Deaddicta® for maintenance treatment of Opioid-dependence: A six-month follow-up.

Background: Opioid dependence, is one of the world's most critical health problems. Deaddicta is a herbal product considered an effective treatment for opioid addiction. Deaddicta's efficacy in the maintenance treatment of patients with opioid use disorder has recently been demonstrated through a double-blind randomized controlled trial (RCT). This study aimed to evaluate the permanence of Deaddicta's efficacy six months after the end of the maintenance treatment for opioid dependence. Methods: This study was performed following the previous RCT on the maintenance treatment of opioid addicts. Out of 41 participants who completed the study for three months in the previous research, 15 from the intervention group (Deaddicta capsules, 1500 mg/day) returned for follow-up. They all previously fulfilled the DSM-IV criteria for addiction, were aged 18 to 65, and had discontinued Deaddicta for six months. The outcome measures included addiction severity, depression and anxiety levels, and craving score. The scores of each parameter were compared in three phases: before intervention; after three months of intervention; and six months after the end of the study. Results: Depression, anxiety, and craving scores decreased six months after the end of the previous study. This decrease was significant in the craving score (P = 0.011). No significant increase was observed in the frequency of use. The regression analysis showed a negative relationship between craving and the progression of phases. Conclusion: The Deaddicta product may have desirable and effective properties in decreasing temptation and, as a result, the maintenance treatment of opioid dependence.

Clients as mediators of interprofessional collaboration in mental health services in Iran.

Interprofessional collaboration (IPC) has long been identified as a way of providing optimal mental health services (MHS). It is important, therefore, to identify and facilitate factors driving IPC. This paper presents health professionals' experiences and perceptions regarding the clients' role as a driving factor for IPC in MHS in an Iranian context. Health professionals included nurses, physicians (general physicians and medical specialists), psychologists and consultants. Qualitative methods were employed in the form of in-depth individual interviews and focus groups to collect data from 24 professionals and 4 clients. Data analysis generated four key themes: "Clients as axis of IPC", "Seamless services as a common incentive for IPC", "Clients as a common interprofessional linkage" and "Clients as a driving force to achieve IPC". From the professionals' perspective, it was found that clients had a mediating role in their collaborative relationships and practices. These findings are discussed in relation to the interprofessional literature. This paper goes on to argue that professionals need to be aware of and be trained about how to manage, as well as benefit from, the clients' fundamental role in IPC.

Challenges of interprofessional collaboration in Iranian mental health services: A qualitative investigation.

BACKGROUND: Nurses and other members of health care team provide mental patients with health services through interprofessional collaboration which is a main strategy to improve health services. Nevertheless, many difficulties are evidently influencing interprofessional collaboration in Iranian context. This paper presented the results of a study aimed to explore the context. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A qualitative study was conducted using in-depth interviews to collect data from 20 health professionals and 4 clients or their family members who were selected purposefully from the health centers affiliated with Isfahan University of Medical Sciences. Themes were identified using latent qualitative content analysis. Trustworthiness of the study was supported considering auditability, neutrality, consistency and transferability. The study lasted from 2010 to 2011. FINDINGS: Some important challenges were identified as protecting professional territory, medical oriented approach and teamwork deficits. They were all under a main theme emphasizing professionals' divergent views. It could shed insight into underlying causes of collaboration gaps among nurses and other health professionals. CONCLUSIONS: The three introduced themes implied difficulties mainly related to divergences among health professionals. Moreover, the difficulties revealed the need for training chiefly to improve their convergent shared views and approaches. Therefore, it is worthwhile to suggest interprofessional education for nurses and other professionals with special attention to improving interpersonal skills as well as mental health need-based services.