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International Journal for Equity in Health
Published in: International Journal for Equity in Health 1/2018

Open Access 01-12-2018 | Research

Perceived barriers to methadone maintenance treatment among Iranian opioid users

Authors: Maryam Khazaee-Pool, Maryam Moeeni, Koen Ponnet, Arezoo Fallahi, Leila Jahangiri, Tahereh Pashaei

Published in: International Journal for Equity in Health | Issue 1/2018

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Abstract

Background

Opioid use is a severe problem in Iran. Despite methadone maintenance treatment (MMT) programs being one of the most important treatment strategies for reducing individual and public harms associated with opioid use, a large proportion of Iranian patients refuse to participate in such treatment programs.

Methods

The present study aims to explore the beliefs and attitudes toward MMT programs of opioid-dependent patients who were participating or had participated in methadone therapy. In-depth interviews were conducted with 23 opioid users between 27 and 58 years of age from Kurdistan provinces.

Results

Overall, six themes were discovered to be key barriers relating to methadone treatment, including financial barriers related to methadone treatment, lack of awareness about methadone treatment, negative attitudes regarding using methadone, worries about methadone’s side effects, social stigma ascribed to methadone therapy, and systemic barriers to methadone treatment.

Conclusion

Our study revealed that the cost of treatment is a major obstacle to attending and continuing at MMT programs and that addicts and their families are not always accurately informed about the duration of MMT programs and the side effects of methadone treatment.
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Metadata
Title
Perceived barriers to methadone maintenance treatment among Iranian opioid users
Authors
Maryam Khazaee-Pool
Maryam Moeeni
Koen Ponnet
Arezoo Fallahi
Leila Jahangiri
Tahereh Pashaei
Publication date
01-12-2018
Publisher
BioMed Central
Published in
International Journal for Equity in Health / Issue 1/2018
Electronic ISSN: 1475-9276
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/s12939-018-0787-z

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