The frequency and pattern of substance use in outpatients of general hospitals

Patients with addictions have many acute and chronic medical illnesses, both related and unrelated to their addictions. In spite of high incidence of substance-related disabilities, substance abuse is usually underdiagnosed in general hospitals. The objective of the present study was to investigate the frequency and pattern of substance use in patients with different medical complaints. In this descriptive cross-sectional study, 1000 outpatients, aged 17 and older with various medical complaints were participated. The patients were attending neurology, ENT, nephrology, ophthalmology, cardiology, orthopedic, gastroenterology, surgical and dermatology clinics of four selected general hospitals. A 93 item clinicians-made scale, Rapid Situation Assessment of Drug Abuse in Iran, was used in this survey, and 30 items which focused on drug use were selected. 8.7% of the patients reported lifelong or recent substance use and Opium was the most used substance, reported by 65.5% of the patients. Patients of neurology, ophthalmology and orthopedic clinics showed the highest consumption. Smoking and injestion were the most frequent routes of substance used and the most reported pattern of use were 2 or 4 times a day and once a week. The current cohort of substance users were relatively young, and many had reported detectable nervous system and orthopedic complications. Further research must investigate -their outcomes in the long term.