Drug use, HIV risk-taking and psychosocial correlates of benzodiazepine use among methadone maintenance clients.
Methadone maintenance clients who used benzodiazepines were compared with other methadone maintenance clients on a range of drug use and psychosocial treatment outcome measures. Despite being on higher methadone doses, benzodiazepine users were more likely to have  recently injected, to have used cocaine and amphetamines, to have borrowed or lent used needles and syringes, and to have reported polydrug use in the preceding month. Benzodiazepine users also exhibited higher levels of psychopathology and social dysfunction than other methadone maintenance clients. It is concluded that benzodiazepine-using methadone maintenance clients are a dysfunctional subgroup of the methadone population, who may require more clinical intervention than other clients.
Drake
S
S
National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre, University of New South Wales, Kensington, Australia.
Swift
W
W
Hall
W
W
Ross
M
M
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D014151:Anti-Anxiety Agents; D001569:Benzodiazepines; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology; D017831:Diagnosis, Dual (Psychiatry); D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000523:psychology / Q000635:transmission*; D006556:Heroin Dependence / Q000523:psychology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D006801:Humans; D008019:Life Style; D008297:Male; D008691:Methadone / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008875:Middle Aged; D016485:Needle Sharing / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000523:psychology*; D010555:Personality Inventory; D012309:Risk-Taking; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000523:psychology* / Q000534:rehabilitation
D014151:Anti-Anxiety Agents; D001569:Benzodiazepines; D008691:Methadone