title: Can heroin-dependent individuals benefit from a methadone maintenance treatment program before they drop out against medical advice? A 12-month follow-up study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Little is known about whether heroin-dependent individuals receiving methadone maintenance treatment (MMT) who were discharged involuntarily and against medical advice (DAMA) get benefits before they left. The aims of this 12-month follow-up study were to examine whether the effects of MMT on depressive symptoms, heroin dependence and quality of life (QOL) are different among the non-DAMA group, the DAMA group, and the involuntarily discharged group, as well as the time effect of receiving MMT on changes in these three outcome indicators.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 266 individuals receiving MMT were divided into the non-DAMA group, the DAMA group, and the involuntarily discharged group. Participants were interviewed at baseline and at 3, 6, 9, and 12 months of treatment for levels of depressive symptoms, heroin dependence and QOL.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The levels of depressive symptoms, heroin dependence and QOL in all three groups improved after receiving MMT for 3 months and the improvement was maintained during the MMT period. There were no significant differences in the three outcome indicators among the three groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results support the concept that heroin-dependent individuals benefit from MMT, even if they do not want to stay in the program or drop out involuntarily.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, and Graduate Institute of Medicine, College of Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan, ROC.
authors.forename: Peng-Wei
authors.initials: PW
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Hung-Chi
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Huang-Chi
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: Chia-Nan
authors.initials: CN
authors.lastname: Yen
authors.forename: Yi-Chun
authors.initials: YC
authors.lastname: Yeh
authors.forename: Kuan-Sheng
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Chung
authors.forename: Hsun-Cheng
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.forename: Cheng-Fang
authors.initials: CF
authors.lastname: Yen
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003863:Depression / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000523:psychology*; D017831:Diagnosis, Dual (Psychiatry); D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006556:Heroin Dependence / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000523:psychology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008691:Methadone / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D058850:Opiate Substitution Treatment / Q000523:psychology*; D010351:Patient Discharge; D010352:Patient Dropouts / Q000523:psychology*; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology*; D015819:Substance Abuse, Intravenous / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000523:psychology
chemical_list: D008691:Methadone