Addiction and Health最新文献

{"title":"Pharmacokinetics of Dual Amino Acids for Dry Powder Inhalation Therapy in Pulmonary Drug Delivery: An In-Vivo Study.","authors":"Mani Abinaya, Sellappan Mohan, Arumugam Nagarajan","doi":"10.34172/ahj.1538","DOIUrl":"10.34172/ahj.1538","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Smoking cigarettes leads to serious health problems, and addiction is a major concern. De-addiction therapy includes e-cigarettes and counseling, and the success rate is poor in these approaches, warranting alternate therapeutic interventions. The present study evaluates dry powder inhalation using amino acids as a new method.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A novel formulation was prepared using nanospray drying and ball milling techniques. SEM analysis was conducted to ascertain particle size, and pharmacokinetic assessment was done to evaluate how rapidly the drug is released from the formulation. The optimized ratio of ingredients revealed the best formula, L-tyrosine, L-tryptophan, and lactose in the ratio of 5 mg:1 mg: 4 mg, which led to the dry powder preparation. SEM analysis revealed that the dry powder comprising L-tryptophan and L-tyrosine had undergone micronization to 2-4 µm.</p><p><strong>Findings: </strong>An innovative treatment, such as an inhalation powder therapy comprising amino acids, can help reduce mood changes. Depletion of tryptophan to kynurenine controls mood changes, and maintaining a steady tryptophan concentration is expected to help overcome mood changes that trigger smoking recurrence. The microparticles produced by spray-drying were confirmed to include loose agglomerates, which are amenable to inhalation and free dispersion. In-vivo studies revealed that drug action is quick with drug delivery and retention at the site of action.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>The synergistic effect of the novel formulation's sustained concentration of tryptophan and tyrosine and inhibition of AChE could diminish the recurrence of smoking. Dry powder inhalation of the formulated drug offers a new and strong method of drug delivery to the alveolus, making it a convenient route of administration that could be superior to other modes of administration in smoking cessation.</p>","PeriodicalId":33943,"journal":{"name":"Addiction and Health","volume":"17 ","pages":"1538"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12260924/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144643695","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The Effectiveness of Resilience-Based Intervention on Post-traumatic Growth, Resilience, Coping Skills, and Perceived Stress in Women with Addicted Spouses.","authors":"Akram Ahmadzadeh, Mohammad Saeed Khanjani, Manoochehr Azkhosh, Seyyed Jalal Younesi, Gholamreza Ghaedamini Harouni","doi":"10.34172/ahj.1510","DOIUrl":"10.34172/ahj.1510","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Substance abuse, as a major global issue, not only affects individuals but also impacts family members, particularly women. Meanwhile, post-traumatic growth and resilience are important factors in the recovery process for these women. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of a resilience-based intervention in facilitating post-traumatic growth among women with addicted spouses.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A randomized clinical trial was conducted involving women with addicted partners (<i>n</i>=30) in Qom during the years 2021 and 2022. Participants were randomly allocated to the two groups of intervention and control. A demographic information form, post-traumatic growth questionnaire, resilience scale, perceived stress scale, and the Connor-Davidson coping skills questionnaire, were used to collect data at pre-test, post-test, and follow-up (three months later). Data analysis was conducted using SPSS software (version 22.0), with a significance level of <i>P</i><0.05.</p><p><strong>Findings: </strong>The findings demonstrated a significant increase in scores of resilience (<i>η</i> ²=0.015), post-traumatic growth (<i>η</i> ²=0.185), emotion-focused coping skills (<i>η</i> ²=0.253), and problem-focused coping skills (<i>η</i> ²=0.131) in the intervention group between pre-test, post-test, and follow-up stages (<i>P</i><0.001). However, the intervention did not influence perceived stress (<i>η</i> ²=0.017) (<i>P</i>=0.473). No significant changes were observed in these variables in the control group.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>The findings showed that the resilience intervention resulted in enhanced post-traumatic growth, coping abilities, and resilience in women with addicted spouses. Implementing this intervention in mental health centers and addiction recovery programs not only enhances the mental well-being of these women but also contributes to the psychological well-being of their families.</p>","PeriodicalId":33943,"journal":{"name":"Addiction and Health","volume":"17 ","pages":"1510"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12127983/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144209677","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Biomedical Research: Formulating a Well-Built and Worth-Answering Research Question.","authors":"Zahra Bahadoran, Parvin Mirmiran, Khosrow Kashfi, Asghar Ghasemi","doi":"10.34172/ahj.1564","DOIUrl":"10.34172/ahj.1564","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Research begins with a problem that must be translated into an answerable research question. The research question is a structured interrogative statement based on an unsolved problem, which the researcher tries to answer through the study. The art of articulating a good research question is a crucial part of the research process as it sets the stage for the rest. A critical challenge in biomedical research lies in the frequent shortcomings of research question formulation and presentation. This paper aims to provide a practical guide to assist researchers in formulating answerable and worth-answering research questions in biomedical research. The PICOT/PECOT strategy (addresses population, intervention/exposure, comparator, outcome, and time) is essential to develop an excellent relational quantitative research question. The formulated research question should pass the FINER (feasible, interesting, novel, ethical, and relevant) criteria, determining the worth-answering aspect of the research question. Research questions are presented as questions, hypotheses, and propositions.