Methadone maintenance treatment in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam: Multidimensional measure of adherence and associated factors

ABSTRACT

Medication adherence has become a major concern in methadone maintenance treatment (MMT) worldwide, but little is known about this in Vietnam. This study aimed to identify adherence level among outpatients at district clinics in Vietnam. A cross-sectional study of 450 MMT outpatients was conducted at three clinics in Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC). Participants underwent face-to-face interviews using a structured questionnaire. Adherence was measured based on both the number of doses missed under Vietnam Ministry of Health criteria and the level of perceived adherence using a visual analogue scale. The prevalence of adherence based on these measures was 61.8% and 80.9%, respectively. Significantly higher level of adherence was found in young participants who had used drug for a longer period of time, had comorbidity, were on antiretroviral therapy and satisfied with MMT service time. However, lower odds of adhering to MMT were found in participants with higher educational level who were married, spent more than 30 min to go to the clinic and currently used illicit drug. In conclusion, despite a relatively high prevalence of adherence, there were a large number of MMT non-adherence patients in HCMC. Interventions are needed to improve adherence and to enhance MMT programmes in Vietnam.

KEYWORDS:

• Adherence
• associated factor
• methadone maintenance treatment
• Vietnam

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank all MMT patients who participated in this study, as well as the individuals and institutions that made this research possible: Dr Dang Van Anh, Dr. Pham Thanh Hieu, Dr. Nguyen Thi My Phuong and all staffs from District 6, District 8 and Binh Thanh district Methadone Clinics, Ho Chi Minh City; Associate Professor Do Van Dung, Associate Professor Nguyen Do Nguyen, Associate Professor Nguyen Duy Phong, Dr Luong Thi Huyen, Dr Nguyen Thi Thuong, Dr Phan Thi Tuong Vi, Dr Le Yen Nhi, Dr Vu Thi Mai Huong from the University of Medicine and Pharmacy at Ho Chi Minh City; Ms Vu Thi Tuong Vi from the South Vietnam HIV-Addiction Technology Transfer Center.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).