Satisfaction With Methadone Among Heroin-Dependent Patients With Current Substance Use Disorders During Methadone Maintenance Treatment

Methadone maintenance treatment (MMT) has long been used to treat heroin-dependent patients. However, satisfaction with methadone in this patient population is unknown. The aim of this cross-sectional case-control study was to evaluate satisfaction with methadone in heroin-dependent patients with current substance use disorders (SUDs). Cases included 152 methadone-maintained patients with current SUD, requiring inpatient detoxification treatment, and controls included 33 methadone-maintained patients in sustained full remission for SUD. Satisfaction with methadone as a medication to treat heroin addiction was measured by using the Scale to Assess Satisfaction with Medications for Addiction Treatment-methadone for heroin addiction (SASMAT-METHER). The SASMAT-METHER subscales assess the following domains: personal functioning and well-being, antiaddictive effect on heroin, and antiaddictive effect on other substances. Compared with patients with remitted SUD, patients with current SUD scored lower on all SASMAT-METHER assessments. In such patients, overall SASMAT-METHER scores were independently and negatively associated with downward desired adjustment of methadone dose and days of heroin use during last month; although various sets of factors were independently associated with each of the SASMAT-METHER subscales, the only determinant of dissatisfaction on all subscales was the desire for downward adjustment of methadone dose. In summary, MMT patients with current SUD are less satisfied with methadone than MMT patients with remitted SUD. In patients with current SUD, downward desired adjustment of methadone dose and days of heroin use during last month are independently associated with overall dissatisfaction with methadone.