Pattern of injection addiction at Hyderabad: a clinical preliminary study on injection addiction [substance abuse] at Hyderabad, Pakistan

ABSTRACT

The aim of this clinical research was to assess the pattern of injection addiction [substance abuse] in a group of hospital attenders, 'which is a common addiction among medical and it's a related profession. Clinical cross-sectional study. Psychiatric out patients clinics of Liaquat University Hospital and Sir Cowasjee Jehanghir, Institute of Psychiatry, Hyderabad, Sindh, Pakistan from 1[st], January 2009 to 30[th], June, 2009. 59patients [47 male and 12 female cases] were diagnosed on DSM-IV[1] diagnostic Criteria for substance abuse to establish diagnosis and the socio-derno graphic data was collected on semi structure proforma of the study. The male cases dominated the study [79.66%] as compared to female cases [20.33%] which is significant [p-value < 0.02] while 34 cases [57.62%] were from the medical and its related professions like medical representatives, medical store owners and hospital staff and result is significant [P- 0.005 +/- SD]. 11 cases [18.64%] were the results of surgical intervention for acute pains and other surgical reasons, leading to injection addiction and is significantly positive [P-value < 0.02], while 05 patients [8.47%] were chronic drug addicts used the injections for escalation purpose. This study reflects the existence of injection addiction among medical professionals but seems to be less frequent in the community. This is alarming situation in the community for psychosocial attitudinal considerationwhile selecting the profession high as in surgical in-patients. [32.3% and about three and half times as compared to gynecological patients [18.4%]