Addiction and Health最新文献

{"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":"HIV Partner Notification Program in Iran: Policy Brief.","authors":"Fatemeh Tavakoli, Ali Akbar Haghdoost, Ali Mirzazadeh, Mahlagha Dehghan, Mohammad Mahdi Gouya, Masoumeh Adhami, Hamid Sharifi","doi":"10.34172/ahj.1709","DOIUrl":"10.34172/ahj.1709","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>HIV partner notification is known as one of the methods to increase HIV testing. Evaluating the barriers, facilitators, and recommendations to improve it can lead to the increased uptake of HIV testing, as well as achieving the 95-95-95 UNAIDS targets. Therefore, the present study aimed to evaluate the approaches, barriers, and facilitators of HIV partner notification from different aspects.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>The barriers and facilitators of HIV partner notification were evaluated. Also, some recommendations were presented to improve the HIV partner notification program in Iran.</p><p><strong>Findings: </strong>Based on the results, HIV stigma and discrimination were identified as the most important barriers, and the main facilitator was the support from the spouse or sexual/injection partner and family. Also, the results showed that the HIV partner notification program in Iran was in line with the international guidelines introduced by the World Health Organization. However, it had weaknesses and challenges in various aspects such as the content, the method of implementation, monitoring, and evaluation.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Overall, this study has shown a critical need to strengthen the HIV partner notification program in Iran. HIV partner notification program can be strengthened by considering the introduced facilitators, from different aspects including content, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation. These measures will ultimately increase HIV testing and thus achieve UNAIDS targets.</p>","PeriodicalId":33943,"journal":{"name":"Addiction and Health","volume":"17 ","pages":"1709"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12534752/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145330155","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":"Investigating the Relationship Between Opium Addiction and Taste Disorder in Addicts Referred to Exir Salamat Addiction Center.","authors":"Somaye Alirezaei, Hoda Jahandar, Mohammad Javad Kharrazifard, Iman Tayebi, Arezoo Alaee","doi":"10.34172/ahj.1615","DOIUrl":"10.34172/ahj.1615","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Disturbance in the sense of taste can destroy appetite and change eating habits, causing a significant decrease in the quality of life. The use of opium causes a disturbance in the sense of taste. Opium is a narcotic drug that can cause temporary or permanent damage to the taste system, making it a source of concern in dentistry. This research was conducted to determine the effects of opium consumption on the sensation of the four main tastes.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>This study was conducted in a single-masked and descriptive-analytical manner. The study population included 107 opium addicts and 113 smokers who were in the same age group. None of the studied subjects had any systemic disease or consumed herbal or chemical drugs. The four substances, citric acid, sodium chloride, sucrose, and caffeine, were used to evaluate sourness, saltiness, sweetness, and bitterness, respectively. Finally, the obtained data were analyzed using SPSS version 26 and the Mann-Whitney <i>U</i> test. <i>P</i> values<0.05 were considered statistically significant.</p><p><strong>Findings: </strong>Opium use did not have a significant effect on the perception of sweetness (<i>P</i>=0.437), saltiness (<i>P</i>=0.536), or sourness (<i>P</i>=0.8), but a significant effect was seen concerning the perception of bitterness (<i>P</i>=0.0000002).</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>It seems that opium addicts do not have significant problems in perceiving the taste of sweetness, sourness, and saltiness, but impairment was observed in the perception of bitterness.</p>","PeriodicalId":33943,"journal":{"name":"Addiction and Health","volume":"17 ","pages":"1615"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12534749/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145330161","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":"Effects of a Yoga Intervention on Helplessness and Blood Pressure Among Adult Males with Chronic Alcohol Addiction.","authors":"Nikhil Sharma, Nibu R Krishna, Suresh Lal Barnwal","doi":"10.34172/ahj.1721","DOIUrl":"10.34172/ahj.1721","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Alcohol use disorder (AUD) is associated with psychological distress, particularly helplessness, and elevated blood pressure. Yoga as a complementary intervention lacks robust evidence in Indian clinical settings.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>This single-arm, non-randomized pretest-posttest study enrolled 34 adult males (age 21-40) with DSM-5 alcohol dependence at a government-supported de-addiction center in India. Twenty-eight completed a six-week group-based Hatha yoga intervention (five sessions/week, instructor-led; 70% asana, 20% pranayama, 10% meditation;≥85% attendance required). The primary outcome was self-reported helplessness measured by the Self-Managerial Helplessness Scale (HS-MGBR; 0-100, higher scores=greater helplessness). Secondary outcomes included systolic and diastolic blood pressure (measured with a manual sphygmomanometer, non-dominant arm). Paired-samples <i>t-</i>tests quantified mean pre-post changes, with analyses exploratory and no multiplicity adjustment.</p><p><strong>Findings: </strong>Mean Helplessness Scale (HS-MGBR) scores declined from 81.2 (SD=7.8) to 75.4 (SD=7.2) [<i>t</i>(27)=4.93, <i>P</i><.0000368]. Systolic blood pressure reduced from 133.2 (SD=6.4) mmHg to 126.4 (SD=6.7) mmHg [<i>t</i>(27)=6.28, <i>P</i><.00000102], and diastolic from 86.7 (SD=4.6) mmHg to 81.2 (SD=4.4) mmHg [<i>t(</i>27)=7.02, <i>P</i><.000000151], using paired t-tests. No serious intervention-related adverse events occurred.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>The Six-week structured yoga program was associated with moderate, significant reductions in both helplessness and blood pressure among men with alcohol dependence in residential care. Yoga shows promise as a feasible adjunct to addiction treatment. Controlled studies are warranted to confirm effects.