Psychological features of abstinent heroin users before and after rehabilitation in Saint Petersburg, Russia.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of the study was to describe psychological features of abstinent heroin users undergoing rehabilitation in Saint Petersburg, Russia. Study subjects (n = 197) were recruited prospectively at the time of their admission to rehabilitation between March 2010 and May 2011 at 7 inpatient opiate addiction rehabilitation centers in Saint-Petersburg and neighboring regions, Russia. The centers provided varying rehabilitation programs; 6 of them were religious centers. Socio-demographic information and self-reported HIV status were collected. Personality profiles and severity of drug-associated problems were estimated before and after rehabilitation using the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory 2 (MMPI-2), and the Addiction Severity Index (ASI).

RESULTS: Thirty-three (17%) subjects dropped out before completing rehabilitation (non-completers). All subjects (completers and non-completers) had psychopathological personality profiles according to MMPI-2. These profiles were refractory to clinically significant improvement after rehabilitation, although some statistically significant changes toward improvement were observed. ASI scores showed statistically and clinically significant improvements after rehabilitation on all scales. Participants in longer-term versus shorter-term rehabilitation programs showed similar changes in their pre- and post-rehabilitation MMPI-2 and ASI scores. Our results suggest that unmet psychiatric needs should be addressed to potentially improve treatment completion in this population.