Women and Methamphetamine in Iran: A Report from the Most Populous Persian Gulf Country

Objectives:  Methamphetamine (MA) use disorder is a new health problem among Iranian female methadone patients that need special treatment and rehabilitation services. However, there are few studies describing their baseline characteristics, their reasons for MA use while in treatment and their treatment needs and success. The study aimed to investigate these research gaps. Methods: Participants were 70 women with MA use disorder in two large women-only methadone treatment services in Tehran, Iran. A researcher-made checklist, the Severity of Dependence Scale, the Contemplation Ladder and the General Health Questionnaire-28 were completed by women in a baseline interview. Results: The mean age of the participants was 35.84 (SD = 8.62) years. Participants reported high severity of MA dependence [6.88 (SD = 3.19)], poor motivation to change [4.0 (SD = 2.31)] and impaired psychological well-being [16.35 (SD = 4.04)] while in treatment. The most important reasons for MA use in methadone treatment included self-treatment (55%) and pleasure seeking (43%). The most important MA treatment needs included effective psychological treatments (75%), continued family support (72%), and life skills (68%). Stable living and financial conditions (90%), drug-free living and working places (86%) and continued family support (78%) and psychological counselling (69%) were the most important reported factors associated with MA treatment success. Discussions: The current study indicated that participants reported a number of MA-related problems. This issue needed a comprehensive treatment program at individual, social, psychological and professional levels. The findings have important implications for delivering psychosocial treatments as well as gender-specific research.