Abstract:
Objectives: Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) is a health problem among patients undergoing
rehabilitation through methadone maintenance treatment in Iran, the most populous Persian
Gulf country. The study aimed to examine gender differences among a group of methadone
maintenance treatment patients with HCV problem.
Methods: Overall 150 patients (n=75 men, n=75 women) were enrolled from nine methadone
clinics in Tehran. The study was conducted between July 2013 and June 2014. Participants of
the two genders were compared in baseline characteristics, perceived stress, social support,
coping strategies and mental health.
Results: Men were more likely to report being currently on parole than women (χ²(1)=9.23). Age
of first illicit drug use was significantly higher among men than women (t(121)=2.43). Men were
more likely to report drug injection in the last 12 months compared with women (χ²(1)=4.62).
Men were more likely to report criminal charges (t(121)=2.21) and being in correctional facilities
(χ²(1)=5.32) compared with women. Women reported higher levels of emotion-focused coping
than men. Despite women reporting more social support [4.20(0.79)], they also reported higher
levels of emotion-focused coping [2.66(0.55)] than men. Women were more likely to have a
current mental health disorder (χ²(1)=8.15) than men.
Discussion: The study results demonstrated some gender differences in baseline characteristics
and psychological problems. Such differences may have important impacts on methadone
treatment outcomes. Further studies are suggested.
Machine summary:
Research Paper: Gender Differences Among Patients With Hepatitis C Virus Undergoing Rehabilitation Through Methadone Maintenance Treatment Omid Massah1, Enayatollah Bakhshi2*, Sara Shishehgar3, Afsaneh Moradi4 1.
1. 55 Article info: Received: 04 Sep. 2017 Accepted: 03 Jan. 2018 A B S T R A C T Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) is a health problem among patients undergoing rehabilitation through methadone maintenance treatment in Iran, the most populous Persian Gulf country.
The study aimed to examine gender differences among a group of methadonemaintenance treatment patients with HCV problem.
Participants of the two genders were compared in baseline characteristics, perceived stress, social support, coping strategies and mental health.
Objectives: Keywords: Drug, Hepatitis C virus, Harm reduction, Iran, Treatment Discussion: The study results demonstrated some gender differences in baseline characteristics and psychological problems.
The study indicated that the rate of un- safe drug injection and high risk sexual behaviors were lower among the participants after receiving the treat- ment.
To date, there are few studies about HCV problem among men and women in methadone treatment.
This was conducted in four domains: baseline char- I ranian Rehabilitation Journal acteristics, perceived stress, social support, coping strat- egies and mental health.
I ranian Rehabilitation Journal March 2018, Volume 16, Number 1 Social Support Survey (SSS) were more likely to have a current mental health disorder The Persian version of the SSS was administered to (1) =8.
5. Conclusion The study results indicated some gender differences in baseline characteristics and psychological problems among HCV-infected men and women.