Investigation of the Demographic Characteristics of Patients Addicted to Opioids Undergoing Drug Maintenance Treatment in Addiction Treatment Centers in Bojnurd City

Abstract

Introduction: Opium addiction is one of the most significant problems in Iran. This study investigates demographic information of opium-addicted patients undergoing maintenance treatment in Bojnurd addiction treatment centers. This study aims to identify high-risk groups and those who need therapeutic and psychosocial interventions to maintain treatments. Method: This cross-sectional study was conducted from 2016 to 2021 on 300 addicted patients referring to Bojnurd addiction treatment centers. These patients participated in the opioid maintenance treatment program for at least six months. The investigation utilized a checklist of demographic information and examined the files of addicted people undergoing maintenance treatment in eight addiction treatment centers in the city. The data were analyzed in SPSS23 software using the Chi-square statistical test. Results: The mean age (standard deviation) of the participants was 52.17±14.13 years. Besides, 76.6% of the participants were male, 70.0% resided in the city, and 73.6% were married. The majority of the participants had a primary education level and were self-employed. Opium juice was the most consumed substance, and smoking was the most common method of use. Conclusion: It appears that married and middle-aged individuals constitute the largest population undergoing maintenance treatment in Bojnurd city. The high frequency of individuals with low or no literacy in the studied population underscores the importance of education.