Dynamics of Psychopathology Symptoms in Opiate-Dependent Patients During Therapy

Abstract

The article provides the results of the clinical and psychological investigation of indicators related to psychopathological state of HIV-positive (HP) and HIV-negative (HN) patients with opiate dependence before and after the treatment at the stages of establishment and stabilization of remission. Objectives: to investigate the structure and dynamics of psychopathological symptoms in HIV-positive and HIV-negative patients with opiate dependence. Material and methods: Investigated sample included 820 patients. Severity of the major psychopathological symptoms was assessed in dynamics with the questionnaire SCL-90-R. The structure of psychopathological symptoms in patients with opiate dependence is presented. The changes of psychopathological indicators are revealed in the sample studied before and after the treatment course (1, 3, 6 and 12 months after the beginning of observation). Results: The findings demonstrate more severe psychopathology in HP patients versus HN ones. It was found that SCL-90-R scores in patients were higher than in healthy individuals, despite of their positive dynamics at discharge, indicating the failure of the short-term therapy course to normalize the mental state of patients with opiate dependence and the need to develop the algorithm for such patients, including the long-term, comprehensive programs of treatment and rehabilitation that are corrected according to the patient’s needs. Conclusions: The course of the short-term treatment allows to achieve the clinical improvement at the stage of the remission establishment, but does not stabilize the mental state of the drug-dependent patients with HIV; that indicates the need to develop the long-term, comprehensive treatment and rehabilitation programs based on the patient’s needs.