title: Effects of publicly funded and quality of life on attendance rate among methadone maintenance treatment patients in Taiwan: an 18-month follow-up study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Methadone maintenance treatment programs (MMTPs) are important public health intervention to control the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and the drug use problems. For expanding treatment coverage, publicly funded programs may be necessary for heroin users with low socio-economic status. We evaluated the difference of demographics, clinical features, and quality of life (QoL) of heroin users enrolled in publicly funded and self-paid MMTP and explored determinants influencing their attendance rate, respectively, for these two groups.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 234 heroin users enrolled in MMTP (129 in publicly funded and 105 in self-paid) between 2006 and 2008 self-reported the Taiwan version of the World Health Organization Quality of Life Instrument, Brief Version (WHOQOL-BREF) at baseline. Data regarding demographic and clinical features were collected during baseline interview. Methadone per 3-month attendance rates up to 18 months were conducted for each participant beginning from the index date.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Self-paid group had a better QoL but lower treatment adherence than did the publicly funded group. Male and living alone were positive predictors on attendance rate for publicly funded group, and age of first heroin use and hepatitis C virus (HCV) seropositive were negative predictors. However, predictors on attendance rate for self-paid group were different from publicly funded group: HCV seropositive was a positive predictor and social QoL was a negative predictor.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Findings of this study should be concerned with modifying original funding eligibility. Additional measures to explore what could impede treatment adherence are needed.
authors.affiliation: Department of General Psychiatry, Jianan Psychiatric Center, Ministry of Health and Welfare, Tainan, Taiwan.|Department of Public Health, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, 1 University Road, Tainan, 70101, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Kun-Chia
authors.initials: KC
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, 1 University Road, Tainan, 70101, Taiwan. cylin36933@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Chung-Ying
authors.initials: CY
authors.lastname: Lin
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006556:Heroin Dependence / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008691:Methadone / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D009294:Narcotics / Q000627:therapeutic use; D058850:Opiate Substitution Treatment / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D010349:Patient Compliance / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D015819:Substance Abuse, Intravenous; D013624:Taiwan
chemical_list: D009294:Narcotics; D008691:Methadone