Exploring the Relationship between Drug Addiction and Quality of Life in Herat, Afghanistan: A Cross-sectional Study

BACKGROUND: Addiction is a global public health problem, with over 36 million people suffering from drug-use disorders. Afghanistan, the world’s leading opium producer, has high rates of drug use owing to the easy access to drugs in this country. This study aimed to investigate drug users’ quality of life in Herat, Afghanistan, and identify the factors affecting it. METHODS: This cross-sectional study examined health-related quality of life at six rehabilitation camps in Herat, Afghanistan, from March to July 2019, using the short form-36 questionnaire (SF-36). Data collected through interviews were analyzed using SPSS software (version 25). FINDINGS: A total of 240 participants from six rehabilitation camps in Herat, Afghanistan participated in this study. The majority of participants (80%) rated their overall health as "good" or "very good". Men had higher average scores for mental health and vitality than women and those aged 30-39 had the highest quality of life. Statistically significant differences were found in bodily pain (P=0.038), vitality (P=0.042), and social functioning (P=0.046) among users of different types of drugs. Opium abusers had the highest scores for the physical and mental components, followed by heroin, methamphetamine, hashish, and crack abusers. CONCLUSION: This study explored the relationship between drug addiction and quality of life in Herat, Afghanistan. The findings showed that young adults were more vulnerable to drug use and male addicts and opium users had the highest quality of life. This study can inform the development of effective rehabilitation programs but more research is needed for addiction treatment strategies.