Methadone Maintenance Treatment is the most widely accepted and cost-effective treatment for heroin dependence. It could improve heroin users’ quality of life, decrease the unemployment, criminal activities and incarceration costs. Methadone has considerably reduced their heroin dependence problems and let them contribute significantly to the track of a normal life. According to this study, we suggest that health policy makers should reduce the barriers and increase the accessibility of the methadone maintenance treatment program. Also, in terms of quality of life in psychological domain, the suggestion for medical providers should be providing counseling session during the treatment in order to facilitate psychological empowerment. Still, much research also remains to be done on topics of the effectiveness or benefits of the treatment such as family function.
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Acknowledgements
This study was funded by grants from the Department of Health (DOH97-NNB-1044, DOH98-NNB-1032 and DOH99-FDA-61501). The sponsors of the study had no role in study design, data collection, data analysis, data interpretation, and writing of the report. The views and opinions expressed are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect those of the Department of Health. The study was reviewed and approved by the institutional review board (IRB) of the Taipei Medical University (approval number: P960205) and Taipei City Hospital (approval number:
TCHIRB-970404-E).
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