Continued Use of Illicit Substance among Methadone Treatment Patients in Primary Health Care Clinics in East Coast Region of Malaysia

ABSTRACT

Studies investigating the continued use of illicit substances among patients in Methadone Maintenance Treatment (MMT) programs are limited. This study aimed to determine the association of methadone dose with illicit substance misuse among MMT patients in East Coast Region of Malaysia. Validated substance use pattern questionnaire was used to fulfill the study objectives. 55% (n = 130/237) of the respondents received a ≤ 50 mg methadone dose daily. Low methadone dose (≤50 mg/daily) was associated with opiate use in the last 30 days, while high methadone dose (>50 mg/daily) was associated with methamphetamine injection in the last 30 days (OR: 1.97; 1.01–3.82; p< .044). An optimum methadone maintenance dose is deemed appropriate to reduce use of illicit opiates, and necessary psychosocial intervention to reduce methamphetamine injection behavior is suggested.

KEYWORDS:

• Methadone
• amphetamine type stimulants (ATS)
• methadone maintenance treatment (ATS)
• substance use disorder (SUD)
• dose

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.