Table 2 Access to conventional medical care and healthcare barriers among people who use drugs (N = 162) recruited in Athens, Greece, according to housing status

A. Conventional medical care access

 Participants currently under care for their healthcare conditions, n (%)

88 (54.3)

43 (53.1)

45 (55.6)

0.75

 Participants who had visited a healthcare provider within the past 3 months, n (%)

85 (52.5)

37 (45.7)

48 (59.3)

0.08

 Participant rating of level of difficulty in obtaining healthcare services within the past 12 months, n (%)

0.04

  Easy or very easy

79 (48.8)

39 (48.2)

40 (49.4)

  Moderate

25 (15.4)

16 (19.8)

9 (11.1)

  Difficult or very difficult

46 (28.4)

17 (21.0)

29 (35.8)

  I did not seek healthcare services within the past 12 months

12 (7.4)

9 (11.1)

3 (3.7)

 Where participants last accessed a healthcare provider, n (%)

0.02

  At a public hospital

140 (86.4)

64 (79.0)

76 (93.8)

  At private medical practice

12 (7.4)

11 (13.6)

1 (1.2)

  At a health center

5 (3.1)

3 (3.7)

2 (2.5)

  Other

5 (3.1)

3 (3.7)

2 (2.5)

B. Healthcare barriers

 Participants who reported geographical obstacles^a, n (%)

70 (43.2)

37 (45.7)

33 (40.5)

0.53

 Participants who reported a negative experience when accessing healthcare, n (%)

92 (56.8)

41 (50.6)

51 (63.0)

0.11

 Participants attributed the negative experience to, n (%)

  Drug use history^b

81 (88.0)

36 (87.8)

45 (88.2)

0.95

  Income/social status^b

20 (21.7)

6 (14.6)

14 (27.4)

0.14

 Participants reported the following types of negative experiences, n (%)

  Attitude of healthcare staff^b

81 (88.0)

37 (90.2)

44 (86.3)

0.56

  Refusal to provide me with treatment^b

36 (39.1)

13 (31.7)

23 (45.1)

0.19

  Inappropriate language^b

35 (38.0)

22 (53.7)

13 (25.5)

0.006

  Denial of my rights^b

16 (17.4)

6 (14.6)

10 (19.6)

0.53