High-Risk Behaviors and Associated Factors among Iranian Adult Population: A National Survey
Abstract
Background: There is no official and representative information on certain health-risk behaviors in Iran. This national survey was performed to determine the prevalence of five high-risk behaviors among the adult population and underlying factors.
Methods: This cross-sectional study was performed in 23 provinces of Iran in 2019 involving 10,957 participants. The following five risky behaviors were evaluated: (a) using illicit drugs in the past month, (b) drinking alcohol in the past month, (c) having extramarital sex in the past year, (d) having suicidal thoughts in the past month, (e) and attempting suicide in the past year. The logistic regression model was used for analyses and associations were reported using odds ratio (OR) with its 95% confidence interval (CI).
Results: The prevalence of health-risk behaviors was as follows: illicit drug use 10.4%, drinking alcohol 16.8%, extramarital sex 9.9%, suicidal thoughts 8.8%, and suicide attempt 5.4%. Almost 27.6% of the participants were involved in at least one risky behavior. There was a strong association between illicit drugs use and male gender 2.51 (2.11-2.98) and using psychiatric medications 2.96 (2.46-3.55); between drinking alcohol and male gender 2.23 (1.93-2.58); between extramarital sex and divorced/widowed status 2.43 (1.72-3.44) and having an intimate friend of the opposite sex 3.75 (3.13-4.51); between suicidal thoughts and using psychiatric medications 2.23 (1.83-2.72); between suicide attempt and a history of running away from home 2.10 (1.64-2.68).
Conclusion: More than one-fourth Iranian adult population is involved in at least one risky behavior. Engaging in any risky behavior may increase the possibility of engaging in other high-risk behaviors.
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12. Poorolajal J, Ebrahimi B, Rezapur-Shahkolai F, et al (2020). The epidemiology of aggression and associated factors among Iranian adult population: a national survey. J Res Health Sci, 20 (4): e00499.
13. DuRant RH, Smith JA, Kreiter SR, et al (1999). The relationship between early age of onset of initial substance use and engaging in multiple health risk behaviors among young adolescents. Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med, 153 (3): 286-91.
14. Shrier LA, Emans SJ, Woods ER, et al (1997). The association of sexual risk behaviors and problem drug behaviors in high school students. J Adolesc Health, 20 (5): 377-83.
15. Escobedo LG, Reddy M, DuRant RH (1997). Relationship between cigarette smoking and health risk and problem behaviors among US adolescents. Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med, 151 (1): 66-71.
16. Burke V, Milligan RA, Beilin LJ, et al (1997). Clustering of health-related behaviors among 18-year-old Australians. Prev Med, 26 (5 Pt 1): 724-33.
17. Amiri B, Pourreza A, Rahimi Foroushani A, et al (2012). Suicide and associated risk factors in Hamadan province, west of Iran, in 2008 and 2009. J Res Health Sci, 12 (2): 88-92.
18. Poorolajal J, Rostami M, Mahjub H, et al (2015). Completed suicide and associated risk factors: a six-year population based survey. Arch Iran Med, 18 (1): 39-43.
19. Hawton K, van Heeringen K (2009). Suicide. Lancet, 373 (9672): 1372-81.
20. Abreu LN, Lafer B, Baca-Garcia E, et al (2009). Suicidal ideation and suicide attempts in bipolar disorder type I: an update for the clinician. Braz J Psychiatry, 31 (3): 271-80.
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23. Poorolajal J, Darvishi N (2016). Smoking and Suicide: A Meta-Analysis. PLoS One, 11 (7): e0156348.
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25. Varnik P, Sisask M, Varnik A, et al (2010). Suicide registration in eight European countries: A qualitative analysis of procedures and practices. Forensic Sci Int, 202 (1-3): 86-92.
26. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2013). Understanding suicide: fact sheet. Available from: http://www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/pub/suicide_factsheet.html
27. Thompson A, Wright AK, Ashcroft DM, et al (2017). Epidemiology of alcohol dependence in UK primary care: Results from a large observational study using the Clinical Practice Research Datalink. PLoS One, 12 (3): e0174818.
28. Grant BF, Saha TD, Ruan WJ, et al (2016). Epidemiology of DSM-5 Drug Use Disorder: Results From the National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions-III. JAMA Psychiatry, 73 (1): 39-47.
29. Francis JM, Weiss HA, Mshana G, et al (2015). The Epidemiology of Alcohol Use and Alcohol Use Disorders among Young People in Northern Tanzania. PLoS One, 10 (10): e0140041.
30. Kuntsche E, Knibbe R, Gmel G, et al (2006). Who drinks and why? A review of socio-demographic, personality, and contextual issues behind the drinking motives in young people. Addict Behav, 31 (10): 1844-57.
31. Amemori M, Mumghamba EG, Ruotoistenmaki J, et al (2011). Smoking and drinking habits and attitudes to smoking cessation counselling among Tanzanian dental students. Community Dent Health, 28 (1): 95-8.
