title: Drug Use among Street Children in Tehran, Iran: A Qualitative Study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Globally, children who work and live on the streets are at higher risk of undesired behavioral health outcomes, including increased drug use and abuse. Considering the rapid growth of this population in Iran and the lack of program planning that is partly due to a scarcity of research-based information, this study was conducted in 2013 to investigate drug use among street children in Tehran.
  With a qualitative design, we conducted a Rapid Assessment and Response Survey of street children in Tehran, 2012-2013. Data were also obtained from 10 focus group discussions with street children using semi-structured questionnaires and 27 in-depth interviews with key informants in governmental, non-governmental, and international organizations.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The variation in age at first use, type of drugs, and pattern of drug use were found based on ethnicity. Consuming of Alcohol was reported to be more among an ethnic group. Drug use problems were commonly described among families of street children. Children whose parents had drug-use problems described using drugs earlier than other children. Informants reported that families with drug-related problems used children for procurement of drugs. Children themselves described using drugs to cope with stress, and to reduce physical and psychological stressors and problems, such as fatigue, sadness, and pressure, resulting from frequent failures in life.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results suggest that intervention and prevention programs dealing with drug use of street children in Iran should include family and peers when addressing drug use by street children.
authors.affiliation: Department of Mental Health, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA; Social Determinants of Health Research Center, University of Social Welfare and Rehabilitation Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Masoumeh
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Dejman
authors.affiliation: Social Welfare Management Research Center, University of Social Welfare and Rehabilitation Sciences , Tehran , Iran.
authors.forename: Meroe
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Vameghi
authors.affiliation: Social Determinants of Health Research Center, University of Social Welfare and Rehabilitation Sciences , Tehran , Iran.
authors.forename: Payam
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Roshanfekr
authors.affiliation: Social Determinants of Health Research Center, University of Social Welfare and Rehabilitation Sciences , Tehran , Iran.
authors.forename: Fatemeh
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Dejman
authors.affiliation: Social Determinants of Health Research Center, University of Social Welfare and Rehabilitation Sciences , Tehran , Iran.
authors.forename: Hassan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Rafiey
authors.affiliation: Social Determinants of Health Research Center, University of Social Welfare and Rehabilitation Sciences , Tehran , Iran.
authors.forename: Ameneh Setareh
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Forouzan
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA; Social Determinants of Health Research Center, University of Social Welfare and Rehabilitation Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Shervin
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Assari
authors.affiliation: Department of Mental Health, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University , Baltimore, MD , USA.
authors.forename: Judith
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bass
authors.affiliation: Department of Mental Health, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University , Baltimore, MD , USA.
authors.forename: Renee M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Johnson
keywords: LMIC; drug use; qualitative; street children