Prevalence of amphetamine-type stimulants use in Iran: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Background and objective: The use of Amphetamine-Type Stimulants (ATS) is a major health concern after cannabis in the world. The study aimed to conduct a systematic review of the published articles on the prevalence of methamphetamine, ecstasy, and non-prescribed methylphenidate (Ritalin) use in Iran and to perform a meta-analysis on this subject. Methods: PubMed, Scopus, Embase, Web of Science, and national Persian databases including SID, Magiran, and IranDoc were searched for articles published until July 31, 2019. The pooled lifetime and 12-month prevalence and 95% confidence intervals of ATS use were calculated. Results: Fifty-five articles were included in the meta-analysis. The pooled lifetime and 12-month prevalence of ATS use was 5.4% (95% CI: 4.9%-6.0%) and 2.4% (95% CI: 1.9%-2.9%), respectively. The pooled lifetime prevalence of methamphetamine, ecstasy and non-prescribed methylphenidate (Ritalin) use was 6.7% (95% CI: 4.9%-8.6%), 5.9% (95% CI: 4.9%-6.8%) and 16.4% (95% CI: 11.6%-21.2%), respectively. Conclusion: In Iran, lifetime ATS use is of intermediate prevalence. However, it is higher than that of other countries. The findings of this review highlight the need for more attention to ATS use in young men in the west and northwest of Iran.