Elham Mohebbi1, Farin Kamangar2,3, Afarin Rahimi-Movaghar4, Ali Akbar Haghdoost5, Arash Etemadi2,6, Saber Amirzadeh7, Farid Najafi8,9, Fariba Shafeie10, Ali Fakhari11, Karim Ghaleban11, Soodabeh Shahid-Sales12, Zeinab Sadat Hosseini13, Mohammad Reza Honarvar14, Fatemeh Majnooni15, Maryam Hadji1, Kazem Zendehdel1,16. 1. Cancer Research Center, Cancer Institute of Iran, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. 2. Digestive Oncology Research Center, Digestive Diseases Research Institute, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. 3. Department of Biology, School of Computer, Mathematical, and Natural Sciences, Morgan State University, Baltimore, MD, USA. 4. Iranian National Center for Addiction Studies (INCAS), Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. 5. Modeling in Health Research Center, InstiMetabolic Epidemiology Branch, Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, MD, USAtute for Future Studies in Health, Kerman Medical Science University, Kerman, Iran. 6. Metabolic Epidemiology Branch, Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, MD, USA. 7. Social Determinants of Health Research Centre, Institute for Futures studies in Health, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran. 8. Research Center for Environmental Determinants of Health, Institute of Health, Kermanshah Medical Sciences University, Kermanshah, Iran. 9. Social Development and Health Promotion Research Center, Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, Kermanshah, Iran. 10. Treatment Affairs Deputy, Department of Substance Abuse Treatment, Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, Kermanshah, Iran. 11. Research Center of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran. 12. Department of Radiation Oncology, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran. 13. Student Research Committee, Islamic Azad University, Mashhad Branch, Mashhad, Iran. 14. Management and Social Development Research Center, Golestan University of Medical Sciences, Gorgan, Iran. 15. Public Health Deputy, Golestan University of Medical Sciences, Gorgan, Iran. 16. Cancer Biology Research Center, Cancer Institute of Iran, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Measuring the amount of opium use is a challenge in epidemiologic studies. Self-report of amount of opium use at each consumption, widely used in the literature, usually fails to provide a good estimate. The purpose of this study is to systematically study the perceived weight units of reported opium use in Iran, and compare them to the standardized units of weight measurement. METHODS: An exploratory descriptive study was conducted in six major cities of Iran. Study participants were interviewed and asked to use a Play-Doh-like material to demonstrate the amount of opium they use. To obtain an estimate of the weight of the material used, we multiplied the volume by the density of the opium product. We experimentally determined the density of the commonly used opium products. We used medians and inter-quartile ranges (IQRs) to report the typical amount of each unit. RESULTS: A total of 108 individuals participated in this study. The most frequently reported unit was "gram"; the median perceived weight for one gram (g) of opium was 0.24 (IQR: 0.16) g. The second most commonly used unit was nokhod with a median of 0.16 (IQR: 0.16) g, followed by mesghaal and hab/habeh, which were 1.28 (IQR: 0.81) and 0.16 (IQR: 0.16) g, respectively. The median perceived weight of mesghaal and gram in the studied cities was less than the expected standardized values. CONCLUSION: In conclusion, the reported amount of opium use is highly inaccurate and unreliable, and is mainly subject to underestimation.
BACKGROUND: Measuring the amount of opium use is a challenge in epidemiologic studies. Self-report of amount of opium use at each consumption, widely used in the literature, usually fails to provide a good estimate. The purpose of this study is to systematically study the perceived weight units of reported opium use in Iran, and compare them to the standardized units of weight measurement. METHODS: An exploratory descriptive study was conducted in six major cities of Iran. Study participants were interviewed and asked to use a Play-Doh-like material to demonstrate the amount of opium they use. To obtain an estimate of the weight of the material used, we multiplied the volume by the density of the opium product. We experimentally determined the density of the commonly used opium products. We used medians and inter-quartile ranges (IQRs) to report the typical amount of each unit. RESULTS: A total of 108 individuals participated in this study. The most frequently reported unit was "gram"; the median perceived weight for one gram (g) of opium was 0.24 (IQR: 0.16) g. The second most commonly used unit was nokhod with a median of 0.16 (IQR: 0.16) g, followed by mesghaal and hab/habeh, which were 1.28 (IQR: 0.81) and 0.16 (IQR: 0.16) g, respectively. The median perceived weight of mesghaal and gram in the studied cities was less than the expected standardized values. CONCLUSION: In conclusion, the reported amount of opium use is highly inaccurate and unreliable, and is mainly subject to underestimation.
Authors: Arash Etemadi; Sanam Hariri; Hossein Hassanian-Moghaddam; Hossein Poustchi; Gholamreza Roshandel; Amaneh Shayanrad; Farin Kamangar; Paolo Boffetta; Paul Brennan; Paul I Dargan; Sanford M Dawsey; Robert L Jones; Neal D Freedman; Reza Malekzadeh; Christian C Abnet Journal: Int J Drug Policy Date: 2022-04-25