Title Outpatient methadone maintenance treatment program. Quality of life and health of opioid-dependent persons in Lithuania /
Translation of Title Pakaitinio gydymo metadonu ambulatorinė programa Lietuvoje. Asmenų, sergančių priklausomybe opioidams, gyvenimo kokybė ir sveikata.
Authors Padaiga, Žilvinas ; Subata, Emilis ; Vanagas, Giedrius
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Is Part of Medicina. 2007, t. 43, Nr. 3, p. 235-241.. ISSN 1010-660X
Keywords [eng] Methadone ; Opioid-related disorders ; Quality of life ; Ambulatory care
Abstract [eng] Background. The evaluation of quality of life and self-perceived health represents an assessment of the impact of treatment on patient functioning and well-being. Objective. Our aim was to explore the impact of methadone maintenance treatment on quality of life and self-perceived health of opioid-dependent persons in Lithuania. Methods. A total of 102 opioid-dependent patients were recruited in the study. A prospective follow-up study design was used. To assess quality of life, the WHOQOL-BREF 26-item version was used. The impact of methadone maintenance treatment on self-perceived health was assessed by Opiate Treatment Index (OTI). Results. Following 6 months of methadone maintenance treatment, significant improvements in physical (P=0.004), psychological (P=0.004), and environmental (P=0.048) components of quality of life were observed; no statistically significant improvements were found in social component of quality of life. Study participants reported lower rates of medical morbidity associated with injection (P<0.001), cardiorespiratory (P=0.034), musculoskeletal (P<0.001), neurological (P=0.013), gastrointestinal (P<0.001), and general health (P<0.001). Conclusions. Methadone maintenance treatment substantially reduces morbidity associated with opioid dependence and improves the quality of life of patients.
Type Journal article
Language English
Publication date 2007