In this study, 120 drug-dependent women participated, among those referring to treatment centers during data gathering. Twenty participants were excluded from the study due to incomplete filling of the questionnaire.
The age range of the participants was between 15 and 73 years, with a mean age of 33.2 ± 12.1 years. Of these participants, 33.3% were in the age group of 26-35 years and 30.8% were in the age group of 15-25 years. Other demographic data are presented in Table 1.
Table 1. Characteristics of the studied participants (n=120)
variables
|
Category
|
N
|
Percentage
|
AGE
|
15-25
|
37
|
30.8
|
26-35
|
40
|
33.3
|
36-45
|
25
|
20.9
|
46-55
|
10
|
8.3
|
>55
|
8
|
|
Level of
Education
|
Illiterate
|
6
|
5
|
Elementary
Education
|
29
|
24.2
|
Secondary
Education
|
62
|
51.7
|
Diploma
|
19
|
15.8
|
University
Education
|
4
|
3.3
|
Living
Condition
|
With Parent
|
7
|
5.8
|
With Father
|
3
|
2.5
|
With Mother
|
6
|
5
|
Lonely
|
47
|
39.2
|
With Family
|
57
|
47.5
|
Job Status
|
Jobless
|
73
|
60.8
|
College
Student
|
4
|
3.3
|
Student
|
6
|
5
|
Worker
|
22
|
18.3
|
Farmer
|
1
|
0.8
|
Employee
|
3
|
2.5
|
Free Job
|
8
|
6.7
|
Other
|
3
|
2.5
|
The most used drugs by the study participants, which were used in the past one month, were crystal, methadone, and heroin, with a prevalence of 53.3%, 20.8%, and 12.5%, respectively. Moreover, the most frequently used drugs by the drug-dependent women, which were used in the past six months, were crystal, methadone, and heroin, with a prevalence of 48.3%, 18.3%, and 18.3%, respectively. The most frequently used drug in the past year was crystal, with a prevalence of 45.8%. The most common drug used by the studied participants over their life span was opium and its derivatives (burnt, sap, etc.) such that 64.2% of them have used it. Crystal, methadone, and heroin use were reported by 53.3%, 49.2%, and 40% of the participants, respectively (Fig. 1).
Based on the obtained results, the participants achieved only 35.3% of the maximum achievable score of the total QoL, indicating the low QoL among the drug-dependent women in Hamadan. Moreover, considering the pain and discomfort score results, the participants obtained 38.3% of the maximum achievable scores, which indicates an unfavorable status. The participants obtained a score of 8.75 in the subscale of physical function (role physical), which was the minimum score among all the subscales and indicated the most favorable condition. Table 2 presents the scores of all subscales of the QoL among the studied people.
Table 2. Mean, SD, and Range of Scores and Percentage of Mean from
Maximum Obtainable Score for Dimensions of Life Quality
QOL Dimensions
|
Mean
|
SD
|
Range
|
Percentage
|
General Health
|
34.79
|
17.2
|
0-100
|
34.7 %
|
Physical
Functioning
|
36.07
|
25.2
|
0-100
|
36.1 %
|
role physical
|
8.75
|
25.4
|
0-100
|
8.75 %
|
bodily pain
|
38.27
|
21.6
|
0-100
|
38.3 %
|
social functioning
|
44.06
|
21.1
|
0-100
|
44 %
|
mental health
|
10.56
|
26.2
|
0-100
|
10.5 %
|
vitality
|
35.79
|
19.2
|
0-100
|
35.8 %
|
role emotional
|
41.17
|
14.5
|
0-100
|
41.1 %
|
Total score of
QOL
|
35.35
|
13.5
|
0-100
|
35.3 %
|
Besides, there was a statistically significant relationship between the women’s QoL with age (p <0.001), educational level (p = 0.011), and age at first use (p <0.001). Besides, there was a statistically significant difference based on the post hoc analyses with Tukey tests in 15-25, 46-55, and >55 years women with Elementary and diploma level of Educations and 10-15, 16-20, and 26-30 years women at First Use. The results showed that QOL scores were lower in adolescent and young, low educated, and early drug use women (Table 3).
Table 3. Association between QOL with demographic variables in study participants
variables
|
QOL
|
The significance level
|
Mean (SD)
|
N
|
Age
15-25
26-35
36-45
46-55
>55
|
26.88 (9.96)
28.78 (8.94)
34.87 (13.51)
40.51 (21.87)
42.46 (21.5)
|
37
40
25
10
8
|
F=4.85
P<0.001
|
Level of Education
Illiterate
Elementary Education
Secondary Education
Diploma
University Education
|
24.57 (3.71)
25.61(6.23)
32.36 (15.80)
36.58 (9.72)
42.75 (21.04)
|
6
29
62
19
4
|
F=3.46
P=0.011
|
Age at First Use
10-15
16-20
21-25
26-30
|
25.66 (7.74)
38.77 (16.31)
34.75 (6.79)
41.22 (17.18)
|
70
23
6
21
|
F=13.57
P<0.001
|
Living Condition
With Parent
With Father
With Mother
Lonely
With Family
|
35.02 (19.35)
38.25 (29.88)
36.98 (8.06)
29.60 (11.58)
31.388 (13.80)
|
7
3
6
47
57
|
F=0.78
P=0.54
|
Job
Jobless
College Student
Student
Worker
Farmer
Employee
Free Job
Other
|
32.11 (14.9)
26.96 (5.73)
27.61 (4.95)
26.25 (7.27)
32.26 (0)
24.4 (6.36)
41.1 (17.91)
40.82 (1.39)
|
73
4
6
22
1
3
8
3
|
F=1.72
P=0.11
|
The National Drug Strategy framework suggested several drug types that cause the most harm. This classification includes alcohol, tobacco, cannabis, methamphetamines (e.g., MDMA), and other stimulants such as cocaine, new psychoactive substances (e.g. synthetic drugs, opioids, including heroin, the non-medical use of prescription drugs) (22). Based on this framework, we classified substances into five categories of “cannabis category included marijuana, cannabis; opium category included opium, heroin, methadone, tramadol and, crack; the non-medical use of prescription drugs such as Norjizak; methamphetamine category included ecstasy (MDMA) and crystal; and cocaine. The present analysis of crack’s chemical combination showed that this substance in Iran is a heroin-based narcotic that is different from the cocaine-based crack used in Western countries (23).
Based on the simple linear regression analysis results, the methamphetamine category (B = -6.62) was identified as the predictor of the QoL of the women who participated in the study (Table 4).
Table 4. Linear regression analysis to predict the QOL base on substance abuse
Independent
Variables
|
B
|
SE
|
β
|
95% CI
|
P-value
|
Lower
|
Upper
|
Cannabis category
|
-5.50
|
2.89
|
-0.17
|
-11.21
|
0.22
|
0.059
|
Opium category
|
7.21
|
4.66
|
0.14
|
-2.01
|
16.44
|
0.12
|
Methamphetamine category
|
-6.62
|
2.44
|
-0.24
|
-11.45
|
-1.79
|
0.008
|
Cocaine category
|
-9.82
|
13.61
|
-0.06
|
-36.48
|
17.41
|
0.49
|
β: Standardized regression coefficient, SE: Standard error, CI: Confidence Interval.