Chasers versus injectors : A study of heroin users from Kashmir

BACKGROUND: Heroin is the most common used opioid in India and common routes of intake are intravenous and ‘chasing the dragon’ mode. Research regarding the comparison of the characteristics of these two groups is scant all over the world as well as in India. AIM: To compare socio- demographic and clinical differences between heroin chasers and injection heroin users (IHUs). METHODS: A retrospective chart review of patients diagnosed with primary opioid dependence was made. Fifty heroin chasers attending the deaddiction clinic of the institute were compared with fifty injection heroin users regarding socio-demographic and clinical characteristics during. Severity of opioid dependence was assessed using Severity of the Opioid Dependence Questionnaire (SODQ) .Comparison of Heroin Chasers with Heroin Injectors was done using Chi square and t test, wherever applicable. RESULTS: Most of the treatment seekers for heroin dependence were in the age group of 20-34 years (74% IHU and 76% chasers, P = 0.78). Mean scores on opioid dependence severity were higher (42.45 + 9.23) in injection users as compared to chasers (37.56 + 8.28, P < 0.01). As compared to chasers, IHUs had 4.64 odds of receiving Buprenorphine as withdrawal management (Confidence Interval:1.55-13.84) and this was statistically significant (P < 0.01). IHUs had lesser odds of early drop out but did not reach statistical significance (24% vs 34%, OR: 0.61, CI : 0.25-1.46 , P= 0.38). CONCLUSION: The study findings indicate that there was no difference in most of socio-demographic variables between IHUs and heroin chasers. IHUs had greater severity of opioid dependence and had higher odds of receiving Buprenorphine as withdrawal management. There was no difference in overall quality of life and early dropout rates between the two groups.