title: [Change and influence factors of craving for patients after 6 month methadone maintenance treatment].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To explore the change and impact factors of craving for heroin in patients after 6 month methadone maintenance treatment (MMT).
  
  
  METHODS
  The questionnaire of craving for heroin was used to measure the level of craving for heroin when patients just entered the study and were treated for 6 months. The influence of MMT on craving in patients were analyzed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The total score and score for other factors decreased except the factor "self-control" after MMT. The craving for high dose patients decreased significantly after 6 month treatment (P<0.05). The degree of craving for heroin in males and females all decreased after MMT, but no significant difference was shown (P>0.05). The craving degree for heroin in patients with long drug use was higher than that of patients with short drug use. After the treatment, the improvement of craving was more significant for the long drug users.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  MMT can decline the craving for heroin in drug users. Dosage for methadone and gender may be the risk factors of craving change.
authors.affiliation: School of Public Health, Central South University, Changsha 410078, China.
authors.forename: Xingli
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Hongzhuan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Tan
authors.forename: Zhenqiu
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.forename: Heng
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Mengshi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Qiuying
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Ou
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002681:China; D005260:Female; D006556:Heroin Dependence / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000523:psychology / Q000534:rehabilitation; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008691:Methadone / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D013375:Substance Withdrawal Syndrome / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000523:psychology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D008691:Methadone