Addiction and Health
Year:2021 | Volume:13 | Issue:2|Papers Count:8

Background: Nomophobia (No MObile PHone PhoBIA) refers to the worry or fear that individuals experience when they are without their mobile phone or they are unable to use it. The term was first coined in 2008 and it is considered a modern type of phobia. The aim of the present study was to retrieve and review the most relevant literature on the prevalence of nomophobia and its relationship with psychosocial and physical health among young adults. Methods: A systematic literature review was conducted according the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) for original papers on the phenomenon of nomophobia in young adults using the Nomophobia Questionnaire (NMP-Q) as the main measuring instrument. The literature was focused on the 3 main topics of prevalence and level of nomophobia, nomophobia and psychosocial effects, and nomophobia and physical health in young adults. Findings: The initial literature corpus consisted of 370 articles of which 40 met the inclusion criteria and were analyzed in detail. Nomophobia was observed among 15. 2%-99. 7% of the participants. Research findings indicated increased psychological, emotional, social, and physical side effects due to excessive smartphone use. Conclusion: The excessive use of the smartphone is an emerging threat for social, mental, and physical health. There is an increased need for further research in this regard as it is evolving into an epidemic outbreak and concerns directly the field of public health.

I read with great interest the article entitled: “ Waterpipe Smoking among Herat University Students: Prevalence, Attitudes, and Associated Factors” by Niazi et al. 1 They reported that 54. 1% of men and 81. 7% of women had used waterpipe for at least once, but, at the time of the study, 27. 0% of men and 7. 6% of women were considered as waterpipe users. Therefore, the prevalence of the current waterpipe users compared to usual waterpipe users in women shows a significant decrement compared to men. The authors failed to discuss this important decrement for female waterpipe users. Although they attributed this decrement to gather a smaller number of female university students compared to the male counterparts, this could not be the case; because the prevalence of usual use of waterpipe in females was higher before coming to Herat university. Its mean that females begin use of waterpipe during childhood or lower age, but they are not addicted as much as males....

Background: Developing an educational parenting skills package for parents with substance abuse may be effective in preventing the same problem in their adolescents. Social marketing is one of the approaches facilitating the preparation of educational content for this purpose. Social marketing is a regular and planned process focusing on customers and their needs for encouraging a target group to exhibit a particular behavior or adopt a specific idea. This study protocol aims to use the social marketing approach to prepare an educational parenting skills package for the parents undergoing substance abuse treatment to prevent addiction in their adolescents. Methods: An educational parenting skills package will be designed and validated by a combination of qualitative research (descriptive phenomenology), scoping review, and Delphi study based on social marketing approach (4 Ps = product, price, place, promotion). The package will be prepared in four phases including educational need assessment, ranking the identified educational needs, determining the suitable health education constructs, and modeling and developing the educational content based on the identified constructs. The designed educational package will be validated from the perspective of the target group (parents undergoing substance abuse treatment) and experts. Conclusion: Developing educational packages based on a scientific health education approach and mainly the Social Marketing Assessment and Response Tool (SMART) model with an emphasis on market analysis or marketing mix (4 Ps = product, price, place, promotion) can prove effective in attracting the audience and promoting the target activities.

Background: Coronary artery ectasia (CAE) is a rare cardiovascular disorder with unknown mechanisms and related risk factors. The roles played by homocysteine in induction of cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) have also been documented previously. This project was designed to assess the relationship between opium and CAE and coronary artery disease (CAD). Methods: This cross-sectional study was performed on 46 patients with CAE, 30 patients with CAD, and 42 cases without CAE and CAD (controls). Demographic data and information regarding opium consuming and also smoking were collected using a standard checklist. Serum levels of homocysteine, creatinine (Cr), urea, fasting blood glucose (FBG), low-density lipoprotein (LDL), high-density lipoprotein (HDL), triglyceride (TG), and cholesterol were determined. Findings: Statistical analysis revealed that opium consumers were significantly higher in patients with CAD and CAE when compared to healthy controls. Opium increased serum levels of Cr in the normal controls, and decreased HDL in the patients with CAD. Homocysteine serum levels were not significantly different between the groups. Conclusion: The results of study showed that opium addiction was associated with increased risk of CAE and CAD, independent of homocysteine serum levels.

