Introduction

Thousands of people experience substance-use disorders during their lives and a lot of addicted ones may lose their lives either because of direct or indirect impact of drug.

Objectives

Identify factors that predict good treatment outcome of heroin dependence (early abstinence) & relapse predictors

Methods

a short term, longitudinal and comparative study investigating early treatment outcome (3-month treatment outcome) of heroin addiction in those admitted to Al- Ma’amoura inpatient addiction treatment unit.

Tools used at 0 point & after 3month (utilizing arabic versions ), and include Addiction severity index (ASI) (5th ed.), The Opiate treatment index, Structured clinical interview for DSM-IV Axis I Disorders (SCID I) for detection of co-morbid psychiatric disorders and Structured clinical interview for DSM-IV Axis II Disorder (SCID-II) for diagnosis of any present co-morbid personality disorders.

Results

60% of cases achieved abstinence (Good treatment outcome) after 3 month follow up while 40% of them relapsed. Comparison between the 2 groups revealed that no correlation iexisted between age, marital status, level of education and early abstinence.

No statistically significant contrast between the two considered groups in seriousness of medical problems, Employment problems, legal problems nor Alcohol problems were found , however serious Family and Psychiatric issues were related with less fortunate treatment results.

Abstinence was connected with Inhalational route rather than intravenous route. the age of beginning, and dose of heroin were insignificant.

Depression is related with less fortunate results and in contrast treatment result was not influenced by personality disorders .

Conclusions

Duration of heroin use, family problems, dose and social functioning were significant predictors of relapse.