Socio-Epidemiological Profile of Opioid Abuse Patients Presenting to Himachal Hospital of Mental Health and Rehabilitation: A Cross Sectional Study

According to world report‑2013 published by United Nations Office on Drug and Crime (UNODC), about 16.5 million or 0.4% of world adult population (15-64 years of age), used illicit opioids in year 2011. Dependence to opioids can lead to increased rates of morbidity and mortality secondary to different infections and it can also increase the criminal consequences for the individual using the substance as well. Although opioid‑dependence has become one of the most prevalent psychiatric illnesses during recent years a very few studies have looked into the profiles of opioid‑dependent patients in this part of the world. Present study was undertaken to determine the socio‑epidemiological profile and pattern of opioid‑dependence in patients attending the Himachal Pradesh hospital of mental health and rehabilitation. It was a cross‑sectional study that was conducted at Himachal Hospital of Mental Health and Rehabilitation situated at Shimla, Himachal Pradesh between January 2019 to December 2019. One hundred and forty-seven treatment seeking cases, fulfilling International Classification of Disease -10 criteria for opioid‑dependence were included in the study. The findings of the present study showed that a relatively younger age group is involved in opioid addiction and, therefore, many years of their productive life may be lost in substance abuse. The substance abuse is prevalent in all segments of population irrespective of educational and marital status. Therefore, health and educational programs should be designed andsubsequently implemented to educate and promote healthy life style at school levels to prevent young population to get indulge in opioid use or other substance abuse behaviour