Compulsory maintenance treatment program amongst Iranian injection drug users and its side effects.
BACKGROUND
Psychoactive substance use can cause a broad variety of mental health disorders and social health problems for the drug users, their family and society.


OBJECTIVE
The Ministry of Health, Treatment, and Medical Education of Iran has recently proclaimed an estimated number of 2 million drug abusers and 200,000 injecting drug users (IDUs).


METHODS
For data collection, the directory of mental, social health, and Addiction designed a questionnaire in cooperation with Drug Control Headquarters of Iran.


RESULTS
Among 402 IDUs patients, a large amount of them were male, single, and younger than 39 years. Regarding psychotic and somatic symptoms caused by methadone therapy, most of the participants had no problem with methadone maintenance treatment (MMT).


CONCLUSIONS
There is a need to train health staff, and the community, concerning preventive measures, treatment, and reducing harm for substance drug users.
Bureau of Mental, Social Health and Addiction, Ministry of Health, Treatment and Medical Education, Tehran, IR Iran.
Sharareh
S
Eskandarieh
Substance Abuse and Dependency Research Centre, Social Welfare and Rehabilitation Sciences University, Tehran, IR Iran.
Firoozeh
F
Jafari
Bureau of Mental, Social Health and Addiction, Ministry of Health, Treatment and Medical Education, Tehran, IR Iran.
Somayeh
S
Yazdani
Bureau of Mental, Social Health and Addiction, Ministry of Health, Treatment and Medical Education, Tehran, IR Iran.
Nazanin
N
Hazrati
Tehran Institute of Psychiatry, School of Behavioral Sciences and Mental Health, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, IR Iran.
Mohammad Bagher
MB
Saberi-Zafarghandi
Drug Users; Methadone; Psychotic Disorders