Congress 60: An Addiction Recovery Community within the Islamic Republic of Iran

White, William L.

doi:10.1080/07347324.2015.1050929

Cited by 17 publications

(5 citation statements)

References 50 publications

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“…Founded in 1998 in Iran, Congress 60 is a nongovernmental organisation that as of 2015 had over 20 000 members. Differing from other international mutual-help groups, such as Narcotics Anonymous, Congress 60 promotes a simultaneously biological, psychological, social and spiritual understanding of addiction and recovery [17]. The OT-assisted treatment protocol for OUD was approved in 2011 by the Iranian Ministry of Health.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Factors influencing engagement and utilisation of opium tincture‐assisted treatment for opioid use disorder: A qualitative study in Tehran, Iran

Noroozi

Conigrave

Mirrahimi

et al. 2021

Drug and Alcohol Review

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Introduction. In response to a high burden of opioid use disorder (OUD), Iran established a network of opioid agonist treatment (OAT) centres beginning in 2002. To increase treatment diversity, particularly for patients who use opium as their drug of choice, opium tincture (OT)-assisted treatment was introduced to the network. This study aimed to explore factors influencing OT-assisted treatment selection for OUD in Tehran, Iran. Methods. We conducted 54 in-depth interviews with patients with OUD (n = 33), family members of patients (n = 9) and drug treatment providers (n = 12). Participants were recruited from 12 drug treatment centres across Tehran, between September and November 2019. All interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed and coded in OpenCode 4.02 software and analysed using thematic analysis. Results. Study participants more commonly reported individual-level factors as facilitators (e.g. to reduce harms associated with illicit opioid use, achieve recovery through a gradual dose reduction regimen combined with Congress 60 recovery program) and structural level factors (e.g. low adoption by OAT system and lack of familiarity of treatment providers) as barriers for utilisation of OT-assisted treatment regimens. OT was perceived to produce lower levels of physiological dependence than methadone, but the requirement for twice supervised dosing was restrictive. Low familial and community acceptance were also seen as barriers to access. Discussion and Conclusions. This research identified a range of perceived benefits for OT-assisted treatment ranging from harm reduction to an intermediate step to achieve recovery. However, several structural-, individual-, familial-and community-level barriers impede its availability and acceptability.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Factors influencing engagement and utilisation of opium tincture‐assisted treatment for opioid use disorder: A qualitative study in Tehran, Iran

Noroozi

Conigrave

Mirrahimi

et al. 2021

Drug and Alcohol Review

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“…117 , 118 Unemployment and financial distress are two main causes of mental conditions in Iran. 119 A study in the province of Ghazvin showed that unemployment, inflation and welfare inequality had a meaningful relation with suicide rates. 120 Another example is the impacts of economic decline on drug addicts and their families.…”

Section: Part 1) Iranian’s Enjoyment Of Their Rights In Sanctions’ Pementioning

confidence: 99%

Assessment of the Effects of Economic Sanctions on Iranians’ Right to Health by Using Human Rights Impact Assessment Tool: A Systematic Review

