Childhood adversity and co-dependency roles in a case of a midwife with pethidine use disorder attending Mulago National Referral Hospital, Kampala, Uganda

Abstract

: Pethidine is a short and fast-acting synthetic opioid that has a high potential for abuse and addiction compared to other opioids. It is popularly used in the management of pain such as pancreatitis, and cholecystitis peri- and post-operations. Among patients, addiction to pethidine is usually induced unintentionally by a health worker in the course of treating the patient’s pain. Addiction to pethidine is a common but silent problem for healthcare workers such as doctors, nurses, and midwives, and it is often underreported. Childhood adversity and co-dependency roles by family members have been linked to the development and maintenance of addiction to psychoactive substances including pethidine. This case study on a midwife with pethidine addiction in Uganda is a call to draw attention to childhood adversity and co-dependency roles in pethidine addiction.

Keywords:

• Pethidine
• midwife
• Childhood adversity
• co-dependency
• Uganda

Acknowledgements

We acknowledge all the clients that provide the unique opportunity to share their life stories and learn from them. They are our real teachers.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Authors’ contributions

Each author made a substantive contribution to the development of this paper. OR led the conceptualization of the paper, drafting, and writing of the paper. AT supported management and follow-up of the case, and writing of the paper. AD participated in searching the literature and writing the paper. AC contributed to writing the paper draft and proofreading the case report. All authors read and approved the case report.

Additional information

Funding

The author(s) reported there is no funding associated with the work featured in this article.

Notes on contributors

Raymond Odokonyero

My name is Odokonyero Raymond. I am a behavioral and social science research fellow at Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda. I am also a psychiatrist specializing in addiction care and research. My research interests include substance use disorders among young people, alcohol use among people with HIV, mental health at the workplace, and the use of socio-behavioral theories in research. Currently, I am studying burnout among healthcare workers in rural Uganda. One of the risk factors for burnout in our setting is substance misuse. This case study provides context for future research into substance use disorders among healthcare providers.