Pattern of Substance Abuse in Patients of Lahore.

ABSTRACT Objective:The aim of this research was the assessment of the pattern of substance abuse in patients visiting to the current hospital. Place and Duration of Study: This research was carried out from Feburary to October 2018 in Lahore, Pakistan. Materials and Methods:Adult patients were approached who were visiting Outdoor Patient Department, indoor and emergency. The size of the sample was consisted over 400 patient and non-probability convenience sampling technique was used. Inclusion criteria was that the patients actively using and were dependent on any type of substance of abuse as per the criteria of ICD-10. Informed written consent was obtained from the participants. Exclusion criteria was that patients suffering from acute physical disease require urgent and emergency care, in delirium or unconscious and they were not made part of the study. The collection of data was on a sheet and SPSS version 21 was used for analysing the data. Results:The sample group was consisted of 400 patients and out of them 350 patients were males and 50 patients were female. Patients belonging to low economic status were 49.1%. Patients belonging from rural areas were 25.1% whereas patients from urban areas were 62.1% and homeless were 30%. Among them the jobless were 91.3%. Patients with family history of drug abuse were 31%. Poly substances abusers were 50%. Heroin and opium abusers were 28.1%, injections were 8%, cannabis were 19%, benzodiazepines were 7.5% and others were 2%. Conclusion:Mostly patients visiting hospital were jobless male and belonged to urban area of low economic status. Patients having family history of drug abuse were 1/5th. Substance abusers were 50. Heroin and opium abusers were 28.1%, injections were 8%, cannabis were 19%, benzodiazepines were 7.5% and others were 2%.