ArticleHarm reduction journal2020
Retention and outcomes for clients attending a methadone clinic in a resource-constrained setting: a mixed methods prospective cohort study in Imphal, Northeast India.
Article in Harm reduction journal, 2020. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 10 papers, 2 of them syntheses that pooled it.
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Who cites it
10 citing papers in PubMed, 2 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 14 citations in OpenAlex.
- Patient experience of opioid use disorder treatment medications: a systematic review of contemporary qualitative research.BMJ open · 2024Pooled it
- HIV, hepatitis B & C in people who inject drugs in India: A systematic review of regional heterogeneity & overview of opioid substitution treatment.The Indian journal of medical research · 2023Pooled it
- Evaluation of comprehensive targeted intervention (TI) services among persons who inject drugs (PWIDs) in Himachal Pradesh.Indian journal of psychiatry · 2026Article
- Navigating stigma: a qualitative study of barriers to opioid treatment engagement in Tanzania.Substance abuse treatment, prevention, and policy · 2025Article
- Sociodemographic and clinical profiles of individuals with opioid dependence syndrome presenting to a tertiary care center in Assam: A retrospective review.Indian journal of psychiatry · 2024Article
- Treatment non-adherence among methadone maintenance patients and associated factors: a multicenter, cross-sectional study in Vietnam.Harm reduction journal · 2024Article
- Opioid relapse and its predictors among methadone maintenance patients: a multicenter, cross-sectional study in Vietnam.Harm reduction journal · 2023Article
- Buprenorphine treatment receipt characteristics and retention among people who inject drugs at Integrated Care Centers in India.Drug and alcohol dependence · 2023Article
- Economic, social, and clinic influences on opioid treatment program retention in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania: a qualitative study.Addiction science & clinical practice · 2023Article
- Factors affecting addiction severity index (ASI) among clients enrolled in methadone maintenance treatment (MMT) program in Myanmar.Harm reduction journal · 2021Article
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Authors and funding
5 authors at 2 institutions in 2 countries.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundOpioid substitution therapy (OST) with buprenorphine has been widely available in India since 2007, but the introduction of methadone occurred much later in 2012, and availability remains limited. Illicit injecting drug use is a long-standing public health problem in Manipur, a state in Northeast India characterised by major resource constraints and political unrest. We investigated retention and outcomes for clients attending a methadone-based OST program in Manipur with the aim of strengthening the evidence base for development of relevant policies and programs.
methodsAll clients enrolling in the methadone clinic over a 1 year period were invited to be part of a prospective cohort study, which followed up and surveyed both retained and defaulting clients for 12 months post-enrollment to assess retention as well as social, behavioural and mental health outcomes. Additionally, we conducted semi-structured qualitative interviews to supplement quantitative information and identify factors contributing to retention and drop-out.
resultsOf the 74 clients enrolled, 21 had dropped out and three had died (all defaulters) by 12 months post-enrollment, leaving 67.6% still in the program. Using an intention-to-treat analysis, meaningful and statistically significant gains were observed for all social, behavioural and mental health variables. Between baseline and 12 months there were reductions in needle sharing, drug use, property crime, anxiety, depression and suicidal thoughts; and improvements in physical health, mental health, quality of family relationships, employment and hopefulness. Factors contributing to retention and drop-out were identified, including the centrality of family, and general lack of awareness of and misunderstanding about methadone.
conclusionEven in parts of India where resources are constrained, methadone is an effective treatment for opioid dependence. Scaling up the availability of methadone elsewhere in Manipur and in other areas of India experiencing problematic opioid dependence is indicated.
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