title: Pattern of illicit drug use in patients referred to addiction treatment centres in Birjand, Eastern Iran.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the pattern of use of opioid and other illegal drugs in patients seeking addiction treatment in Birjand, eastern Iran.
  
  
  METHODS
  The prospective study was conducted from March 21, 2009 to March 21,2010, and comprised all patients referred to the seven addiction treatment centres in Birjand. Data was obtained through pre-designed questionnaires and it was analysed using SPSS 16.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the 700 substance users referred to the 7 centres and who volunteered to participate, 632 (90.3%) were males and 68 (9.7%) were females. The male/female ratio was approximatly 9.3/1. Mean age was 34+/-10.2 (range: 10-75) years. The type of drugs used included traditional drugs (n= 342; 48.9%) and newer modern drugs (n=314; 44.9 %). The mean age of the first experience with drugs was 21.91+/-7.1 (range=0-60) years. There was significant different between the type of drugs used and the place of residence (p<0.019), age (p<0.0001), martial status (p<0.0001), occupation (p<0.006) and education (p<0.017).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The prevalence of illicit drug addiction was quite high. There seemed to have been a change in the pattern of drug use and in the type of illegal drugs used in the study area, from traditional drugs to new and modern drugs. As such, identifying risk factors related to addiction and the prevention of addiction should be one of the most important health priorities for the authorities.
authors.affiliation: Medical Toxicology and Drug abuse research center (MTDRC), Department of Clinical toxicology, Birjand University of Medical Sciences (BUMS), Birjand, Iran.
authors.forename: Parissa
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Karrari
authors.forename: Omid
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Mehrpour
authors.forename: Reza
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Afshari
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Keyler
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007492:Iran / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D017678:Sex Distribution; D015813:Substance Abuse Detection / Q000379:methods; D016320:Substance Abuse Treatment Centers / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000534:rehabilitation; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult