Exploring the Prevalence and Determinants of Substance Use Among Drug Addicts in Pakistan

Objectives To investigate the underlying causes that lead to the initiation of drug usage among drug addicts in Pakistan and to assess the prevalence of drug abuse and its association with influential factors. Methods This cross-sectional study involved 598 adult males and 2 females. Participants were recruited from different psychiatric rehabilitation centres using the standard scoring scale of substance use according to The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) criteria. An additional questionnaire was used to assess the socio-demographic details. Results The mean age of participants was 29.54 ± 6.76 years. The mean score of DSM-5 level 2 was 16.55. The logistic regression analysis shows a significant association between peer pressure (OR = 24.98, 95% CI: 14.208–43.945; p < 0.0005) and curiosity (OR = 0.027, 95% CI: 0.11 − 0.068; p < 0.0005) with the severity of substance use. Sex (6.7%), relationship problems (6.7%), stress (5.3%), and strict family (6.7%) were also significantly associated with the severity of substance use. All polydrug users in this study were significantly associated with the severity of the drug. Marijuana (69%) was the most commonly used by the participants followed by heroin (56.9%) and methamphetamine (52.5%). It was found that substance use was significantly associated with memory impairment and violence. The majority of the participants (95%) have tried to stop using drugs. Age, marital status, and education are not associated with the severity of drug use. Conclusion The findings emphasize the urgency of tailored interventions and support strategies to combat substance addiction effectively.