Behavioural Patterns of Drug Users In Highland

Refusals
One advantage gained from the recruitment technique adopted in Highland was that accurate refusal rates were obtained. The information obtained is detailed in this supplement.

Seventy-two persons approached for interview refused to take part in the study: 48 (66.7%) male, 24 (33.3%) female. The average ‘approximate age’ for this group was 34 years: males 37.3 years, females 27.8 years.

Table S1 above details the break down of refusals by location and sex. Again Inverness provides the largest proportion (48.6%) of the sample, with Fort William and Easter Ross providing 23.6% and 22.2% respectively. Nairn composed 5.6% of this sample.

Table S2 (above) shows the main reasons given for refusal to take part in the study. The most popular reason given for refusal (by 20) was that the person approached was not an injector, but a smoker. Nineteen were ineligible as their last injection took place over two months ago. Twelve were not interested and 9 described themselves as recreational or non-dependent drug users. Those saying they had no time, had an interview terminated or declared themselves to be too paranoid were all current injectors: 7, 2 and 1 respectively; ten in all.

Table S3, below, details the reasons given by females for not taking part with a third of them reporting that their last injection had occurred over two months ago.