Psychoactive Substance Use Among Methadone Maintenance Therapy Clients in China

A proportion of methadone maintenance therapy (MMT) clients in China shifted their substance use habit from opiate to psychoactive substances. The objective of this study was to examine the pattern and associated factors of psychoactive substance use among MMT clients. The study was conducted among 2448 clients from 68 MMT clinics of China. The type and frequency of psychoactive substance use were self-reported. About 38.1% (N = 933) of the participants reported psychoactive substance use in their lifetime, and 6.5% (N = 158) in the previous 30 days. The most commonly used psychoactive substances were sedative/hypnotic/antidiarrheal agent and amphetamine. Psychoactive substance use in the past 30 days was correlated with younger age, recent heroin use, having psychoactive substance-using friend(s), and depressive symptoms. The finding suggested that urinalysis of psychoactive substances should be routinely administered in the MMT clinics. Young clients, concurrent heroin users, and clients with depressive symptoms deserve more screening and intervention efforts.