 (0.84–1.05)

0.278

Female gender

 Yes

19 (34)

72 (52)

0.47 (0.25–0.90)

0.022

 No

37 (66)

66 (48)

 

Caucasian ethnicity

 Yes

36 (64)

91 (66)

0.93 (0.49–1.78)

0.826

 No

20 (36)

47 (34)

 

Homelessa

 Yes

33 (59)

91 (66)

0.76 (0.40–1.45)

0.401

 No

22 (39)

46 (33)

 

Heroin usea

 Yes

13 (23)

45 (33)

0.63 (0.31–1.30)

0.211

 No

42 (75)

92 (67)

 

Crack-cocaine usea

 Yes

24 (43)

66 48)

0.83 (0.44–1.56)

0.569

 No

31 (55)

71 (51)

 

Crystal methamphetamine used

 Yes

23 (41)

69 (50)

0.71 (0.38–1.33)

0.285

 No

32 (57)

68 (49)

 

Cocaine usea

 Yes

17 (30)

51 (37)

0.76 (0.39–1.49)

0.428

 No

38 (68)

87 (63)

 

Victim of violenceb

 Yes

19 (34)

52 (38)

0.90 (0.47–1.75)

0.761

 No

34 (61)

84 (61)

 

Physical abuse

 Yes

46 (82)

111 (80)

1.19 (0.50–2.86)

0.695

 No

8 (14)

23 (17)

 

Sexual abuse

 Yes

44 (79)

86 (62)

2.40 (1.11–5.21)

0.026

 No

10 (18)

47 (34)

 

Accessed services

 Yes

45 (80)

116 (84)

0.78 (0.35–1.73)

0.535

 No

11 (20)

22 (16)

 
  1. All column percentages may not sum to 100% due to missing data or rounding error
  2. CI confidence interval
  3. aDenotes activities in the last 6 months
  4. b IQR interquartile range