Factors predicting entry of injecting drug users into substance abuse treatment.

A prospective study of 823 injecting drug users (IDUs) was made to identify baseline variables differentiating those who entered treatment during the study from those who did not enter. Variables independently associated with entering treatment in a multiple logistic regression model included (a) expressed desire for treatment, (b) being eligible for methadone maintenance, (c) two or more previous treatment admissions, (d) frequency of injection, (e) heroin use in the past 30 days, (e) being human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) positive, (f) giving money or drugs for sex, and (g) level of injection-related risk for HIV infection.