Investigating the Relationship between Chronic Disease and Substance Use Severity in Elderly People Referred to Addiction Treatment Clinics

Substance abuse, especially opiates and medicines prescribed by physicians, is rapidly spreading among elderly people. The objective of this study was to investigate the relationship between the type of chronic disease and the severity of substance use in elderly people referred to addiction treatment clinics. This study is a correlational type of descriptive-analytical study. The statistical population of this study consisted of all elderly substance users referred to addiction treatment centers in Amol in the first quarter of 2016. In this study, considering 10 people for each variable, a total of 200 elderly people (10 × 20 = 200) were selected through multistage cluster sampling. Data collection tools included library methods (books, articles, and theses) and a standardized questionnaire. The data were analyzed through SPSS version 21 software. Since the variables of chronic disease and type of chronic disease were significantly associated with substance abuse, paying attention to demographic-medical characteristics of the elderly people and designing appropriate interventions seems to be necessary, when planning to improve the provision of healthcare services.