title: Epidemiology of illicit drug use disorders in Iran: prevalence, correlates, comorbidity and service utilization results from the Iranian Mental Health Survey.
abstract: Drug abuse is a significant social and public health problem in Iran. The present study aimed to provide prevalence estimates and information on correlates of illicit drug use disorder and opioid dependence, as well as service use for these disorders in Iran.
  
  
  
  This report is based on the Iranian household Mental Health Survey (IranMHS) conducted in 2011. A three-stage probability sampling was employed. Face-to-face interviews by trained psychologists were carried out with a nationally representative sample of 7841 individuals (3366 men and 4475 women) aged 15-64 years.
  
  
  
  The Composite International Diagnostic Interview and questionnaires for socio-demographic correlates and service use.
  
  
  
  The prevalence of 12-month use disorders for any illicit drug according to DSM-IV and DSM-5 criteria were 2.09% [95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.70-2.47%] and 2.44% (95% CI = 2.03-2.85%), respectively. Opioid use disorders, and opium in particular, were the most common use disorder. The odds of drug use disorders were greater in men than in women, in previously married participants than in currently or never married participants, and in participants with lower socio-economic status than in those with higher socio-economic status (all P-values <0.05). Approximately half of those with drug use disorders and 40% with opioid dependence had a 12-month unmet need for treatment. Self-help groups were the most common type of service used, followed by obtaining medication from pharmacies directly and outpatient treatment services.
  
  
  
  Opioid use disorders are the most common type of drug use disorders in Iran, setting Iran apart from many other countries. Patterns of service use suggest a large unmet need for drug use disorder treatment in Iran.
authors.affiliation: 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: Iranian National Center for Addiction Studies (INCAS), Iranian Institute for Reduction of High-Risk Behaviors, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. rahimia@tums.ac.ir.
authors.forename: Afarin
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rahimi-Movaghar
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Vandad
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Sharifi
authors.affiliation: Mental Health Research Center, Tehran Institute of Psychiatry-Faculty of Behavioral Sciences and Mental Health, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Ahmad
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hajebi
authors.affiliation: Iranian National Center for Addiction Studies (INCAS), Iranian Institute for Reduction of High-Risk Behaviors, Tehran University of Medical Sciences and Tous Clinic, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Reza
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Radgoodarzi
authors.affiliation: Department of Mental Health, Bloomberg School of Public Health and Department of Psychiatry, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA.
authors.forename: Ramin
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Mojtabai
authors.affiliation: Department for Mental Health and Substance Use, Iranian Research Center for HIV/AIDS (IRCHA), Iranian Institute for Reduction of High-Risk Behaviors, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Mitra
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hefazi
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Abbas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Motevalian
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017831:Diagnosis, Dual (Psychiatry) / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D013287:Illicit Drugs; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D007492:Iran / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology; D008605:Mental Health Services / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008875:Middle Aged; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D015995:Prevalence; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D013287:Illicit Drugs
keywords: Drug abuse; Iran; drug dependence; epidemiology; opioid use disorder; service utilization