Attitudes toward buprenorphine and methadone among opioid-dependent individuals.
Attitudes and beliefs about drug abuse treatment have long been known to shape response to that treatment. Two major pharmacological alternatives are available for opioid dependence: methadone, which has been available for the past 40 years, and buprenorphine, a recently introduced medication. This mixed-methods study examined the attitudes of opioid-dependent individuals toward methadone and buprenorphine. A total of 195 participants (n = 140 who were enrolling in one of six Baltimore area methadone programs and n = 55 who were out-of-treatment) were administered the Attitudes toward Methadone and toward Buprenorphine Scales, and a subset (n = 46) received an ethnographic interview. The in-treatment group had significantly more positive attitudes toward methadone than did the out-of-treatment group (p < .001), while they did not differ in their attitudes toward buprenorphine. Both groups had significantly more positive attitudes toward buprenorphine than methadone. Addressing these attitudes may increase treatment entry and retention.
Schwartz
Robert P
RP
Friends Research Institute, Inc., 1040 Park Avenue, Suite 103, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA. Rschwartz@frisrc.org
Kelly
Sharon M
SM
O'Grady
Kevin E
KE
Mitchell
Shannon Gwin
SG
Peterson
James A
JA
Reisinger
Heather Schacht
HS
Agar
Michael H
MH
Brown
Barry S
BS