Methadone Maintenance Outcome Study in Taiwan: 5-year Follow-up

November 18, 2015 updated by: National Health Research Institutes, Taiwan

Methadone maintenance treatment (MMT) has been one of the most effective treatment choices for opioid addicts to reduce their heroin use, criminality and spread of HIV. In Taiwan, MMT has been introduced since 2006. To date, more than 30,000 opioid addicts have ever participated in MMT, but only around 10,000 retains in treatment. Outcomes of the ever-treated MMT patients remain unclear. It is crucial to trace the opioid addicts' treatment career, outcomes and unmet treatment needs for the service providers to modify treatment strategy to help these individual to maintain abstinence. Moreover, understanding of the determinants for these subjects' long-term outcomes is important for policy makers to implement realistic policies to motivate the service providers and patients.

From the results of previous research, the research team found that early dropout, defined as stayed in-treatment less than one month, of MMT participants were 14.4%. The rate of maintaining in treatment at 3rd , 6th, and 12th month were 65.7%、51.3% and 33.8%, respectively. Average treatment days for 12-month is 186.9±141.2. This result showed that the effectiveness of the MMT was varied among different facilities. On the other hand, the quality of the MMT can be improved largely through different dimensions. Besides, if one participant can enhance its motivation in staying in-treatment, it could reduce 15% early dropout. Above all, the result also showed that though the quality of life was recorded as improved after MMT, it appeared to be significantly lower than their healthy counterparties. The assessments of health outcomes after participating MMT are rare, but in need. It is necessary to make some modification to improve the effectiveness. Moreover, the evaluation of the needs shall not limit to patients, but also extend to their family members.

Therefore, in this study, the research team plans to probe the dimensions from physical, psychiatric, to social conditions by assessing patients and their family members after treated by MMT for five years. The research team would like to know more about the outcomes of those who attended MMT five years ago, their physical and mental health conditions, also health status of their family members.

Study Overview

Status

Unknown

Conditions

Study Type

Observational

Enrollment (Anticipated)

1200

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Ages Eligible for Study

20 years and older (Adult, Older Adult)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Genders Eligible for Study

All

Sampling Method

Non-Probability Sample

Study Population

We included participants in this current study from those who attended our three studies before (IRB approved ID: EC0980203, EC0980209, EC1010102).

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Attended EC0980203, EC0980209, EC1010102 projects
  • Nationality: Taiwan
  • 20-year-old and above
  • Match the diagnosis of heroin dependence from DSM-IV
  • Able to fill out the informed consent

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Acute major physical or mental illness (need immediate health care)

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Time Frame
All cause mortality
Time Frame: Five-year
Five-year

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Time Frame
Sleep impairment via Chinese version of the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index
Time Frame: One month
One month

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

National Health Research Institutes, Taiwan

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start

April 1, 2015

Primary Completion (Anticipated)

March 1, 2017

Study Completion (Anticipated)

March 1, 2017

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

August 12, 2015

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

August 13, 2015

First Posted (Estimate)

August 17, 2015

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Estimate)

November 20, 2015

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

November 18, 2015

Last Verified

September 1, 2015

More Information

Terms related to this study

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

  • NHRITaiwan

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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