Gender Differences in Heroin Users Receiving Methadone Maintenance Therapy in Taiwan

Abstract

This study examined gender differences in heroin users who first received MMT. Compared with men, female heroin users were younger and more likely to be unemployed, to have family members using illicit substances, to initiate heroin use at a younger age, to begin MMT earlier after starting heroin use, to have methamphetamine use, to initiate methamphetamine use at a younger age, and to report a child-raising burden and a prior history of traumatic experiences. Men were more likely to have use of betel quid, and to initiate alcohol, nicotine and betel quid use at a younger age than women.

KEYWORDS:

• Heroin
• methadone maintenance therapy
• gender differences

Acknowledgments

This study was supported by a grant (DOH99-FDA-61504) awarded by the Food and Drug Administration, Department of Health, Executive Yuan, Taiwan, R.O.C.