[More of the Surinam and Antilles drug addicts involved in the GG&GD (Community Medical and Health Service) methadone program in Amsterdam should be referred to the family physician for their methadone maintenance].
OBJECTIVE
To study the possibility of referring Surinam and Netherlands Antillean drug users from a 'low-threshold' municipal methadone programme to general practice for methadone maintenance treatment. (Methadone maintenance treatment for drug users leads to a more regulated life and makes it possible to implement measures to ameliorate their living conditions.) Fewer Surinam and Netherlands Antillean drug users are referred to general practice than native Dutch drug users.


METHODS
Descriptive.


METHODS
Municipal Health Service, Department of Mental Health, Unit on Drugs, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.


METHODS
141 Surinam and Netherlands Antillean drug users participating in the 'low-threshold' methadone programme were examined on the following items: psychiatric status, drug and alcohol abuse, judicial problems, relationships, personal care, insurance and housing. With these items the level of regulated drug use was assessed and the possible reference to general practice evaluated.


RESULTS
21% of the drugs user group was found to be well regulated. They could have been referred to general practice immediately. Another 18% were also well regulated but they received methadone on a daily basis at the moment of investigation; when they would have proven to manage methadone prescription on a weekly basis, they could also be referred to general practice. 61% could not be referred because they were addicted to benzodiazepines (22%) or alcohol (33%), lived in unsuitable housing (45%), had judicial problems (53%), psychiatric problems (30%) or no insurance (15%), or were very problematic drug users receiving Palfium (dextromoramide) through the 'low-threshold' municipal methadone programme (15%).


CONCLUSIONS
Of Surinam and Netherlands Antillean drug users from a municipal methadone programme, approximately 20% could have been directly referred to general practice for their methadone maintenance treatment and 20% at a later stage, and 60% could not.
de Vries
H J
HJ
Gemeentelijke Geneeskundige en Gezondheidsdienst (GG&GD), sector Geestelijke Gezondheidszorg, Drugsafdeling, Amsterdam.
van Brussel
G H
GH
Kanhai
K
K
D000328:Adult; D005194:Family Practice; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008691:Methadone / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D009426:Netherlands; D009427:Netherlands Antilles / Q000208:ethnology; D012017:Referral and Consultation / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000208:ethnology; D013532:Suriname / Q000208:ethnology
D008691:Methadone
Van de Surinaamse en Antilliaanse drugsverslaafden betrokken bij het GG&GD-methadonprogramma in Amsterdam zouden er meer voor hun methadonverstrekking bij de huisarts terechtkunnen.