title: High purity heroin use among women in karaj, iran: a pilot study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  High purity heroin use is a new epidemic health concern among Iranian drug-using women in recent years. However, the nature and initial factors associated with this serious health problem have not been studied yet.
  
  
  METHODS
  To understand this issue, a cross-sectional study was conducted and sixty treatment and non-treatment seekers who met the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 4(th) ed., Text Revision (DSM.IV-TR) criteria for drug dependence with mean age of 28.7 (± 8.3) years were recruited from 16 addiction clinics and drop-in centers (DICs) in Karaj, Iran. First, demographics, and details of drug use and risky behaviors were collected based on items elicited from Addiction Severity Index (ASI). Then, initial factors associated with high purity heroin use were collected by interviewing and applying a researcher-made questionnaire. Data was statistically analyzed by descriptive methods of statistics, chi-square, and Student's independent t-test in SPSS software.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Initiation of high purity heroin use was facilitated by family/relatives factor (66.7%), curiosity (60.1%), peers (54%), desire to experience rapid physical effects of high purity heroin compared with other opioids (50.1%), and treatment of general medical problems such as colic pain (33%). Chi-square test showed that non-treatment seekers were younger (less than 35 years) (66.6% vs. 56%, p ≤ 0.001) and mostly living with drug-dependent friends (26% vs. 3.3%, p ≤ 0.001) compared with treatment seekers. No relation was found among other factors.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Factors facilitating the initiation of high purity heroin use revealed in this study have not been fully addressed by current drug treatment services in Iran. To design comprehensive treatment programs, further studies on larger samples with more women are necessary.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  None.
authors.affiliation: Department of Social Work, Velayat Hospital, Semnan University of Medical Sciences, Damghan, Iran.
authors.forename: Masuadeh
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Babakhanian
authors.affiliation: PhD Student, Department of Psychology, Islamic Azad University, Karaj Branch, Karaj, Iran.
authors.forename: Sahar
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mansouri
authors.affiliation: Clinical Psychologist, Psychological Services Centre, Alzahra University, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Zahra
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Moradi
authors.affiliation: Clinical Psychologist, Psychological Services Centre, Islamic Azad University, Karaj Branch, Karaj, Iran.
authors.forename: Zahra
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Abarashi
keywords: Etiology; High Purity Heroin; Treatment; Women