Supervisors info:
Τζαβέλλας Ηλίας, Επίκουρος Καθηγητής, Ιατρική Σχολή, ΕΚΠΑ, Επιβλέπων
Σύψα Βασιλική-Αναστασία, Επίκουρη Καθηγήτρια, Ιατρική Σχολή, ΕΚΠΑ
Μαλλιώρη Μινέρβα-Μελπομένη, Καθηγήτρια, Ιατρική Σχολή, ΕΚΠΑ
Summary:
The dependency on substances is a phenomenon that has been rising rapidly over the world over the past decades. It is a major problem, both socially and economically. This diploma thesis deals with the extent to which buprenorphine can cause harm reduction and the possible complete abstinence from drug use in OKANA, Halkida, which has been operating since 2004.
By the term narcotics are generally meant substances with different chemical structure and different action in the CNS, from stimulant to suppressing, but with a common characteristic, the ability to alter the physical and mental state of the individual and to cause dependence, mental and / physical, different in nature and varying degrees.
In our country, the problem became apparent in November 1993. In 1998, the National Center for Documentation and Information on Drugs (EKTEPN) was designated a national center responsible for the collection and processing of data in Greece.
Detoxification takes place in special centers. Some programs use substitutes such as buprenorphine and methadone, while others are "dry". In particular, the use of buprenorphine in substitution therapies was approved in 2002 in the United States and the European Union since 2006. In Greece, its use began with its inclusion in the OKANA program.
The material to be used is the EKTEPN questionnaire and in particular the TDI DEMA 2013. Out of the 53 questions will be the 25.
The survey was conducted on users under the OKANA drug retention program in Chalkida. In April 2018, participants in the survey were 70, of whom 59 were male and 11 female, between 28 and 65 years of age.
Over the years, more and more users are part of the substitution program (out of 70 people, 26 were introduced between 2016 and 2018). It is also noticed that the largest percentage of the admitted (55.72%) was at the age group of 35-45 years old.
The majority of users (71.43%) have a permanent home and are staying with their familiar faces.
44.29% have been treated in the past, while 56.71% are treated for the first time.
As for the main substance they use, the majority (92.4%) responded to heroin before the entrance to the substitution program. Significant interest is given to the use of substances over the last 30 days. 37.34% answered they had no use of drugs and 17.0% had only once a week.
Over half of respondents at 52.17% said they were addicted to more than one substance. 38.57% of respondents said they had injecting (lifetime), while 30% did not.
Still, substitution over the past 30 days and frequency of use in the last 30 days have a positive correlation. Therapy in the past and problem of multiple dependance have a positive correlation. Last, therapy in the past and use of sterilized syringe in the last time of injecting use have a positive correlation.
Keywords:
Substances, Buprenorphine, Substitution, OKANA, Chalkida
