Prevalence of drug use, alcohol consumption, cigarette smoking and measure of socioeconomic-related inequalities of drug use among Iranian people: findings from a national survey

  1. Research Center for Environmental Determinants of Health (RCEDH), Health Institute, Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, Kermanshah, Iran.
  2. Social Development and Health Promotion Research Center, Health Institute, Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, Kermanshah, Iran.
  3. School of Health Administration, Faculty of Health, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Canada.
  4. Modeling in Health Research Center, Institute for Future Studies in Health, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran.
  5. Digestive Diseases Research Center, Digestive Diseases Research Institute, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
  6. Digestive Oncology Research Center, Digestive Diseases Research Institute, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
  7. Modelling in health Research Center, Shahrekord University of Medical Sciences, Shahrekord, Iran.
  8. Health Promotion Research Center, Zahedan University of Medical Sciences, Zahedan, Iran.
  9. Department of Pharmaceutics, School of Pharmacy, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran.
  10. Gastrointestinal and Liver Diseases Research Center, Guilan University of Medical Sciences, Rasht, Iran.
  11. Liver and gastrointestinal Diseases Research center, Tabriz University of Medical sciences, Tabriz, Iran.
  12. Gastroenterohe Pathology Research Center, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran.
  13. Health Policy Research Center, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran.
  14. Non-communicable diseases Research Center, Fasa University of Medical Sciences, Fasa, Iran.
  15. Health Services Management, Arak University of Medical Sciences, Arak, Iran.
  16. Social Development and Health Promotion Research Center, Health Institute, Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, Kermanshah, Iran. mehdimirzaiea@yahoo.com
bmj open

Abstract

Background: Drug use can lead to several psychological, medical and social complications. The current study aimed to measure and decomposes socioeconomic-related inequalities in drug use among adults in Iran.

Methods: This was a cross-sectional study The PERSIAN Cohort is the largest and most important cohort among 18 distinct areas of Iran. This study was conducted on 130,570 adults 35 years and older. A structured questionnaire was applied to collect data. The concentration index (C) was used to quantify and decompose socioeconomic inequalities in drug use.

Results: The prevalence experience of drug use was 11.9%. The estimated C for drug use was – 0.021. The corresponding value of the C for women and men were – 0.171 and – 0.134, respectively. The negative values of the C suggest that drug use is more concentrated among the population with low socioeconomic status in Iran (p < 0.001). For women, socioeconomic status (SES) (26.37%), province residence (- 22.38%) and age (9.76%) had the most significant contribution to socioeconomic inequality in drug use, respectively. For men, SES (80.04%), smoking (32.04%) and alcohol consumption (- 12.37%) were the main contributors to socioeconomic inequality in drug use.

Conclusions: Our study indicated that drug use prevention programs in Iran should focus on socioeconomically disadvantaged population. Our finding could be useful for health policy maker to design and implement effective preventative programs to protect Iranian population against the drug use.

Keywords: Concentration index; Drug use; Inequalities; Iran; Socioeconomic status.

How to Cite

Moradinazar M, Najafi F, Jalilian F, Pasdar Y, Hamzeh B, Shakiba E, Hajizadeh M, Haghdoost AA, Malekzadeh R, Poustchi H, Nasiri M, Okati-Aliabad H, Saeedi M, Mansour-Ghanaei F, Farhang S, Safarpour AR, Maharlouei N, Farjam M, Amini S, Amini M, Mohammadi A, Mirzaei-Alavijeh M. Prevalence of drug use, alcohol consumption, cigarette smoking and measure of socioeconomic-related inequalities of drug use among Iranian people: findings from a national survey. Subst Abuse Treat Prev Policy. 2020 Jun 5;15(1):39. doi: 10.1186/s13011-020-00279-1. PMID: 32503660; PMCID: PMC7275311.