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Table 1 Basic characteristics of study sample

From: Substance use and symptoms of mental health disorders: a prospective cohort of patients with severe substance use disorders in Norway

Participants, n (%)

Baseline (n = 707)

Follow-up (n = 268)

Gender

 Male

500 (71)

208 (78)

 Female

207 (29)

60 (22)

Age, n (%)

 18–29

83 (12)

25 (9)

 30–39

203 (29)

71 (26)

 40–49

217 (31)

87 (32)

 50–59

161 (23)

71 (26)

  ≥ 60

43 (6)

14 (5)

 Mean (SD)

43 (11)

45 (10)

Highest education completed, n (%)

 Not completed lower secondary school

41 (6)

15 (6)

 Completed lower secondary school (9 years)

309 (44)

128 (48)

 Completed upper secondary school (12 years)

285 (40)

99 (37)

 Completed under or postgraduate studies (≥ 12 years)

72 (10)

26 (10)

Current living conditions, n (%)

 Stable (owned, rented or incarcerated)

619 (88)

242 (90)

 Unstable (homeless, with family/friends)

88 (12)

26 (10)

Worrying debt situation

292 (41)

116 (43)

Participants enrolled in OAT, n (%)

590 (83)

248 (93)

OAT medications of those; n (%)

  - Methadone

224 (38)

110 (44)

  - Buprenorphine-based

357 (61)

134 (54)

 OAT treatment ratio*, mean (SD)

0.9 (0.4)

0.9 (0.3)

Injecting and frequent substance use past 12 months, n (%)

 Injected at least once

352 (54)

142 (53)

 Alcohol

165 (25)

67 (25)

 Cannabis

329 (50)

145 (55)

 Stimulants (amphetamine/methamphetamine/cocaine)

183 (28)

73 (27)

 Opioids (other than OAT)

103 (16)

29 (11)

 Benzodiazepines

248 (38)

104 (39)

  1. SD = standard deviation, OAT = Opioid agonist therapy,
  2. *OAT ratio = ratio between daily OAT medication dose divided by expected mean daily dose; for buprenorphine 18 mg, buprenorphine-naloxone 18/4.5 mg or methadone 90 mg
  3. Frequent substance use was defined as using substance at least weekly during the past 12 months