title: A Scientometric Study of Iranian Scientific Productions in the Field of Substance Use and Addiction Research in the Years 2008 to 2012.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  We aimed to evaluate the current status of scientific production in the field of substance use and addiction in Iran, to determine its trend and pattern during a 5 years period (2008-2012).
  
  
  METHODS
  Using relevant keywords, we searched three international databases (Web of Science, Medline, and Scopus) and two local databases (SID and Iranmedex) to locate the papers published in the field of addiction by Iranian researchers during 2008-2012.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The results indicated a significant increase in the number of studies published in the field during the 5 years study period, with more than half of the papers published in the last 2 years. Results also indicated that over half (53.5%) of the papers were published in Persian-language Iranian Journals, but the rate of increase in the number of papers published in English was slightly higher than that of Persian ones. Opioid substances were found to be the topic of approximately 75% of the papers. Studies on key topics, including national surveys, evaluation of current programs, addiction in women and children, and so forth, were found to be highly lacking.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Results suggested a significant growth in the scientific production of Iran in the field of substance use and addiction. However, considering the significance of substance use and dependence in the country, and compared to the scientific production of developed countries, the amount of research conducted in the field of addiction in Iran is still limited.
authors.affiliation: Associate Professor, Iranian National Center for Addiction Studies (INCAS), Iranian Institute for Reduction of High-Risk Behaviors, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Afarin
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rahimi-Movaghar
authors.affiliation: Assistant Professor, Iranian National Center for Addiction Studies (INCAS), Iranian Institute for Reduction of High-Risk Behaviors, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Masoumeh
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Amin-Esmaeili
authors.affiliation: Psychiatrist, Iranian National Center for Addiction Studies (INCAS), Iranian Institute for Reduction of High-Risk Behaviors, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Anousheh
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Safarcherati
authors.affiliation: Research and Educational Affairs, Drug Control Headquarters, Institute of Social Security and Welfare Applied Science, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Hamid
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Sarami
authors.affiliation: Assistant Professor, Research Center for Social Welfare Management, University of Social Welfare and Rehabilitation, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Hassan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Rafiey
keywords: Abuse; Bibliometric analysis; Dependency; Iran; Substance-related disorders