The Relationship Between Drug Addiction and Significant Infectious Diseases

Substance addiction can be explained as individuals’ unrestrained desire to consume a substance although such consumption harms their mental, physical, and social lives. Addicts are exposed to stigmatization and discrimination, which limits their ability to get the help they need. In 2021, one in every 17 people between the ages of 15 and 64 was found to be using drugs, which is a 23% increase compared to 10 years ago. In addition to overdose, hepatitis C virus (HCV) and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) are the leading causes of deaths related to drug use. Research on drug use by gender shows that men were more likely to be addicted to drugs than women with opioids being the most used resulting in about two-thirds of drug-related deaths occur among opioid users. HCV and HIV infection are the two most important parameters for intravenous drug users. In the context of WHO's HCV and HIV elimination projects, the key points are particularly at-risk groups. For this reason, treatment options and education of the population at key points in terms of both viral infections should be planned primarily without allowing stigmatization and discrimination in terms of public health.