</p>","PeriodicalId":33943,"journal":{"name":"Addiction and Health","volume":"17 ","pages":"1564"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12127988/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144209697","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Association of the SLC6A3 Gene rs2652511 Polymorphism with Methamphetamine Abuse Disorder in the Iranian Population.","authors":"Mohaddeseh Aminzadeh Khosroshahi, Ali Farrokhi, Hossein Soltanzadeh","doi":"10.34172/ahj.1484","DOIUrl":"10.34172/ahj.1484","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Besides its physical and psychological effects on individuals, addiction is a major personal and societal issue that threatens cultural, political, and community well-being. Genetic factors play essential roles in susceptibility to methamphetamine dependence. The purpose of this study was to investigate the correlation between methamphetamine use disorder in Iranian males and the rs2652511 polymorphism in the promoter of SLC6A3.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>We recruited 100 men with methamphetamine use disorder as cases and 100 age- and ethnically-matched normal men from East Azerbaijan, Tabriz, Iran as healthy controls. From peripheral blood leukocytes, genomic DNA was extracted. PCR-RFLP was utilized for genotyping.</p><p><strong>Findings: </strong>The genotype distribution of rs2652511 polymorphism in the case group was 56% CC, 33% CT, and 11% 44, whereas in the control group it was 25% CC, 42% CT, and 33% TT. According to statistical analysis, there was a substantial variation in genotype and allele frequencies of the rs2652511 polymorphism between the case group and the healthy control group (<i>P</i>>0.05).</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Our research revealed that the rs2652511 polymorphism in the SLC6A3 gene was associated with methamphetamine misuse disorder in the Iranian population. To clarify the exact role of this polymorphism in the pathology of methamphetamine use disorder, further research is required across different racial and geographic groups.</p>","PeriodicalId":33943,"journal":{"name":"Addiction and Health","volume":"17 ","pages":"1484"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12377687/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144972249","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Investigation of the Inhibitory Effect of Naringin on the Development of Morphine Physical Dependency in Male Rats.","authors":"Atena Alifarsangi, Saeed Esmaeili-Mahani, Ehsan Salarkia, Elham Alizadeh, Mehdi Abbasnejad","doi":"10.34172/ahj.1543","DOIUrl":"10.34172/ahj.1543","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Morphine dependence is a significant concern because of its potential for inducing addiction and adverse withdrawal symptoms. Naringin, a flavonoid compound found in citrus fruits, has shown promise in various pharmacological activities, including analgesic and anti-inflammatory effects. However, its potential role in inhibiting or reducing morphine dependence has not been extensively investigated yet. This study aimed to determine whether naringin can inhibit or reduce physical morphine dependence in rats.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Morphine dependence was induced in rats through chronic injection of the drug for 7 days. Also, different doses of naringin (10, 25, and 50 mg/kg) were administered 15 minutes prior to morphine injection in three experimental groups. The effect of naringin pretreatment on drug withdrawal-associated symptoms, including body weight, jumping, abdominal contraction, grooming, ptosis, diarrhea, and teeth chattering, was evaluated.</p><p><strong>Findings: </strong>The animals experiencing morphine dependence exhibited significant body weight loss. However, administration of naringin before morphine injection prevented this loss by 50%. Also, drug withdrawal symptoms such as jumping, abdominal contraction, grooming, diarrhea, and teeth chattering were significantly increased in the rats. Interestingly, the prescription of naringin significantly reduced these symptoms. Ptosis was observed in all rats receiving morphine, while naringin did not significantly affect this symptom. Furthermore, the inhibitory effect of naringin on morphine physical dependence was found to be dose-dependent.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Naringin pretreatment demonstrated potential in inhibiting or reducing physical morphine dependence in rats. These findings suggest that naringin may have therapeutic potential in managing morphine dependence and associated withdrawal symptoms.