Treatment needs of drug users: The perspective of Iranian women

ABSTRACT

Background: Treatment needs and health-care issues in women are completely different from those of men. In order to develop and apply successful treatment programs for substance-dependent women, gender-based differences should be considered to provide them with effective health care and treatment services.

The present study was conducted to investigate the views of substance dependent women about their health care and treatment needs.

Methods: In-depth and semi-structured interviews were conducted among 20 opiate using women who were chosen through purposeful sampling from camps, methadone maintenance treatment (MMT) centers and women’s prison in Sanandaj, Iran in 2015. Data were analyzed using content analysis (a conventional approach).

Findings: Three main factors were recognized through data analysis: individual factors, structural factors, and social factors.

Conclusions: The results of the study suggests the need for structural changes such as improving comprehensive services and enhancing referral system regarding gender-based differences to provide the substance-dependent women with more effective treatment and medical care.

KEYWORDS:

• Qualitative research
• women
• substance dependent
• treatment
• Iran

Acknowledgments

We would like to thank all participants for their participation in this study.

Ethical approval

The Ethics Committee of the Kurdistan University of Medical Sciences to No.IR.UMSHA.REC.1395.328 approved this study.

Additional information

Funding

Funding for this study was provided by Kurdistan University of Medical Sciences.