Nesif Al-Hemiery1, Rufaidah Dabbagh2,3, Mushtaq T Hashim1, Salih Al-Hasnawi4, Ali Abutiheen5, Emad A Abdulghani6, Jawad K Al-Diwan7, Neeraj Kak8, Hala Al Mossawi8, Jane Carlisle Maxwell9, Mary-Lynn Brecht3, Valerie Antonini3, Albert Hasson3, Richard A Rawson10. 1. Psychiatry Division, Department of Medicine, College of Medicine, University of Baghdad, Iraq. 2. Family and Community Medicine Department, College of Medicine, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. 3. Integrated Substance Abuse Programs, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA. 4. Republic of Iraq Council of Representatives, Baghdad, Iraq. 5. Department of Family and Community, Medicine College of Medicine, Kerbala University, Iraq. 6. Republic of Iraq Ministry of Health, Baghdad, Iraq. 7. Department of Community Medicine, College of Medicine, University of Baghdad, Iraq. 8. University Research Co. LLC, Center for Human Services, Bethesda, ND, USA. 9. School of Social Work, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA. 10. Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
Abstract
AIMS: To estimate the prevalence of tobacco, alcohol and drug use in Iraq using data from the Iraqi National Household Survey of Alcohol and Drug Use (INHSAD). DESIGN: A cross-sectional survey was conducted using a multi-stage cluster sampling method. Trained surveyors conducted face-to-face household interviews. SETTING: Iraq, from April 2014 to December 2014. PARTICIPANTS: A total of 3200 adult, non-institutionalized Iraqi citizens residing across all 18 governorates of Iraq. MEASUREMENTS: We estimated weighted prevalence and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for life-time, past-year and past-month use of a variety of substances (tobacco, alcohol, prescription drugs and illicit drugs). For each substance, we also estimated whether individuals knew people who currently use the substance. FINDINGS: Self-reported past-month tobacco use was 23.2% (95% CI = 21.40, 25.19). Past-month alcohol use was 3.2% (95% CI = 2.58, 3.93). Women reported significantly lower prevalence for both tobacco and alcohol use compared with men (P-value < 0.01 for both). Only 1.4% (95% CI = 0.67, 3.02) reported past-month non-medical use of any prescription drugs. None of the women reported using any illicit drugs, and only 0.2% (95% CI = 0.07, 0.49) of men reported using any illicit drugs in the past month. Approximately 90.5% (95% CI = 88.58, 92.11) knew someone who uses tobacco, 42.4% (95% CI = 39.53, 45.24) knew someone who drinks alcohol, 27.9% (95% CI = 25.53, 30.45) knew someone who uses medication outside a doctor's instructions and 9.2% (95% CI = 7.87, 10.75) knew someone who uses an illicit drug. CONCLUSIONS: Psychoactive drug use is generally low in Iraq, tobacco being highest at an estimated 23.2%. Iraqi women report significantly less substance use than Iraqi men, which may be related to cultural gender norms. Discrepancy between self-report and 'knowing someone who uses a substance' suggests under-reporting in this population.
AIMS: To estimate the prevalence of tobacco, alcohol and drug use in Iraq using data from the Iraqi National Household Survey of Alcohol and Drug Use (INHSAD). DESIGN: A cross-sectional survey was conducted using a multi-stage cluster sampling method. Trained surveyors conducted face-to-face household interviews. SETTING: Iraq, from April 2014 to December 2014. PARTICIPANTS: A total of 3200 adult, non-institutionalized Iraqi citizens residing across all 18 governorates of Iraq. MEASUREMENTS: We estimated weighted prevalence and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for life-time, past-year and past-month use of a variety of substances (tobacco, alcohol, prescription drugs and illicit drugs). For each substance, we also estimated whether individuals knew people who currently use the substance. FINDINGS: Self-reported past-month tobacco use was 23.2% (95% CI = 21.40, 25.19). Past-month alcohol use was 3.2% (95% CI = 2.58, 3.93). Women reported significantly lower prevalence for both tobacco and alcohol use compared with men (P-value < 0.01 for both). Only 1.4% (95% CI = 0.67, 3.02) reported past-month non-medical use of any prescription drugs. None of the women reported using any illicit drugs, and only 0.2% (95% CI = 0.07, 0.49) of men reported using any illicit drugs in the past month. Approximately 90.5% (95% CI = 88.58, 92.11) knew someone who uses tobacco, 42.4% (95% CI = 39.53, 45.24) knew someone who drinks alcohol, 27.9% (95% CI = 25.53, 30.45) knew someone who uses medication outside a doctor's instructions and 9.2% (95% CI = 7.87, 10.75) knew someone who uses an illicit drug. CONCLUSIONS: Psychoactive drug use is generally low in Iraq, tobacco being highest at an estimated 23.2%. Iraqi women report significantly less substance use than Iraqi men, which may be related to cultural gender norms. Discrepancy between self-report and 'knowing someone who uses a substance' suggests under-reporting in this population.
Authors: Aruni Bhatnagar; Wasim Maziak; Thomas Eissenberg; Kenneth D Ward; George Thurston; Brian A King; Erin L Sutfin; Caroline O Cobb; Merlyn Griffiths; Larry B Goldstein; Mary Rezk-Hanna Journal: Circulation Date: 2019-05-07 Impact factor: 29.690
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