The Frequency of High-risk Behaviors in Intravenous Drug Abusers Re-ferred to Addiction Prohibition Centers in Isfahan, 2010

Abstract

• Background: Addiction is considered as one of the major problems in the society. Various social psychological and biological issues affect creating interest to drugs and continuing it. Besides, being an illness itself, addiction is a basis for transmitting diseases; the most important of them are AIDS and hepatitis. In this study, we tried to investigate high-risk personal behaviors of intravenous drug abusers that can increase the incidence of infectious diseases transmitting. • Methods: In this descriptive study, the persons who had history of intravenous drug abuse referred to Isfahan addition prohibition centers were investigated. They were 539 persons totally. Required information about high-risk behaviors and demographic characteristic were fetched by a standardized questionnaire, by a same-sex researcher. • Finding: The ratio of illegal sex was about 55%; most of condom and tattooing consumers was young people. Seniors had intravenous drug abuser sexual partners more than the others. Also, subtle linear ratio between number of arrests and aging existed. But there was not any significant difference in terms of age, utilizing share syringe, different ways of drug abuse and sexual relationship between different age groups. • Conclusion: Regarding the results, increasing the number of intravenous drug abusers, the obligation of awareness in various fields including protected sexual relationship, avoiding use of shared syringe and preventing tattoo is obvious.

Keywords

• Addiction
• Hepatitis
• Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome