Journal of School of Public Health and

Background and Aim: Substance abuse and risky sexual behaviors are intermingled. Both subjects, however, are highly sensitive issues culturally in some societies such as Iran, making assessment of sexual behaviors difficult and challenging. It is particularly difficult to assess and study risky sexual behaviors in the drug-using population. Thus, it seems essential to develop and validate a comprehensive native instrument specific for the Iranian drug-using population to screen their risky sexual behaviors and in treatment settings.

Materials and Methods: A thorough literature review was made to find a tool utilized in addiction treatment settings.  The Sex and Drug History Form (SDHF) was translated into Persian. Clients (n = 107) referred to the sexual health clinic in the Iranian National Center for Addiction Studies (INCAS) were selected randomly. Questionnaires were completed through face-to-face interviews by trained research assistants. Data analysis was done using the Cronbach`s alpha and exploratory factor analysis.

Results: Cronbach`s alpha was found to be 0.78. Using the principal component analysis, the Sex and Drug Screening Scale (SDSS) revealed 78.6 of the total variance in two main domains, namely, drug-use behaviors and sexual behaviors. The number of subscales in the original instrument, which was 3, increased to 6.

Conclusion: Substance abuse and addiction significantly affect one's sexual behaviors and safety. The Sex and Drug Screening Scale will enable health workers and therapists to assess the patients' sexual health and risky behaviors at admission, which will facilitate planning, implementing and evaluating intervention programs aiming at treating addiction.

Background and Aim: Group therapy is one of the selective approacheseffective in addiction treatment, although it is not used extensively.Therefore, it is essential to assessthe current group therapy situation and determine its barriers andreinforcing factors inaddiction treatment settings.

Materials and Methods: This qualitative study was a rapid assessment designed and conducted in 2014-2015. Formal and informal data were collectedfrom 6 selectedcenters (n=55) bya multi-disciplinaryresearch team,using a systematic and semi-structuredapproach. Data were analyzed using thematic analysis.

Results: Based on dataanalysis a descriptive model was obtained with two main items, namely, structure and implementation of group therapy and effectiveness process. These two main items were found to be composed of four descriptive sub-items, including structural determinants and effective determinants in group therapy, contextual features, content, acceptabilityand desirability of treatment.

Conclusion: The findings show that application and effectiveness of group therapy is desirable, but it is not used as a routine approach in addiction treatment centers. Barriers to expansion of group therapy include insufficient content, lack of a structured protocol, and lack of professionalcapacity building. The study also revealsthat group therapy is quite acceptableamong patients who have had the experience of being treated with this approach but less acceptable among those who are not familiar with it.