Opioid maintenance treatment (OMT) successfully improves social functioning and leads to an increase of survival rates, by reducing drug-related mortality and infections. A region-wide anonymous survey was performed to evaluate subjective factors that could potentially contribute to growing numbers of patients in OMT in the city of Berlin, Germany. In the survey, performed in 2011, 46 staff members and 986 patients participated. Both patients and staff members report beneficial effects of OMT on physical and mental health, and reduction of criminality. Patients on average consider the detoxification from OMT more difficult than from heroin. Staff members underestimate the wish of patients to reach abstinence of OMT. We conclude that besides reduced mortality, these subjective factors may contribute to a growing number of patients in OMT. No financial or material support was received in any phase of the study.
The patient questionnaire reveals that most patients receiving take home maintenance medication meet the criteria specified in the guidelines of the German Medical Association.
The data on the patients' perspective complement the existing clinical studies, showing that previously unresponsive opioid-addicted patients especially would switch to HMT, whereas most patients would prefer continuation of COMT.
Levomethadone is dosed significantly higher than methadone. After an adjustment for dosage was performed, some of the specific side effects occurred more often under OMT with levomethadone. The results of our survey support the use of methadone as first line treatment for OMT.
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