HIV infection as a predictor of methadone maintenance outcomes in Chinese injection drug users

Abstract

This paper's design is descriptive and correlational based on retrospective self-report survey data collected in Kunming city, China. The study investigated the difference between a group of Chinese HIV positive (N=36) and negative (N=131) opioid dependent adults maintained on methadone treatment. Comparisons were based on their quality of life (QOL), methadone treatment adherence, adverse symptom occurrence related to methadone treatment, and HIV-related behavior changes. No significant differences were found between the two groups in age, methadone maintenance dose, methadone adherence, sex desire, and drug craving level. Participants who were HIV positive reported significantly lower scores on physical health and total health-related qualify of life. They also reported greater engagement in injection related risk behavior before methadone treatment than those who tested HIV negative. For both groups, sexual and injection risk behavior significantly decreased following initiation of methadone treatment. A regression model revealed that those infected with HIV, associated significantly with higher likelihood of reporting constipation and lack of appetite, and higher frequency of reporting abdominal pain and nausea than HIV negative patients. The primary implication of these findings is that HIV positive persons in methadone treatment may require more focused services to meet their special HIV care and substance treatment needs.

Keywords:

• opioid dependence
• HIV status
• methadone maintenance treatment
• symptom
• HIV risk behavior
• quality of life
• adherence
• libido
• China

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to acknowledge the contribution of staff at the methadone maintenance clinic affiliated to Yunnan Provincial Substance Dependence Treatment & Prevention Institution for the study support, and financial support from School of Nursing (Century Club Dissertation Award) and Graduate Division (Graduate Student Research Awards) at the University of California, San Francisco. The authors have no conflicts of interests that are directly relevant to the content of this dissertation. The views expressed in this dissertation are those of the authors only and as such the authors accept fully responsibility for any errors or inaccuracies that may remain.