The Role of Nutritional Status in Recovery of patients with Substance use Disorders

Abstract

Objectives: The study aims to assess the levels of nutritional status and recovery status for patients with substance use disorders at psychiatric teaching hospitals in Baghdad city and to identify the role of nutritional status in patents’ recovery.

Methodology: A descriptive correlational design was conducted on a convenient (non-probability) sample of (70) patients with substance use disorder which were selected from the inpatient psychiatric teaching hospitals for the period of (October 15th, 2020 to March 1th, 2021). The self- report questioner used as the instrument of the study and constructed through the nutritional assessment scale (MNA) and recovery assessment scale (RSA) was used in this study after modified for the purpose of this study. Data are analyzed through the application of descriptive and inferential statistical data analysis approach by using statistical package for social science program (IBM SPSS) version 24

Results: The study found that more than half of addiction patients have malnourished (52.9%), and 40% are at risk of malnutrition. The substance abusers are associated with moderate level of psychological recovery (47.2%). Nutritional status has a high significant role and affect in recovery status among the clients with substance use disorder.

Conclusions: the study concluded that nutritional status has a high significant role and affect in recovery status among the clients with substance use disorder as concluded by significant correlation between nutritional status and recovery status.

Recommendations: The nutrition education should be to concentrate within substance abuse treatment services, which can improve treatment outcomes and nominate nutritionists to be part of treatment teams in drug abuse units in order to integrate nutrition services in the rehabilitation process