32. Bryden A, Roberts B, Petticrew M, et al (2013). A systematic review of the influence of community level social factors on alcohol use. Health Place, 21: 70-85.
33. Khezeli M, Hazavehei SM, Ariapooran S, et al (2019). Individual and social factors related to attempted suicide among women: A qualitative study from Iran. Health Care Women Int, 40 (3): 295-313.
34. Jafari S, Moradi G, Gouya MM, et al (2019). Predictors of Drug Injection in High-Risk Populations of Prisoners with a History of Tattooing: A Cross-Sectional Study. J Res Health Sci, 19 (1): e00435.
35. Ghoreishi SMS, Shahbazi F, Mirtorabi SD, et al (2017). Epidemiological Study of Mortality Rate from Alcohol and Illicit Drug Abuse in Iran. J Res Health Sci, 17 (4): e00395.
36. Merikangas KR, McClair VL (2012). Epidemiology of substance use disorders. Hum Genet, 131 (6): 779-789.
37. Amin-Esmaeili M, Rahimi-Movaghar A, Sharifi V, et al (2016). Epidemiology of illicit drug use disorders in Iran: prevalence, correlates, comorbidity and service utilization results from the Iranian Mental Health Survey. Addiction, 111 (10): 1836-47.
38. Azhdar F, Esmaeilnasab N, Moradi G, et al (2017). Estimation of Intravenous Drug Users' Population in Kermanshah City, West of Iran in 2016 using Capture-recapture Method. J Res Health Sci, 17 (3): e00388.
39. Poorolajal J (2020). Equivalence model: A new graphical model for causal inference. Epidemiol Health, 42: e2020024.
2. Mohammadpoorasl A, Abbasi Ghahramanloo A, Allahverdipour H, et al (2014). Prevalence of Hookah smoking in relation to religiosity and familial support in college students of Tabriz, northwest of Iran. J Res Health Sci, 14(4): 268-71.
3. Noroozi M, Marshall BDL, Noroozi A, et al (2018). Effect of Alcohol Use on Injection and Sexual Behavior among People Who Inject Drugs in Tehran, Iran: A Coarsened Exact Matching Approach. J Res Health Sci, 18 (2): e00416.
4. Poorolajal J, Mohammadi Y, Soltanian AR, et al (2019). The top six risky behaviors among Iranian university students: a national survey. J Public Health (Oxf), 41 (4): 788-797.
5. Mohammadpoorasl A, Ghahramanloo AA, Allahverdipour H, et al (2014). Substance abuse in relation to religiosity and familial support in Iranian college students. Asian J Psychiatr, 9: 41-4.
6. Poorolajal J, Panahi S, Ghaleiha A, et al (2017). Suicide and associated risk factors among college students. Int J Epidemiol Res, 4 (4): 245-50.
7. Chegeni M, Kamel Khodabandeh A, Karamouzian M, et al (2020). Alcohol consumption in Iran: A systematic review and meta-analysis of the literature. Drug Alcohol Rev, 39 (5): 525-538.
8. Moradinazar M, Najafi F, Jalilian F, et al (2020). Prevalence of drug use, alcohol consumption, cigarette smoking and measure of socioeconomic-related inequalities of drug use among Iranian people: findings from a national survey. Subst Abuse Treat Prev Policy, 15: 39.
9. Khalili M, Mirzazadeh A, Chegeni M, et al (2020). Prevalence of high-risk sexual behavior among Iranian young people: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Children and Youth Services Review, 119: 105526.
10. Moosazadeh M, Ziaaddini H, Mirzazadeh A, et al (2013). Meta-analysis of Smoking Prevalence in Iran. Addict health, 5 (3-4): 140-153.
11. Moeini B, Poorolajal J, Gharlipour Z (2012). Prevalence of cigarette smoking and associated risk factors among adolescents in Hamadan City, West of Iran In 2010. J Res Health Sci, 12 (1): 31-7.
12. Poorolajal J, Ebrahimi B, Rezapur-Shahkolai F, et al (2020). The epidemiology of aggression and associated factors among Iranian adult population: a national survey. J Res Health Sci, 20 (4): e00499.
13. DuRant RH, Smith JA, Kreiter SR, et al (1999). The relationship between early age of onset of initial substance use and engaging in multiple health risk behaviors among young adolescents. Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med, 153 (3): 286-91.
14. Shrier LA, Emans SJ, Woods ER, et al (1997). The association of sexual risk behaviors and problem drug behaviors in high school students. J Adolesc Health, 20 (5): 377-83.
15. Escobedo LG, Reddy M, DuRant RH (1997). Relationship between cigarette smoking and health risk and problem behaviors among US adolescents. Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med, 151 (1): 66-71.
16. Burke V, Milligan RA, Beilin LJ, et al (1997). Clustering of health-related behaviors among 18-year-old Australians. Prev Med, 26 (5 Pt 1): 724-33.
17. Amiri B, Pourreza A, Rahimi Foroushani A, et al (2012). Suicide and associated risk factors in Hamadan province, west of Iran, in 2008 and 2009. J Res Health Sci, 12 (2): 88-92.
