Assessment of Work-Related Factors Among Drug Abusers in an Educational and Research Addiction Center in Mashhad

Abstract

Background: More than 70% of addicts are employed, and several factors have been identified that increase susceptibility to addiction. The role of occupation in addiction has long been discussed. Objectives: The present study aimed to investigate the prevalence of work-related factors in individuals suffering from addiction while minimizing potential sources of bias through the use of validated instruments and inclusive sampling. Patients and Methods: This cross-sectional study included all eligible male patients who visited the addiction treatment center of Mashhad University of Medical Sciences during 2020. Data were collected using the validated Maudsley Addiction Profile (MAP) Questionnaire and a researcher-developed job conditions checklist. A census sampling method was used to reduce selection bias. Data were analyzed with Pearson and Spearman correlation coefficients, chi-square test and independent samples t-test in SPSS 16 at a significance level of 0.05. Results: A total of 210 male participants (mean age: 39 years) were included. The most frequent job-related predisposing factor was having an addicted colleague (33.3%), followed by hard work (18.6%) and ease of access to drugs in the workplace (13.8%). There was no significant relationship between job-related predisposing factors and job type. Conclusions: The presence of an addicted colleague was the most common occupational risk factor. Despite the limitations of a cross-sectional design, efforts such as the use of validated tools and a census-based approach were made to reduce potential bias.