Background: The aim of this double-blind clinical trial was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of haloperidol on acute opioid withdrawal symptoms. Methods: In this randomized double-blind clinical trial, fifty-two eligible patients were assigned to two groups according to previous opioid consumption, low dose (LD) and high dose (HD). Then, patients in each group were randomly assigned to one of the two subgroups of haloperidol or placebo. Patients in the haloperidol subgroup in LD group received 2. 5 mg and in HD group received 5 mg/day haloperidol with methadone. Methadone was discontinued ten days after the beginning of the study and haloperidol or placebo continued for up to two weeks after methadone discontinuation. The severity of opioid withdrawal symptoms was assessed with the Objective Opioid Withdrawal Scale (OOWS) every other day. Findings: Although both treatment protocols either in LD or HD opioid consumption groups significantly increased the score of the OOWS over the trial period (all subgroups, P < 0. 001), the combination of 2. 5 mg/day of haloperidol and methadone in LD opioid consumption group showed a significant superiority over methadone alone in decreasing opium withdrawal symptoms during the study (P = 0. 001). The frequency of adverse effects was comparable between two treatment protocols in both groups (P > 0. 05). Conclusion: The results of this study suggest that 2. 5 mg/day of haloperidol may be an effective adjuvant agent in the management of opium withdrawal symptoms in patients with LD opioid consumption. Nevertheless, results of larger controlled trials are needed before recommendation for a broad clinical application can be made.

Background: By evaluating the psychometric properties of the Persian version of the Internet Addiction Test-Social Networking Sites version (IAT-SNS) in a sample of Iranian university students, this study investigated the dimensionality of SNS addiction for the first time. Methods: A total of 620 SNS users (414 women) participated in the study. The study questionnaire comprised demographic information, SNS usage patterns, the IAT-SNS, and the Bergen Social Media Addiction Scale (BSMAS). Findings: Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) identified the 3-factor structure of the IAT-SNS, namely ‘ Lack of Control’ , ‘ Emotional and Relational Conflict’ , and ‘ Preference for online relationships’ that explained 54% of the total variance. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) verified the current model. Problematic users on average exhibited higher scores on the whole IAT-SNS and each of the 3 factors as compared to non-problematic users. The IAT-SNS and its factors showed good internal consistency, and strong convergent and concurrent validity. Conclusion: The Persian version of the IAT– SNS is valid and reliable, and is applicable for measuring the 3 dimensions of SNS addiction among students.

Background: Candidiasis is the most common opportunistic oral infection and smoking is considered as one of its well-known risk factors. However, it remains unknown whether opium users are susceptible to increased oral candida colonization. The aim of the present study is to compare the prevalence rate of oral candida colonization between opium users and cigarette smokers in Kerman, Iran. Methods: This case-control study included 75 healthy male respondents divided into three groups (25 in each group): cigarette smokers, cigarette and opium users, and non-smokers as control group. The samples were obtained from oral mucosa by scraping the mucosa with a sterile cotton swab then inoculated into Sabouraud Dextrose Agar (SDA) and CHROMagar plates and also examined with the light microscope. Findings: Candida was identified in 38. 70% of respondents. The most frequently isolated species was Candida albicans (90. 66%). The highest prevalence of candida carriage was found in cigarette smokers (52. 00%). The difference of candida carriage between the two groups of cigarette smokers and cigarette plus opium users and the control group was statistically significant (P = 0. 007 and P = 0. 015, respectively). Conclusion: In the present study, it was revealed that the prevalence of oral candida carriage was significantly higher among cigarette and opium users in comparison to the non-users.

Background: There is no consensus on the effect of opium on stroke yet. Some studies show the negative effects of opium on ischemic strokes. Here, we attempt to compare the volume of lesions in opium addict and non-addict patients with thrombotic stroke. Methods: This case-control study was conducted on patients with thrombotic stroke at Shafa Hospital in Kerman, Iran. The diagnosis was confirmed by clinical examinations, imaging, and laboratory tests. The volume of lesions was calculated by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and the data were analyzed by descriptive statistics, Mann-Whitney U test, Chi-square test, and linear regression analysis. Findings: A total of 60 patients were studied, 30 of whom were opium addicts and the rest were non-addicts. The mean volume of the lesion was 46. 008350 ± 7. 488990 (in the addict group) and 31. 023335 ± 1. 441570 (in the non-addict group), indicating a significant difference between the two groups (P = 0. 005). Regression analysis results showed a significant relationship between the volume of stroke with opium addiction (P = 0. 017), ischemic heart diseases (IHDs) (P = 0. 006), hyperlipidemia (HLP) (P = 0. 016), age (P = 0. 035), and smoking (P = 0. 044). Conclusion: The results of this study showed a higher volume of lesion in opium-addict patients compared to that in non-addicts as an indicator of stroke severity.