Clinical and Sociodemographic Profile of Patients Receiving Buprenorphine at an OST Center in Kashmir: A Cross-Sectional Study

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Published

2026-06-26

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.54169/ijocp.v6i01.06

Keywords:

Buprenorphine, Opioid Substitution Therapy, Opioid Dependence, Sexual Dysfunction, Severity of Dependence Scale (SDS), Arizona Sexual Experience Scale (ASEX)

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Issue

Vol. 6 No. 01 (2026): Indian Journal of Clinical Psychiatry

Section

ORIGINAL RESEARCH

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Copyright (c) 2026 Marya, Altaf Ahmad Malla, Fazle Roub Bhat, Yasir Hassan Rather

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This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

Authors

  • Marya Zahoor Department of psychiatry, Govt. Medical College, Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir, India
  • Altaf Ahmad Malla Department of psychiatry, Govt. Medical College, Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir, India
  • Fazle Roub Bhat Department of psychiatry, Govt. Medical College, Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir, India
  • Yasir Hassan Rather Department of psychiatry, Govt. Medical College, Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir, India

Abstract

Background: Opioid dependence is a major public health concern in Kashmir, with increasing use of buprenorphine-based opioid substitution therapy (OST). Understanding the sociodemographic and clinical characteristics of patients in treatment is crucial for optimizing outcomes. This study was conducted to assess the clinical and sociodemographic profile of patients receiving buprenorphine at an OST centre with exploratory assessment of sexual dysfunction among participants reporting sexual complaints.
Methods: This hospital-based cross-sectional study included 102 patients on buprenorphine maintenance. Data were collected using a semi-structured proforma covering demographic details, opioid use characteristics, and treatment variables. Severity of dependence was assessed using the Severity of Dependence Scale. The Arizona Sexual Experience Scale was applied to 24 patients reporting sexual complaints.
Results: The mean age was 26.7 years, and 95.1% were male. Intravenous or combined routes were predominant (78.4%), and 44.1% were HCV positive. The mean SDS score was 10.08 ± 3.42, with 66.7% showing severe dependence. The mean buprenorphine dose was 3.89 mg/day. Among 24 patients assessed, 83.3% met ASEX criteria for sexual dysfunction. ASEX scores correlated positively with SDS (r = 0.422, p < 0.01) and duration of opioid use (r = 0.374, p < 0.05), but not with buprenorphine dose or duration on treatment.
Conclusion: Patients attending OST centers in Kashmir are predominantly young, male, and severely opioid-dependent, with high rates of injecting drug use and HCV infection. Exploratory assessment among participants reporting sexual complaints suggested a substantial burden of sexual dysfunction, which appeared to correlate with the severity and chronicity of opioid dependence. These findings should be interpreted cautiously and warrant confirmation through larger studies with universal sexual health screening.

How to Cite

Zahoor, M., Malla, A. A., Bhat, F. R., & Rather, Y. H. (2026). Clinical and Sociodemographic Profile of Patients Receiving Buprenorphine at an OST Center in Kashmir: A Cross-Sectional Study. Indian Journal of Clinical Psychiatry, 6(01), 23–30. https://doi.org/10.54169/ijocp.v6i01.06

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