Cheng-I Yang
Da-Yeh University, Taiwan
Title: A qualitative study exploring the experiences of people with heroin addiction receiving the Methadone Maintenance Treatment (MMT) in the community in Taiwan
Biography
Biography: Cheng-I Yang
Abstract
Heroin is highly addictive and difficult to quit and treat. Heroin prevention and treatment is one of most challenges the health care system and government have to face. For decades, the World Health Organization believed the treatment of Methadone Maintenance Therapy (MMT) is the most effective treatments for reducing patients’ dependence on heroin. Taiwan also used MMT as one of the heroin harm reduction strategies since 2006. So far, the effects of MMT on heroin addiction tend to be examined by quantitative methodologies on prison samples and there is lack of the experiences and perspectives of people with heroin addiction who receiving the MMT in the community. A qualitative research approach and semi-structured interviews was used in this study. We interviewed with 14 participants who have the experiences of heroin addiction and are currently receiving the MMT in a medical center of the middle Taiwan. All the data from the interviews were recorded and transcribed then analyzed by thematic analysis. Four themes were emerged, which are: (1) The motivation for MMT, (2) The helpfulness of MMT, (3) Perceived factors influencing the effect of MMT, and (4) Expectation for treatment. The findings from this research are helpful to fill the knowledge gap of our understandings regarding patients’ experiences and their perspectives of the efficacy of MMT and expected to inspire the researchers to explore extended issues related to MMT in the future