The effect of methadone maintenance therapy on harm minimization between opiate dependents in socio behavioral consulting centers

Abstract

Introduction

Socio behavioral consulting centers offer Methadone maintenance therapy which is a very useful method for drug dependents. These centers offer a wide range of services like education, consulting, prevention, take care of patient, and treatment for high risk groups like patients infected with AIDS. MMT is helpful in harm minimization and increases quality of drug dependent’s life, so as a result reduces infection in HIV patients.

Aims

This study intends to investigate importance of MMT on harm minimization between opioid dependents in Kerman.

Methods

The study was cross sectional and descriptive and it was done on 110 patients referred to sociobehavioral consulting centers no.1 and no.2 in Kerman city in 2005 and 2006. Data was gathered by questionnaires once on the beginning of the treatment and once 6 months after. Then data was analyzed by SPSS13 and chi square test.

Findings

MMT results in a reduction of 97.3% of common injections and 96.4% of police arresting to imprisonment and 80% in family problems and 68.2% drug abuse and negative morphine test in these centers. Also after 6 months of treatment, drug consumption expenses were lowered.

Conclusion

This study showed that the treatment with MMT in social behavioral consulting centers reduced dangerous behaviors and increased quality of life and controlled the transmission of Dangerous Diseases such as AIDS, Hepatitis and etc in the community.