Recent Pattern of Substance Use Among Patients with Substance Use Disorders in a Rehabilitation and Treatment Centre for Addiction in Dubai

New Research Published: Understanding Substance Use Trends in UAE Addiction Treatment Services

I am pleased to share our recently published study in Adiktologie, titled:

“Recent Pattern of Substance Use Among Patients with Substance Use Disorders in a Rehabilitation and Treatment Centre for Addiction in Dubai.”

📎 DOI: 10.35198/01-2025-002-0004

🎯 Study Purpose

Substance use disorders (SUDs) continue to pose a major global and regional public health challenge. Despite the growing body of international research, data from the United Arab Emirates remains limited—particularly among individuals enrolled in specialized treatment programs.

Our study provides epidemiological insights into:

• The age of onset and initiating factors of substance use

• Current patterns and frequency of consumption

• Routes of administration

• Comorbid psychosocial burdens

• Emerging polysubstance use clusters

📊 Key Findings

Based on a sample of 103 patients at the Erada Center for Treatment and Rehabilitation (May–August 2021):

🔹 Mean age of first exposure: 16.4 years
🔹 Primary initiating factors:
 • Curiosity (67%)
 • Peer or family influence (28.2%)
 • Hedonic motives (21.4%)

🔹 Most prevalent substances:
 • Methamphetamine (50.5%)
 • Opioids (48%)
 • Amphetamines (45.6%)
 • Pregabalin (34%)

🔹 High-risk routes and patterns:
 • Intravenous use: 68.9%
 • Daily use: 74%

🔹 Common comorbidities:
 • Legal problems (63.7%)
 • Financial instability (50%)
 • Bereavement (41.2%)
 • Exposure to violence (38.2%)

Our correlation analyses identified three major polysubstance co-use clusters, reflecting evolving trends in stimulant, opioid, and prescription drug combinations.

🏥 Implications for Practice

The findings underscore the urgent need for:

• Culturally tailored, evidence-based interventions

• Integrated multidisciplinary care

• Targeted harm-reduction strategies

• Enhanced national surveillance systems

• Youth-focused prevention efforts, given early onset patterns

This research contributes a critical regional dataset to guide policy, clinical practice, and public health planning in the UAE.

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/397785985_Recent_Pattern_of_Substance_Use_Among_Patients_with_Substance_Use_Disorders_in_a_Rehabilitation_and_Treatment_Centre_for_Addiction_in_Dubai

https://adiktologie-journal.eu/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/04_2-2025_25_004_-Muneer_077-088_digital.pdf