Kokabisaghi

2018

Int J Health Policy Manag

104

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Background: Over the years, economic sanctions have contributed to violation of right to health in target countries. Iran has been under comprehensive unilateral economic sanctions by groups of countries (not United Nations [UN]) in recent years. They have been intensified from 2012 because of international community’s uncertainty about peaceful purpose of Iran’s nuclear program and inadequacy of trust-building actions of this country. This review aimed to identify the humanitarian effects of the sanctions on the right of Iranians to health and the obligations of Iran and international community about it. Methods: To assess economic sanction policies and identify violated rights and the obligations of states according to international human rights laws, in this study, Human Rights Impact Assessments (HRIA) tool is used. Applying this tool requires collection of evidences regarding the situation of rights. To provide such evidence, a systematic review of literature which involved 55 papers retrieved from the web-based databases and official webpages of Iran’s government and UN’ health and human rights committees and organizations was done. All articles about the consequences of economic sanctions related to nuclear activities of Iran on welfare and health of Iranians published from January 2012 till February 2017 in English and Persian languages were included. Search terms were economic sanctions, embargoes, Iran, welfare, health and medicine. Additional studies were identified by cross checking the reference lists of accessed articles. All selected papers were abstracted and entered into a matrix describing study design and findings, and categorized into a framework of themes reflecting the areas covered (health and its determinants). According to HRIA framework, related obligations of Iran and other states about adverse effects of the sanctions on Iranians’ right to health were extracted. Results: The sanctions on Iran caused a fall of country’s revenues, devaluation of national currency, and increase of inflation and unemployment. These all resulted in deterioration of people’s overall welfare and lowering their ability to access the necessities of a standard life such as nutritious food, healthcare and medicine. Also, the sanctions on banking, financial system and shipment led to scarcity of quality lifesaving medicines. The impacts of sanctions were more immense on the lives of the poor, patients, women and children. Humanitarian exemptions did not protect Iranians from the adverse effects of sanctions. Conclusion: Countries which imposed economic sanctions against Iran have violated Iranians’ right to health. International community should have predicted any probable humanitarian effects of sanctions and used any necessary means to prevent it. Furthermore, Iran should have used any essential means to protect people from the adverse effects of sanctions. Now, they should work on alleviation of the negative effects of sanctions. Even though, some of the effects such as disability and death cannot be compen...

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“…Congress 60 program consists of the DST method (an 11-month process of drug tapering using opium tincture) combined with intensive psychosocial support provided within a philosophy of recovery. Congress 60 offers educational classes and group therapy to promote positive thinking and mental balance ( 11 , 12 ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Long-term detoxification of opioid use disorder with opium tincture assisted treatment

Omidvar Tehrani,

Rezaei Ardani,

Akhlaghi

et al. 2023

Front. Psychiatry

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IntroductionRetention in treatment, craving, and relapse rate are important indicators of the success rate in addiction maintenance therapy as they evaluate the effectiveness of the therapy and make necessary adjustments to the treatment plan. However, the rate of continuation in the treatment process and the rate of craving in patients with opioid use disorder undergoing maintenance treatment with opium tincture have not been studied. The present study aimed to investigate the rate of relapse, craving, and psychiatric disorders in patients with opioid use disorder undergoing treatment of gradual detoxification with opium tincture.MethodsNinety patients with opioid use disorder who underwent treatment with the gradual detoxification method using opium tincture in the form of Congress 60 for 11 months were enrolled in the study. The level of craving based on the Desire for Drug Questionnaire (DDQ) and patients’ self-report of drug use, the level of anxiety, depression, and sleep quality of patients were evaluated using the Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI), Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), and Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), respectively. Also, suicidal thoughts were assessed by Beck Scale for Suicidal Ideation and quality of life by the World Health Organization Quality of Life Questionnaire (WHOQOL-BREF).ResultsThe study found that the treatment resulted in a relapse rate of 16.7% for relapse. We also found that all sub-scales of the desire for drug questionnaire (DDQ), depression, and anxiety were significantly lower at the end of the study compared to its beginning. Additionally, quality of life and sleep significantly increased at the end of the study. All areas of craving, anxiety, and depression significantly decreased in all follow-up sessions that took place 1, 5, and 11 months after the start of treatment. Moreover, sleep disorders were improved considerably at the end of the treatment.ConclusionThe current study presented a low relapse rate of Iranian patients with opioid use disorder under structured treatment of gradual detoxification with opium tincture in a one-year follow-up period. Opium tincture under the Congress 60 protocol may help to control carving, decrease psychological disorders, improve quality of life, and consequently, lower relapse rate.

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Congress 60: An Addiction Recovery Community within the Islamic Republic of Iran

Cited by 17 publications

References 50 publications

Factors influencing engagement and utilisation of opium tincture‐assisted treatment for opioid use disorder: A qualitative study in Tehran, Iran

Factors influencing engagement and utilisation of opium tincture‐assisted treatment for opioid use disorder: A qualitative study in Tehran, Iran

Assessment of the Effects of Economic Sanctions on Iranians’ Right to Health by Using Human Rights Impact Assessment Tool: A Systematic Review

Long-term detoxification of opioid use disorder with opium tincture assisted treatment

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