Differences in characteristics of heroin inhalers and heroin injectors at admission to treatment: a preliminary study using a large database of client records.

Aims: To compare the characteristics of heroin injectors vs. inhalers at their first admission to publicly funded treatment in Texas.

Methods: The sample consisted of 9732 unique clients who entered publicly funded treatment programs in Texas between 1997 and 2001 and who had a primary problem with either injected or inhaled heroin, which they had used in the past 30 days. The records were analyzed using a generalized linear model of logistic regression with the outcomes modeled as binomial and multinomial distribution and a hierarchical linear model for continuous outcomes to compare heroin inhalers and injectors.

Findings: There were large statistically significant differences between injectors and inhalers. Inhalers were more likely to be older at first use of heroin, to have entered treatment sooner, to have minor children at home, to have higher annual incomes, to be first admissions to treatment, and to have a secondary drug problem with crack cocaine. They were also more likely to be Hispanic [odds ratio (OR) = 1.74] or African-American (OR = 12.32).

Conclusions: Even though the race/ethnic differences in the Texas population and the type of heroin available for use in Texas differs from that studied elsewhere, many of the characteristics of heroin users are similar. Inhalers have more strengths in many areas, and these findings raise the possibility that there are factors, particularly among African-American participants in Texas, that lessen the risk of injecting heroin. Efforts should be directed to providing therapeutic interventions to discourage the transition to injecting and to encourage inhalers to enter treatment earlier rather than progressing on to injecting. This analysis is the first part of a larger study of heroin users in public and private treatment.