FACTORS AFFECTING THE DURATION OF ADDICTION IN INDIVIDUALS VISITING DRUG ABUSE TREATMENT CENTERS IN KERMANSHAH PROVINCE IN 2013

TORAJ AHMADI JUIBARI¹, BAHARE LOTFI², KHADIJEH NAJAFI GHOBADI², ABBAS AGHAEI¹,*, MASOUDMORADI¹, FARID NAJAFI¹, VAHID FARNIA¹

¹ Internist, Substance Abuse Prevention Research Center, Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, Kermanshah, Iran - ² MSc of Epidemiology, Clinical Research Development Center, Imam Khomainiand Mohammad Kermanshahi Hospitals, Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, Kermanshah, Iran

Background and objectives: Ever study of factors affecting the drug abuse duration has not been done in Iran yet. This study was carried out to find out the factors affecting the time span between the first drug-abuse experiences to the first quitting attempt among those referring to the treatment centers for drug abuse in Kermanshah Province in 2013.

Methods: This is a cross-sectional, descriptive, analytical study done on those who personally referred to treatment centers for drug abuse in Kermanshah Province in 2013. Checklists were used to extract data from their records. To analyze the factors affecting the time span between the first drug-abuse experiences to the first quitting attempt, stepwise regression was run using the SPSS software, version 16.

Results: Altogether, the data pertaining to 2652 people referring to 80 treatment centers were analyzed. The age mean was 37.98(±11.18), with men accounting for 97 percent of the population. Findings indicated that the following factors affected the time span between the first drug-abuse experience to the first quitting attempt significantly (p<0.05): age, gender, age in the time of the first abuse, homelessness, hashish consumption, heroin consumption, family history of addiction, and family history of mental disorders.

Conclusion: It can be concluded that a large number of personal and social factors affect quitting attempts by drug addicts. To reduce the burden of addiction on the society through treating the addicts, thorough support from the family as well as from the government and the organizations in charge is required.