A 5-year evaluation of a methadone medical maintenance program

Kenneth A. Harris, Julia H. Arnsten, Herman Joseph, Joe Hecht, Ira Marion, Patti Juliana, Marc N. Gourevitch

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

23 Scopus citations

Abstract

Methadone medical maintenance (MMM) is a model for the treatment of opioid dependence in which a monthly supply of methadone is distributed in an office setting, in contrast to more highly regulated settings where daily observed dosing is the norm. We assessed patient characteristics and treatment outcomes of an MMM program initiated in the Bronx, New York, in 1999 by conducting a retrospective chart review. Participant characteristics were compared with those of patients enrolled in affiliated conventional methadone maintenance treatment programs. Patients had diverse ethnicities, occupations, educational backgrounds, and income levels. Urine toxicology testing detected illicit opiate and cocaine use in 0.8% and 0.4% of aggregate samples, respectively. The retention rate was 98%, which compares favorably with the four other MMM programs that have been reported in the medical literature. This study demonstrates that selected patients from a socioeconomically disadvantaged population remained clinically stable and engaged in treatment in a far less intensive setting than traditional methadone maintenance.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)433-438
Number of pages6
JournalJournal of Substance Abuse Treatment
Volume31
Issue number4
DOIs
StatePublished - Dec 2006

Keywords

  • Abstinence
  • Methadone
  • Opioid-related disorders
  • Substance abuse
  • Substance abuse treatment centers
  • intravenous

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Phychiatric Mental Health
  • Medicine (miscellaneous)
  • Clinical Psychology
  • Psychiatry and Mental health

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