A Multi-Site Cross-Sectional Study of Anxiety Symptoms and the Associated Factors Among Chinese Drug Users Undergoing Compulsory Detoxification Treatment.

Xiaoshi Yang,Yuke Wang,Shenshui Yu,Carrie Kovarik

doi:10.3389/fpubh.2021.524068

Xiaoshi Yang, Yuke Wang + Show 2 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2021.524068

Copy DOI

Abstract

Compulsory drug detoxification treatment (CDT) is currently the major drug rehabilitation modality in China, and drug users often suffer from extraordinary levels of stress during CDT, leading to a high prevalence of anxiety symptoms. This study assesses anxiety symptoms of the drug users undergoing CDT and explores the associated factors. A cross-sectional study with cluster sampling was conducted in three cities in Liaoning Province of Northeast China. Nine hundred CDT drug users were interviewed face-to-face with Chinese questionnaires. Hierarchical multiple regression (HMR) analysis was conducted to explore the factors associated with anxiety symptoms. The prevalence of anxiety symptoms among the CDT drug users was substantially high (33.2%). HMR analysis indicated perceived stress and characteristics of drug use such as types of drugs, were the most important contributors to anxiety symptoms. Optimism (LOT-R) played a protective role in reducing anxiety symptoms in this population. Anxiety symptoms of drug users undergoing CDT were present in a significant proportion of the CDT population. Optimism is a protective factor which could attenuate the detrimental effects of perceived stress on anxiety symptoms and potentially improve treatment outcomes.

Highlights

Illicit drug use has spread dramatically in China since the 1980’s, becoming a critical public health problem
There were 410 drug users addicted to synthetic drugs (51.7%), 138 addicted to opioid type drugs (17.4%), and 245 drug users (30.9%) addicted to both types of drugs
The results from this study indicated that anxiety symptoms were severe among the drug users undergoing Compulsory drug detoxification treatment (CDT), with a prevalence of anxiety symptoms of 33.2%, which is significantly higher than those of the general public [28, 29] and the patients attending methadone maintenance treatment in China (18.4–19.5%) [9, 30]

Summary

Introduction

Illicit drug use has spread dramatically in China since the 1980’s, becoming a critical public health problem. Given the exponential rise in drug use over the past several decades and the impact on a Chinese Drug Users Anxiety Symptoms significant population in China, the 2008 Anti-Drug Law of China created a new drug detoxification system. Compulsory drug detoxification treatment (CDT) is currently the major drug rehabilitation modality in China [2]. The CDT, which restricts drug users’ daily lives and freedom, is different from that in Western countries. It is a compulsory administrative measure and is issued by the public security bureau and enforced by the judicial administrative bureau

Methods

Results

Discussion

Conclusion