The Prevalence and Correlates of Aberrant Opioid-Related Behaviours among Patients with Sickle Cell Disease in Oman: A cross-sectional study.

OBJECTIVES

This study aimed to assess the prevalence of aberrant opioid-related behaviours (AORB) among patients with sickle cell disease (SCD) in Oman and identify associated risk factors.

METHODS

This cross-sectional analytical study was conducted at Sultan Qaboos University Hospital, Muscat, Oman from June to December 2022. Patients with SCD aging 18-65 years old were included and clinically observed for more than 3 months. The Current Opioid Misuse Measure (COMM) was used to evaluate AORB with scores of ≥9 indicating high risk. Demographic and clinical data were collected. The association between AORB and clinical-demographic variables was examined using the Chi-square test.

RESULTS

A total of 144 SCD patients were included in this study; 58.3% of the participants were at high risk of AORB with a mean COMM score of 12.08. A significant relationship was found between perceived lack of family social support and AORB (P <0.001). No significant associations were observed between AORB risk and other studied factors.

CONCLUSION

This study was the first to document a high prevalence of AORB among SCD patients in Oman. The findings underscore the critical role of family support in mitigating this risk of opioid misuse among this vulnerable population.