18. Poorolajal J, Rostami M, Mahjub H, et al (2015). Completed suicide and associated risk factors: a six-year population based survey. Arch Iran Med, 18 (1): 39-43.
19. Hawton K, van Heeringen K (2009). Suicide. Lancet, 373 (9672): 1372-81.
20. Abreu LN, Lafer B, Baca-Garcia E, et al (2009). Suicidal ideation and suicide attempts in bipolar disorder type I: an update for the clinician. Braz J Psychiatry, 31 (3): 271-80.
21. Darvishi N, Farhadi M, Haghtalab T, et al (2015). Alcohol-related risk of suicidal ideation, suicide attempt, and completed suicide: a meta-analysis. PLoS One, 10 (5): e0126870.
22. Poorolajal J, Haghtalab T, Farhadi M, et al (2016). Substance use disorder and risk of suicidal ideation, suicide attempt and suicide death: a meta-analysis. J Public Health (Oxf), 38 (3): e282-e91.
23. Poorolajal J, Darvishi N (2016). Smoking and Suicide: A Meta-Analysis. PLoS One, 11 (7): e0156348.
24. Reynders A, Scheerder G, Van Audenhove C (2011). The reliability of suicide rates: an analysis of railway suicides from two sources in fifteen European countries. Journal of Affective Disorders, 131 (1-3): 120-127.
25. Varnik P, Sisask M, Varnik A, et al (2010). Suicide registration in eight European countries: A qualitative analysis of procedures and practices. Forensic Sci Int, 202 (1-3): 86-92.
26. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2013). Understanding suicide: fact sheet. Available from: http://www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/pub/suicide_factsheet.html
27. Thompson A, Wright AK, Ashcroft DM, et al (2017). Epidemiology of alcohol dependence in UK primary care: Results from a large observational study using the Clinical Practice Research Datalink. PLoS One, 12 (3): e0174818.
28. Grant BF, Saha TD, Ruan WJ, et al (2016). Epidemiology of DSM-5 Drug Use Disorder: Results From the National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions-III. JAMA Psychiatry, 73 (1): 39-47.
29. Francis JM, Weiss HA, Mshana G, et al (2015). The Epidemiology of Alcohol Use and Alcohol Use Disorders among Young People in Northern Tanzania. PLoS One, 10 (10): e0140041.
30. Kuntsche E, Knibbe R, Gmel G, et al (2006). Who drinks and why? A review of socio-demographic, personality, and contextual issues behind the drinking motives in young people. Addict Behav, 31 (10): 1844-57.
31. Amemori M, Mumghamba EG, Ruotoistenmaki J, et al (2011). Smoking and drinking habits and attitudes to smoking cessation counselling among Tanzanian dental students. Community Dent Health, 28 (1): 95-8.
32. Bryden A, Roberts B, Petticrew M, et al (2013). A systematic review of the influence of community level social factors on alcohol use. Health Place, 21: 70-85.
33. Khezeli M, Hazavehei SM, Ariapooran S, et al (2019). Individual and social factors related to attempted suicide among women: A qualitative study from Iran. Health Care Women Int, 40 (3): 295-313.
34. Jafari S, Moradi G, Gouya MM, et al (2019). Predictors of Drug Injection in High-Risk Populations of Prisoners with a History of Tattooing: A Cross-Sectional Study. J Res Health Sci, 19 (1): e00435.
35. Ghoreishi SMS, Shahbazi F, Mirtorabi SD, et al (2017). Epidemiological Study of Mortality Rate from Alcohol and Illicit Drug Abuse in Iran. J Res Health Sci, 17 (4): e00395.
36. Merikangas KR, McClair VL (2012). Epidemiology of substance use disorders. Hum Genet, 131 (6): 779-789.
37. Amin-Esmaeili M, Rahimi-Movaghar A, Sharifi V, et al (2016). Epidemiology of illicit drug use disorders in Iran: prevalence, correlates, comorbidity and service utilization results from the Iranian Mental Health Survey. Addiction, 111 (10): 1836-47.
38. Azhdar F, Esmaeilnasab N, Moradi G, et al (2017). Estimation of Intravenous Drug Users' Population in Kermanshah City, West of Iran in 2016 using Capture-recapture Method. J Res Health Sci, 17 (3): e00388.
39. Poorolajal J (2020). Equivalence model: A new graphical model for causal inference. Epidemiol Health, 42: e2020024.
| Files | ||
| Issue | Vol 51 No 5 (2022) | |
| Section | Original Article(s) | |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.18502/ijph.v51i5.9426 | |
| Keywords | ||
| Health risk behaviors Adult Illicit drugs Alcohols Sexual behavior Suicide Iran | ||
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How to Cite
1.
Ebrahimi B, Doosti-Irani A, Rezapur-Shahkolai F, Poorolajal J. High-Risk Behaviors and Associated Factors among Iranian Adult Population: A National Survey. Iran J Public Health. 2022;51(5):1107-1117.
