Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 1995 Jan;85(1):83-8.
doi: 10.2105/ajph.85.1.83.

Heroin use during methadone maintenance treatment: the importance of methadone dose and cocaine use

D M Hartel  1 , E E Schoenbaum, P A Selwyn, J Kline, K Davenny, R S Klein, G H Friedland
Affiliations

Heroin use during methadone maintenance treatment: the importance of methadone dose and cocaine use

D M Hartel et al. Am J Public Health. 1995 Jan.

Abstract

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to examine factors associated with heroin use during methadone maintenance treatment.

Methods: Logistic regression statistical models were used to examine data obtained in a cross-sectional sample of 652 methadone patients.

Results: Heroin use during the 3 months prior to interview was shown to be greatest among (1) patients maintained on methadone dosages of less than 70 mg/day (adjusted odds ratio [OR] = 2.1, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.3, 3.4) and (2) patients who used cocaine during treatment (adjusted OR = 5.9, 95% CI = 3.8, 9.1). These results were independent of treatment duration, treatment compliance, alcohol use, and socioeconomic factors. Cocaine users were more likely than nonusers of cocaine to use heroin at all methadone dosage levels.

Conclusions: This study confirms and extends past research showing high-dose methadone maintenance to be important to heroin abstinence. Further investigation of the independent association between heroin use and cocaine use is needed.

PubMed Disclaimer

References

    1. Neuropeptides. 1984 Dec;5(1-3):277-8 - PubMed
    1. Arch Intern Med. 1966 Oct;118(4):304-9 - PubMed
    1. Arch Gen Psychiatry. 1986 Feb;43(2):107-13 - PubMed
    1. Am J Psychiatry. 1987 Oct;144(10):1349-50 - PubMed
    1. N Engl J Med. 1988 May 5;318(18):1173-82 - PubMed

Publication types