Comparison of socio-demographic characteristics, substance, and depression among male heroin users attending therapeutic community and methadone maintenance treatment program in Nantou, Taiwan.
BACKGROUND
Little is known about differences between the characteristics and psychopathological symptoms of heroin users attending TC or MMT in Asia. This study aimed to compare characteristics and prevalence of depressive disorders among male heroin users in TC and MMT program in Nantou, Taiwan.


METHODS
The study sample (n = 705) comprised male heroin users with heroin dependence recruited from the MMT program and TC program at a psychiatric center in Nantou, Taiwan between 2006 and 2014. Socio-demographic and heroin-related characteristics were obtained from self-report questionnaires. DSM-IV diagnoses of heroin dependence, major depressive disorder, and dysthymic disorder were evaluated by trained interviewers. T-test and chi-square test and multivariate logistic regression were performed to measure the differences on variables between samples of TC and MMT.


RESULTS
Compared to MMT, TC participants had poorer family support, higher rate of unmarried, higher rate of unemployment, earlier onset of heroin use, longer length of heroin use, and lower daily dosage of heron. MMT heroin users had higher 1-month prevalence of major depressive disorder than TC participants. We found the distribution of current major depression disorder differed between heroin users choosing different treatment models even controlling for other demographic factors, substance related factors and psychosocial factors. The underlying explanations require further investigation.


CONCLUSIONS
This study found differences in the characteristics and prevalence of psychopathology. Further study to explore the effect of these differences on the outcome between MMT and TC is warranted.
Chang Gung Medical Foundation, Chiayi Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, 613, Chiayi County, Taiwan. hjcch@yahoo.com.tw.|Chang Gung University, 333, Tao-Yuan, Taiwan. hjcch@yahoo.com.tw.
Vincent Chin-Hung
VC
Chen
Tsaotun Psychiatric Center, Ministry of Health and Welfare, Nan-Tou County 542, No.161, Yu-Pin Rd, Caotun Township, Nan-Tou, Taiwan, R.O.C (542). b001089026@tmu.edu.tw.
Meng-Huan
MH
Wu
Tsaotun Psychiatric Center, Ministry of Health and Welfare, Nan-Tou County 542, No.161, Yu-Pin Rd, Caotun Township, Nan-Tou, Taiwan, R.O.C (542). tylin1106@yahoo.com.tw.
Tsang-Yaw
TY
Lin
Tsaotun Psychiatric Center, Ministry of Health and Welfare, Nan-Tou County 542, No.161, Yu-Pin Rd, Caotun Township, Nan-Tou, Taiwan, R.O.C (542). yfho@ttpc.mohw.gov.tw.
Yi-Feng
YF
Ho
Tsaotun Psychiatric Center, Ministry of Health and Welfare, Nan-Tou County 542, No.161, Yu-Pin Rd, Caotun Township, Nan-Tou, Taiwan, R.O.C (542). ward82@ttpc.mohw.gov.tw.
Hsin-Yi
HY
Wang
King's College London, Institute of Psychiatry, London, SE5 8AF, UK. michael.gossop@kcl.ac.uk.
Michael
M
Gossop
D000328:Adult; D015897:Comorbidity; D003710:Demography; D003865:Major Depressive Disorder / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D019263:Dysthymic Disorder / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D006556:Heroin Dependence / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008691:Methadone / Q000627:therapeutic use; D058850:Opiate Substitution Treatment / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D015995:Prevalence; D013406:Suicide, Attempted / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D013624:Taiwan / Q000453:epidemiology; D013808:Therapeutic Community; D055815:Young Adult
D008691:Methadone