</p>","PeriodicalId":33943,"journal":{"name":"Addiction and Health","volume":"17 ","pages":"1543"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12127984/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144209674","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The Relationship between Five Personality Traits and Happiness: The Mediating Role of Problematic Instagram Use.","authors":"Sayed Ali Sharifi Fard, Mark D Griffiths, Safdar Nabizadeh, Maryam Taheri, Maryam Refaei","doi":"10.34172/ahj.1523","DOIUrl":"10.34172/ahj.1523","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Personality plays a key role in many psychosocial variables. Happiness as a source of motivation can also play a major role in a society's individual and collective development. In this regard, the Instagram platform, as a popular platform among the Iranian population, has attracted a high level of engagement (and can make individuals happy), but it has been associated with the risk of behavioral addiction for a small minority. Therefore, the present study evaluated the relationship between personality traits and happiness with the mediating role of problematic Instagram use.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>The present study comprised an online survey among married individuals living in Tehran (<i>N</i>=418). The survey included the 10-item Big Five Inventory (BFI-10), the 15-item Instagram Addiction Scale (IAS-15), and the six-item Short Depression-Happiness Scale (SDHS-6).</p><p><strong>Findings: </strong>The results indicated that extraversion, agreeableness, conscientiousness, and openness to experience had a significant negative relationship, and neuroticism had a significant positive relationship with problematic Instagram use. Moreover, conscientiousness and openness to experience had a significant positive relationship and neuroticism had a significant negative relationship with happiness. Problematic Instagram use also has a significant negative relationship with happiness. The results also showed that neuroticism, conscientiousness, and openness were significantly associated with happiness and that problematic Instagram use mediated the relationship.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Personality traits may facilitate or prevent problematic Instagram use. Moreover, addiction to social networks such as Instagram can affect the happiness of users and may lead to further psychosocial problems.</p>","PeriodicalId":33943,"journal":{"name":"Addiction and Health","volume":"17 ","pages":"1523"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12126615/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144209678","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Maternal, Fetal, and Neonatal Outcomes of Opioid-Dependent Mothers in Iran: A case Study of Iran.","authors":"Mohsen Barouni, Maryam Behseresht, Mohammad-Reza Modabberi, Zakieh Ostad-Ahmadi","doi":"10.34172/ahj.1554","DOIUrl":"10.34172/ahj.1554","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>The present research aimed to identify the maternal, fetal, and neonatal complications experienced by opioid-dependent mothers (ODMs) within the geographical context of Kerman, Iran.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>This study meticulously compared the outcomes of 326 ODMs and an equal number of non-ODMs in Iran, using the data obtained from the Iranian Maternal And Neonatal (IMAN) network, a national health information system in Iran. The selection process involved a census approach, and the participants were carefully matched based on age, gestational age, and nationality. To determine the statistical relationship between opioid dependence during pregnancy and the occurrence of pregnancy and neonatal complications, the chi-square test was employed for analysis.</p><p><strong>Findings: </strong>Women with ODMs exhibited significantly higher rates of placental abruption (<i>P</i>=0.01) and chorioamnionitis (<i>P</i>=0.04) compared to non-ODMs. Neonates born to ODMs had increased risks of adverse outcomes, including neonatal death (<i>P</i>=0.05), respiratory distress syndrome (RDS) related mortality (<i>P</i>=0.01), intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) (<i>P</i>=0.001), neonatal intensive care unit admission (<i>P</i><0.001), hypoglycemia (<i>P</i>=0.006), neurological complications (<i>P</i>=0.004), low birth weight (LBW) (<i>P</i><0.001), and meconium-stained amniotic fluid (<i>P</i>=0.001). No significant differences were found in congenital anomalies, Apgar scores, or intrauterine fetal death.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Pregnant women with opioid dependence exhibit a heightened susceptibility to antepartum and postpartum complications compared to their non-opioid-dependent counterparts. The sequelae of these complications may be modulated by the caliber of antenatal care received. This research emphasizes the critical importance of consistent clinical management and robust support systems for this population throughout the gestational period and the puerperium.</p>","PeriodicalId":33943,"journal":{"name":"Addiction and Health","volume":"17 ","pages":"1554"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12377688/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144972312","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Assessments of the Factor Structure and Psychometric Properties of the Persian Version of the 30-Item Drug Attitude Inventory in Patients with Schizophrenia.","authors":"Kiomars Najafi, Robabeh Soleimani, Samin Khoshnoud Speily, Negin Sadeh, Mohammad Ali Yazdanipour, Mohammad Hassan Novin","doi":"10.34172/ahj.1635","DOIUrl":"10.34172/ahj.1635","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Schizophrenia is a debilitating psychiatric disorder in which non-adherence to medication leads to symptom relapse, rehospitalization, reduced quality of life, and increased treatment costs; therefore, an appropriate tool is needed to assess the attitudes of patients with schizophrenia towards medication.