Association between drug dependence and anemia in Pakistani Patients

Zahid Hashmi; Imtiaz Ahmad Dogar; Muhammad Anwar Sulheri; Muhammad Sohail Ali

doi:10.29054/apmc/2007.636

Zahid Hashmi Professor of Medicine Allied Hospital, Faisalabad
Imtiaz Ahmad Dogar Head Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences Punjab Medical College Faisalabad
Muhammad Anwar Sulheri Senior Demonstrator, community Medicine Department, Punjab Medical College, Faisalabad
Muhammad Sohail Ali Stress Counselor, Critical Incident Stress Management Unit (CISMU), United Nations Department of Safety and Security (UNDSS), Pakistan

DOI: https://doi.org/10.29054/apmc/2007.636

Keywords: Drug dependence, anima, iron deficiency

Abstract

BACKGROUND: There has been a substantial increase in the number of drug dependence patients in Pakistan over the past years. Drug abuse and its sequalae affect health of the abuser in multiple ways, and one of the most commonly observed physical complications of drug dependence is anemia. OBJECTIVES: This project aimed to study the association between anemia and drug dependence, the type and pattern of severity of anemia in these patients, the correlation of anemia with other variables e.g. demographic variables, drug abuse variables etc, and to compare our findings with other research carried out on the subject. Methodology: The study was carried out in the Model Drug Abuse Treatment and Rehabilitation Centre at District Headquarters Hospital Faisalabad. The study group consisted of 64 drug dependence patients admitted in the unit from 1^st July 2000 to 31^st December 2000. The study was descriptive and cross sectional, and a consecutive. RESULTS: Of the study group, 84% were young adults between the ages of 21 to 40 years, 51.5% were married. 62.5% were from urban areas and 62.5% were multiple drug users. 89% cases had anemia out of sampling method was utilized. The diagnosis of drug dependence was made using DSM-lV criteria, and anemia was assessed according to WHO criteria. SPSS-10 was used for data analysis which 8% had severe anemia, 61% cases had moderate anemia, and 20% had mild anemia, 47% had been using addictive drugs for 2 to 5 years, and 58% cases also had physical or psychiatric complications, other than anemia. Iron deficiency anemia was the most common type of anemia seen. Conclusion: Anemia is an aspect that should be kept in mind during the treatment and rehabilitation of these patients. This study serves the purpose of highlighting an issue that is very important, highly prevalent, and largely unstudied by researchers in.