Abstract
BACKGROUND: Substance use is a growing concern, impacting the health, social stability, and economic well-being of individuals and communities. In Iraq, particularly in Erbil, limited data exists on the sociodemographic and clinical characteristics of patients with substance use disorders (SUDs). This study aims to identify these characteristics among inpatients at Hawler Psychiatric Hospital to better understand the profiles and associated factors influencing substance use in this region. METHODS: A retrospective study was conducted at Hawler Psychiatric Hospital from January 2023 to September 2024. A total of 115 patient records with substance use disorder diagnoses were reviewed. Data on sociodemographic details, clinical characteristics, types of substances used, and comorbidities were collected and analyzed using Microsoft Excel 2016 (Microsoft Corp., Redmond, WA) and IBM SPSS Statistics version 26 (IBM Corp., Armonk, NY). Frequency, percentages, and mean values were calculated, while Chi-square and Fisher's exact tests were used to assess associations between categorical variables. A P-value of 0.05 or less was deemed statistically significant. RESULTS: The majority of the patients were male (112, 97.4%), with an age of 31.95 ± 9.46 years (mean ± standard deviation (SD)). Among them, 67 (58.3%) had only primary school education. Methamphetamine was the most commonly used substance (52, 45.2%), followed by alcohol (28, 24.3%), opioids (13, 11.3%), and heroin (13, 11.3%). High rates of psychiatric comorbidities were observed, with 97 (84.3%) patients diagnosed with additional mental health conditions, such as depression and psychosis. Furthermore, 73 (63.5%) patients exhibited aggressive behaviors, and 33 (28.7%) had a forensic history. Significant associations were identified between aggression and factors such as educational level, occupation, psychiatric comorbidity, and forensic history. CONCLUSION: The study highlights a pattern of poly-substance use among patients and the pressing need for comprehensive treatment strategies, including both pharmacotherapy and psychotherapy, to address the complex needs of individuals with substance use disorders in Erbil. These findings underscore the importance of targeted interventions and preventive measures to reduce substance misuse and improve patient outcomes.