Illicit substance use among methadone maintenance therapy patients in a tertiary hospital in Malaysia: a cross-sectional study

ABSTRACT

Background

Illicit substance use while in treatment is common among methadone maintenance therapy (MMT) patients. This study was conducted to examine the prevalence and types of illicit substance use among MMT patients and factors associated with illicit substance use.

Methods

A cross-sectional study using simple random sampling method was conducted in MMT clinic in a tertiary hospital, Malaysia from October until November 2019. Descriptive analyses, chi-square test, t-test, Cohen’s kappa test, univariate and multiple logistic regression were performed.

Results

Out of 93 respondents, the majority were male (94.6%), Malay (77.4%), married (61.3%), had education until secondary level (80.6%) and active smoker (90.4%). The prevalence of illicit substance ever use within the past 12 months was 26.9%. Amphetamine/methamphetamine was recorded as the most prevalent illicit substances (62.5%) used. Most of the participants who used illicit substances while in treatment were social users. Drinking status of respondents was associated with illicit substance use (adjusted OR = 21.2, 95% CI: 2.40–186.69) in multivariable analysis.

Conclusion

Amphetamine/methamphetamine was the most common illicit substance used among MMT patients and illicit substances were mainly used for recreational purposes. Patients with active drinking status were associated with illicit substance use.

KEYWORDS:

• Methadone
• illicit substance
• amphetamine
• methamphetamine

Acknowledgments

We would like to thank the Director of General of Health Malaysia for his permission to publish this article. We would also like to express our deepest gratitude to Dr Idris Kassim and all the supporting staffs in MMT Clinic, Hospital Tuanku Ja’afar Seremban in conducting this research.

Disclosure statement

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

Additional information

Funding

The author(s) reported there is no funding associated with the work featured in this article.