</p>","PeriodicalId":33943,"journal":{"name":"Addiction and Health","volume":"17 ","pages":"1721"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12958370/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147366679","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":"A Review of Cardiovascular Diseases in Substance Use Disorders: Current Knowledge and Future Perspectives.","authors":"Fatemeh Zarei, Mehrdad Simani, Hasan Rajabi Moghaddam, Amir Ghaderi","doi":"10.34172/ahj.1722","DOIUrl":"10.34172/ahj.1722","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Nowadays, the emergence of new types of substances and the growing prevalence of addiction have made substance use a global challenge for public health. At the same time, the complications of substance use are observed in various physical and psychological dimensions, including a range of acute and chronic cardiovascular diseases. This issue is significant, as many young people are affected by these complications. Therefore, understanding these complications is both important and practical.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Clinical articles related to the acute and chronic cardiovascular effects of the main groups of substances were searched in the PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, and Google Scholar databases from 2015 to 2025.</p><p><strong>Findings: </strong>Evidence of cardiovascular complications related to the use of major substance groups, including opioids, stimulants, nicotine, caffeine, alcohol, cannabinoids, tranquilizers, and anabolic steroids, has been obtained. Some of this evidence only indicates an increase in risk factors for the disease, while some reports also point to acute and chronic cardiac complications and even cardiorespiratory arrest and death.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Given the cardiac complications of substance use, cessation and treatment should be personalized to each patient's circumstances.</p>","PeriodicalId":33943,"journal":{"name":"Addiction and Health","volume":"17 ","pages":"1722"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12958368/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147366613","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 Impact of Graphic Health Warning Labels on Smokeless Tobacco Packets on Motivation to Quit among Current Users: A Cross-Sectional Study.","authors":"Jadhav Sachin Kumar, Puvvadi Gopalakrishna Naveenkumar, Mahesh R Khairnar, Zainab Akram, Neha Chauhan, Neha Shukla","doi":"10.34172/ahj.1600","DOIUrl":"10.34172/ahj.1600","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Smokeless tobacco (SLT) use constitutes a considerable public health concern, especially in India, where there are more than 300 million users. This study seeks to assess the influence of graphic health warning labels (GHWLs) on smokeless tobacco (SLT) packaging on encouraging cessation among users.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A cross-sectional study was conducted at the Faculty of Dental Sciences, BHU, Varanasi outpatient department, from December 2023 to April 2024. The study involved 387 participants, selected via simple random sampling, who were current smokeless tobacco users. Data was collected through structured interviews using a validated questionnaire. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS version 21.0, with a significance level set at <i>P</i><0.05.</p><p><strong>Findings: </strong>Awareness of GHWLs was high, with 91.7% of participants recognizing the labels. Among these, 66% considered quitting or reducing smokeless tobacco use due to the labels. Increased health awareness and serious consideration to quit were reported by 50.1% of participants, while 28.9% reported no impact. Awareness of tobacco cessation clinics was moderate at 48.1%, and 66.1% expressed willingness to seek help, primarily due to health concerns. Positive correlations were found between education level and awareness (<i>r</i>=0.387) and education and attitude towards quitting (<i>r</i>=0.227). Younger participants and those with shorter durations of smokeless tobacco use exhibited higher health awareness and a greater likelihood of considering cessation.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>GHWLs are a potent tool in tobacco control, significantly influencing smokeless tobacco users' intentions to quit. A multifaceted approach involving GHWLs and comprehensive support systems can substantially reduce smokeless tobacco use and its associated health risks.</p>","PeriodicalId":33943,"journal":{"name":"Addiction and Health","volume":"17 ","pages":"1600"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12534745/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145330149","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":"Dose-Dependent Interaction Between Caffeine and Morphine in Analgesia in the Hot-Plate in Mice.","authors":"Mohaddeseh Ebrahimi-Ghiri, Marjan Aminian, Mohammad Reza Zarrindast, Mohammad Reza Jafari","doi":"10.34172/ahj.1717","DOIUrl":"10.34172/ahj.1717","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Combination analgesic therapy is a widely employed strategy for pain management worldwide. This study investigated the potential synergistic interaction between caffeine and morphine using the hot-plate test and isobolographic analysis in male NMRI mice. The interaction between caffeine and morphine in pain modulation was evaluated, and it was determined whether the combination produces a synergistic effect.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Mice were treated with morphine (0.135, 1.25, 5, and 20 mg/Kg, s.c.) or caffeine (20, 40, 80, and 160 mg/Kg, i.p.) to obtain the ED50 values of each agent in the hot-plate test, then, an isobolographic analysis was used to evaluate the nature of interaction between the two drugs in mice.</p><p><strong>Findings: </strong>Morphine significantly increased pain thresholds in a dose-dependent manner (ED₅₀=2.49 mg/kg; <i>P</i><0.001). Caffeine at a lower dose (46.13 mg/kg) potentiated morphine's analgesic effect, indicating a synergistic interaction (<i>P</i><0.001). In contrast, a higher caffeine dose (138.3 mg/kg) reversed this effect, demonstrating an antagonistic interaction (<i>P</i><0.001) in the mouse hot-plate test.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>A low dose of caffeine synergistically enhanced morphine-induced analgesia in the mouse hot-plate test; this effect was absent at a higher dose. Consequently, only low-dose caffeine administration effectively reduced the required dosage of morphine for acute pain management in the mouse hot-plate test.</p>","PeriodicalId":33943,"journal":{"name":"Addiction and Health","volume":"17 ","pages":"1717"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12958366/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147366610","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}