Author/Authors :
Sahebi، Leyla نويسنده Tuberculosis and Lung Diseases Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran. , , Asghari Jafar-abadi، Mohammad نويسنده Medical Education Research Center, Department of Statistics and Epidemiology, Faculty of Health, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, IR Iran , , Mousavi، Seyed Hosein نويسنده Department of Socioeconomic Systems Engineering, Economic College, University of Economic Sciences, the First Blind Alley, Jahan Alley, End of Taleghani Street, 1563666411 Tehran, Iran , , Khalili، Majid نويسنده Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz , , Seyedi، Maryam نويسنده Tuberculosis and Lung Disease Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, IR Iran ,
Abstract :
Background: Sychotropic agents (alcohol, drugs, and illicit substances) have an important effect on the occurrence or exacerbation of psychological and behavioral derangements such as criminal activity and mental abnormalities.
Objectives: The objective was to assess the relationship between psychiatric distress and criminal history among abusers of intravenous drugs, including heroin, benzodiazepine, codeine, cannabis, opium, and ecstasy.
Materials and Methods: Criminal activity history and psychiatric distress were evaluated among intravenous drug abusers in drop-in centers (DIC) (141 subjects) and an outpatient service to delivery methadone to the addicts located in Razy Hospital (Baghdad, Iraq) (120 subjects). Logistic regression analyses using the SPSS for Windows 18.0 were used for analyzing the data.
Results: About 86% of the intravenous drug abusers had psychiatric distress and 48.2% had criminal activity history. DIC addicts group had a better mental well-being compared to the other group, but criminal history rate was similar in two groups. In multiple logistic regression, addiction to heroin (odds ratio [OR] = 1.9, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.1 - 4.1), mental disorders (B = 0.060, P = 0.026), and low level of education was highly related with criminal activity (OR = 0.17, 95% CI: 0.03 - 0.89).
Conclusions: Higher scores in mental well-being questionnaire of DIC addicts suggest the positive effects of psychological interventions. There is a possibility of the involvement of heroin in occurrence of mental disorders and criminal activity. This finding needs further investigations by larger cohort studies.
