[Risk factors which were associated with heroin use during the methadone maintenance treatment among 1301 patients in 9 cities of China.].
OBJECTIVE
To determine the proportion of heroin use among patients who were involved in community-based methadone maintenance treatment (MMT) program and to identify the risk factors associated with heroin use.


METHODS
This study was conducted in 9 MMT clinics within 3 provinces. Thirteen hundred and one patients who met the study criteria were selected from each of the five groups with different dosages of methadone users. An administrative questionnaire was applied to explore the demographics, drug abuse-related behaviors and MMT services received by the clients, etc. The prevalence of depression and anxiety among the clients were also collected by SAS and SDS. Urine samples were collected as a biological marker to indicate if heroin had been used.


RESULTS
Of the 1301 patients, 76.2% were males. The mean age was (34.6 +/- 6.5) years while 71.7% had an education level of primary school or below. The average daily dosage of methadone was (48.1 +/- 29.4) mg and self-satisfied evaluation score on treatment was 8.6. On average, 27.7% urine samples showed positive opiate evidence. Marital status, employment status, treatment retention, self-satisfied evaluation score on dosage and dropout history were found to be significantly associated with heroin use, while gender, education level and dosage had no significant association with heroin use. It seemed that risk factors that associated with heroin use were different from areas to areas.


CONCLUSIONS
High quality MMT clinic services, high self-satisfied score, longer treatment retention and low dropout rate seemed to have the effects of reducing the risk of ongoing heroin abuse under the methadone maintenance treatment program.
Cao
Xiao-bin
XB
National Center for AIDS/STD Control and Prevention, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing 100050, China.
Yin
Wen-yuan
WY
Pang
Lin
L
Zhang
Cong-bin
CB
Xu
Jin-shui
JS
Xiao
Yong-kang
YK
Wang
Chang-he
CH
Luo
Wei
W
Zhang
Bo
B
Zhang
Rui-min
RM
Li
Zhi-jun
ZJ
Rou
Ke-ming
KM
Wu
Zun-you
ZY
D000328:Adult; D002681:China / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006556:Heroin Dependence / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008691:Methadone / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D058850:Opiate Substitution Treatment; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D012307:Risk Factors; D016320:Substance Abuse Treatment Centers; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
D008691:Methadone