Substances use among a sample health care workers in Iran: prevalence, pattern of use and gender differences

ABSTRACT

Background

Substance use (SU) among HCWs leads to reduced productivity and overall health and, moreover, is a negative role to promote SU reduction.

Aim

This study aimed to estimate the prevalence of SU and assess its determinants among HCWs.

Methods

The study analyzed data related to the first phase of the SHAHWAR Cohort study which included 1177 university employees.

Results

The prevalence of current tobacco use is 11.6% (2.7% in women, and 24.5% in men), and the prevalence of lifetime tobacco use was 19.8 (6.3% in women, and 39.3% in men). The ratio of hookah: cigarette use in women is about seven times that of men. The self-reported current tobacco, alcohol and opium use were 11.6% (M: F ratio > 9), 2.6% (M: F ratio > 6) and 1.4% (M: F ratio > 7) of total subjects. There was a significant difference in substance or alcohol users based on gender, job position, working schedule, employment status, marital status and education levels. There was a negative correlation between job security and stability in terms of work status among workers with substance or alcohol use.

Conclusion

Since implementation of preventive interventions knowing the high-risk groups and occupational risk factors, the results of the present study may meet this need.

KEYWORDS:

• Substance use
• health care workers
• Iran
• SHAHWAR

Acknowledgments

We would like to thank the managers and staffs of SHAHWAR Cohort Study, for helping us to conduct this study. This work funded by Iran’s Ministry of Health and Medical Education (MoHME) and Shahroud University of Medical Sciences (SHMU). The Shahroud University of Medical Sciences deputy research contributed in funding used in the SHAHWAR cohort through Grant No. 9738.

Disclosure statement

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

Data availability statement

Data supporting the findings of this study are available upon request, subject to SHMU policy.

Additional information

Funding

This work was funded by the Shahroud University of Medical Sciences [Grant number 9738].