Quality of life, social desirability and their relationship in opium addicted persons in southeast of Iran

Comparing the Efficacy of Methadone and Tincture of Opium in Controlling Agitation Caused by Withdrawal Syndrome in Opium-Addicted Patients in the Intensive Care Unit: A Randomized Trial Study

BACKGROUND

Few studies have been conducted regarding the comparison of the efficacy of methadone and tincture of opium (TOP) in controlling agitation induced by withdrawal syndrome. Therefore, the current randomized trial study is carried out with the aim to evaluate comparisons on the efficacy of methadone and TOP in controlling agitation caused by withdrawal syndrome in opium addicted patients in the intensive care units (ICUs).

METHODS

This clinical trial study was conducted on 60 patients admitted to ICU of Shahid Bahonar Hospital, Kerman, Iran. After classification of the patients into two groups, the first and second groups consumed methadone syrup (5 mg/ml) and TOP (10 mg/ml), respectively. Agitation in these patients was assessed through the Richmond Agitation-Sedation Scale (RASS). Vital signs were also assessed. Paired sample t-test and independent t-test were used for data analysis.

FINDINGS

In the current study, the administered dose of methadone and TOP was 36.17 ± 26.99 and 112.67 ± 102.74 mg, respectively (P < 0.010). Methadone administration led to a significant decrease of the patients' vital signs, including systolic blood pressure, heart rate, respiratory rate, and Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) (P < 0.05). Though TOP administration decreased systolic blood pressure and GCS significantly (P < 0.05), it had no effect on patients' diastolic blood pressure, body temperature, heart rate, and respiratory rate (P > 0.05). In total, no significant difference was detected between two groups regarding vital signs (P > 0.05). However, a significant difference was seen between methadone and TOP groups in terms of RASS score (P < 0.01).

CONCLUSION

According to the results of the current study, lower dose of methadone, compared to TOP, could control agitation caused by opium withdrawal symptoms.

Quality of life in substance use disorder patients with and without attention deficit hyperactivity disorder 12 months after treatment: a naturalistic follow-up study

There is sparse research on quality of life (QoL) as an outcome measure in patients with substance use disorders (SUD), with or without attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). We aimed to investigate whether SUD patients with and without ADHD (SUD + ADHD vs. SUD - ADHD) differed in QoL at baseline and at a 12-month follow-up after SUD treatment. The groups were additionally compared with data from a national population sample (NPS). From a sample of 16 SUD + ADHD and 87 SUD - ADHD patients originally recruited between 2010 and 2012, eight SUD + ADHD (50.0%) and 28 SUD - ADHD (32.2%) patients were reached at follow-up. QoL was measured with the short version of the World Health Organization QoL instrument (WHOQOL-BREF). Cross-sectional data on QoL from NPS was utilized. Compared to NPS, SUD patients reported significantly lower QoL at baseline and follow-up. Furthermore, QoL was similar at baseline in SUD + ADHD and SUD - ADHD patients. At a 12-month follow-up after SUD treatment, SUD + ADHD patients 'QoL had improved, however, not significantly differing from SUD - ADHD patients or the NPS. SUD - ADHD patients' QoL remained significantly lower. At follow-up, SUD + ADHD patients' QoL improved nominally compared to SUD - ADHD patients, but not the NPS. The clinical and functional relevance of these findings should be investigated further.

Comparing the Spiritual Health and Quality of Life in Addicted and Non-Addicted Patients in the City of Birjand, Iran

Background

Substance abuse is a chronic phenomenon that affects many physical, psychological, social, familial and economic elements. Abusers are left with severely reduced interaction both with other individuals and society.

Objectives

The aim of this study was to compare the spiritual health of addicts and people with a normal quality of life in the city of Birjand, Iran.

Patients and Methods

The sample consisted of 100 non-addicted subjects and 100 patients who were drug addicts in treatment centers and rehabilitation facilities both public and private in Birjand. Normal sampling measures were used to find subjects of the same age and gender. The subjects completed a spiritual health questionnaire and the short form of the world health organization’s (WHO) Quality of life questionnaire, and the data were analyzed using multivariate ANOVA.

Results

The results of ANOVA showed significant differences between addicted and non addicted individual on spiritual well-being subscales.

Conclusions

The strengthening of spiritual and religious attitudes among drug users encourages them to engage in and justify actions that are relevant to their health. When this happens, their quality of life increases significantly.

Use of Social Desirability Scales in Clinical Psychology: A Systematic Review

OBJECTIVE

There is still an open debate about the utility of social desirability indicators. This report systematically reviewed the use of social desirability scales in studies addressing social desirability in clinical psychology.

METHOD

A systematic review (January 2010-March 2015) was conducted, including 35 studies meeting the inclusion criteria of being published in peer-reviewed journals and describing quantitative findings about an association of social desirability with clinical psychology variables using a cross-sectional or longitudinal design.

RESULTS

Social desirability was associated with self-reports of various clinical-psychological dimensions. Most of the included studies treated social desirability as a 1-dimensional variable and only 10 of 35 disentangled the impression management and self-deception components. Although theoretical literature does not consider social desirability a mere response bias, only 4 of the reviewed articles controlled for the possible suppressor effect of personality variables on social desirability, while the majority focused upon the stylistic (response bias) rather than the substantive (personality) nature of this construct.

CONCLUSION

The present review highlighted some limitations in the use of social desirability scales in recent clinical psychology research and tried to offer a few suggestions for handling this issue.