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Three hundred patients with schizophrenia enrolled at the specialized neuropsychiatric clinic at Shafa Hospital in Rasht 2023 participated in this cross-sectional study. The patients filled out the Drug Attitude Inventory-30 (DAI-30) and a demographic questionnaire. Qualitative and quantitative methods were used to evaluate content validity. Face validity was assessed using qualitative content validity, and the content validity ratio (CVR) and content validity index (CVI) were computed for quantitative content validity. Kolmogorov-Smirnov test was used to assess the normal distribution of the questionnaire scores. Reliability was assessed using test-retest procedures and Cronbach's alpha. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 26, and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and model fit were performed using Smart PLS version 8.8. A <i>P</i> value<0.05 was considered statistically significant.</p><p><strong>Findings: </strong>In this study, 211 participants (70.33%) were male and the mean±standard deviation (SD) of age was 40.32±10.87 years. All items of the Persian version of DAI-30 showed a CVR greater than 0.62 and CVI greater than 0.80, confirming their content validity. Construct validity showed sufficient internal correlations for conducting exploratory factor analysis (EFA). Cronbach's alpha for reliability was 0.983. The test-retest correlation coefficient was high (<i>r</i>=0.936, <i>P</i><0.001).</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>The findings of this study recommend that the Persian version of the DAI-30 is a relevant and reliable measure for evaluating drug attitudes in patients with schizophrenia.</p>","PeriodicalId":33943,"journal":{"name":"Addiction and Health","volume":"17 ","pages":"1635"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12377694/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144972302","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor Gene Polymorphism, Craving, and Stress Among Alcohol-Dependent Patients: A Preliminary Cross-sectional Study from India.","authors":"Shubha Bagri, Rizwana Quraishi, Ram Kumar, Shalini Singh, Atul Ambekar","doi":"10.34172/ahj.1593","DOIUrl":"10.34172/ahj.1593","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) plays an important role in neuronal plasticity and survival. The <i>BDNF</i> gene <i>Val66Met</i> polymorphism is hypothesized to be linked with alcohol dependence syndrome (ADS). We studied the relationship between the <i>BDNF Val66Met</i> polymorphism and the clinical features of ADS, including severity, craving, and perceived stress among alcohol-dependent patients.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>In this cross-sectional study on treatment-seeking north Indian male ADS patients aged 18 to 60 years, alcohol dependence severity (Severity of Alcohol Dependence Questionnaire, SADQ), craving (obsessive compulsive drinking scale), and perceived stress (perceived stress scale-4) were measured. The genetic analysis for calculating the <i>BDNF Val66Met</i> allele frequency was carried out using TaqMan assays. Statistical analysis was done using SPSS Version 26.</p><p><strong>Findings: </strong>The participants' mean age (SD) (<i>n</i>=80) was 37±8.52 years. Half of the participants had tobacco dependence, too. Almost half of the participants showed alcohol dependence with mild severity. The mean OCDS and PSS-4 scores were 26.08±9.34 and 9.08±2.4, respectively. The allelic frequency of the Val and Met alleles were 73.1% and 26.9%, respectively. Among the Met allele carriers, the OCDS (<i>P</i>=0.02) and PSS-4 scores (<i>P</i>=0.03) were significantly higher than observed in the Val group patients.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>The study concludes that <i>BDNF</i> gene <i>Val66Met</i> polymorphism could impact clinical variables such as craving and perceived stress in alcohol-dependent subjects. It merits the use of genetic analysis in determining the course of clinical maintenance of alcohol-dependent patients.</p>","PeriodicalId":33943,"journal":{"name":"Addiction and Health","volume":"17 ","pages":"1593"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12156895/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144276077","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Biomedical Research: The Research Problem Matters.","authors":"Zahra Bahadoran, Parvin Mirmiran, Asghar Ghasemi","doi":"10.34172/ahj.1542","DOIUrl":"10.34172/ahj.1542","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Research, a systematic inquiry, is the bridge that connects existing knowledge to the research question in an objective and testable manner, ultimately solving problems. Just as the foundation is crucial to a building's construction, the research problem is the initial and the most vital step in scientific research. Therefore, problem identification is a task of utmost importance and challenge for researchers prior to the design and execution of research. In this paper, we delve into the concept of the research problem, a term distinct from the research topic and question, its potential sources, and the common approaches for its identification. A difficulty or deficiency that needs to be overcome, a desirable condition that needs improvement, a gap in existing knowledge or a conflicting issue, a theory that requires meaningful understanding, a neglected area of knowledge, and an idea that requires validation or confirmation or application are all examples of the research problem. Known problems, existing literature, or serendipitous ideas may serve as potential sources of a research problem. Research problems are often constructed from the literature by structuring intertextual coherence or problematization strategies. Overall, the most common way of defining research problems is gap-spotting.</p>","PeriodicalId":33943,"journal":{"name":"Addiction and Health","volume":"17 ","pages":"1542"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12127978/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144209672","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}