Naltrexone Maintenance Treatment of Opium Dependents and its Relation with Demographics and Psychological Factors

This project was conducted to appraise the role of naltrexone drug and its relation with the demographics and psychological factors in relapse prevention of opium addicts post the detoxi- fication phase. In this cross-sectional study, 107 male opium dependents who had received detoxifica-tion treatment at the dual diagnosis ward of Shahid Beheshti Hospital of Kerman were educated about naltrexone maintenance treatment. The continuum of naltrexone consumption by the subjects was followed up via telephone contacts one month and once again in three months after hospital discharge. Subject's demographic factors were evaluated by way of a demographic questionnaire and their psychological features were assessed by SCL-90-R questionnaire before the appearance of withdrawal symptoms. The mean age of subjects was 33.75 ± 7.86 years. There was a positive correlation bet-ween patients’ level of education and the length of time subjects remained on naltrexone drug. 27.1% of subjects consumed the drug for less than a month 59.8% took it for one month, and 13.1% used it for three months. The first group scored significantly higher across all scales of SCL-90-R than the other two groups. Prescription of naltrexone is more beneficial for educated patients.Pharmacotherapy coupled with non-medicinal treatment may lengthen naltrexone maintenance treatment.