Epidemiology of opium use in the general population.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the prevalence of opium use in the Fars province, Iran.


METHODS
A household survey of a representative sample of 3840 people aged 15 years and over. Researchers assessed opium use disorders using a semistructured interview and the Research Version of the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV Axis I, during 2003.


RESULTS
Mean age of the sample was 33.9 years (SD = 15). Of the participants, 689 (17.9%) admitted use of opium one or more times during their lives (28.4% of men and 7.4% of women). Three hundred thirty-nine (8.8%) were current opium users (14.3% of men and 3.3% of women). Opium ever-use and current-use were not functions of marital status. Both opium ever-use and current-use are found across the educational, occupational and income spectrums. Both peaked in the 40-49 age category, suggesting that first use usually occurs before 40 years of age and that current use extends across all age groups.


CONCLUSIONS
Men are at greater risk than women. This report provides useful information for health planning. Prevention programs should focus on those under 40 years of age, and treatment is required across all age groups.
Ahmadi
Jamshid
J
Medical School, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran. jamshid_ahmadi@yahoo.com
Pridmore
Saxby
S
Alimi
Abbas
A
Cheraghi
Ahmad
A
Arad
Ahmad
A
Parsaeyan
Hamid
H
Mohagheghzadeh
Mohammad Sadegh
MS
Kianpour
Mohsen
M
D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009293:Opioid-Related Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D009892:Opium; D012737:Sex Factors; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013648:Tasmania
D009892:Opium