Maina Geoffrey, Crizzle Alexander, Maposa Sithokozile, Fournier Bonnie
Author Affiliations: College of Nursing, University of Saskatchewan.
School of Public Health, University of Saskatchewan.
J Forensic Nurs. 2019 Oct/Dec;15(4):231-241. doi: 10.1097/JFN.0000000000000246.
Clients on methadone maintenance treatment (MMT) have high attrition rates that are attributed to personal and system-related factors. To develop supportive interventions for these clients, it is imperative to understand social demographic characteristics and challenges that clients in the MMT program face.
This article aims to describe (a) the sociodemographic characteristics and clinical profiles of clients in a MMT program, (b) factors that impact their positive clinical outcomes, and (c) the study's implications for practice.
A retrospective review of 101 randomly selected electronic medical records representing one third of all the records were examined for sociodemographic characteristics, clinical profiles, and outcomes. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze these variables. Interviews with 18 healthcare providers focusing on their experiences of caring for clients in the MMT program were analyzed thematically.
The average age of clients on MMT is 35.5 years. Clients had early exposure to alcohol and drugs, and at the time of enrollment to the program, they presented with complex healthcare needs, borne from chronic use, and exposure to adverse traumatic events. Personal and systemic factors impact clients' recovery. These include poverty, homelessness, and inadequate healthcare services. Understanding sociodemographic characteristics, clinical profiles, and clients' challenges is central to the development of supportive interventions that enhance retention to care and recovery.
接受美沙酮维持治疗（MMT）的患者流失率很高，这归因于个人因素和系统相关因素。为了针对这些患者制定支持性干预措施，必须了解MMT项目中的患者的社会人口学特征和所面临的挑战。
本文旨在描述（a）MMT项目中患者的社会人口学特征和临床概况，（b）影响其积极临床结果的因素，以及（c）该研究对实践的启示。
对101份随机选择的电子病历进行回顾性审查，这些病历占所有病历的三分之一，审查内容包括社会人口学特征、临床概况和结果。使用描述性统计分析这些变量。对18名医疗服务提供者进行访谈，重点关注他们在照顾MMT项目患者方面的经历，并进行主题分析。
接受MMT治疗的患者平均年龄为35.5岁。患者早期接触过酒精和毒品，在进入该项目时，他们因长期使用以及接触不良创伤事件而呈现出复杂的医疗需求。个人和系统因素会影响患者的康复。这些因素包括贫困、无家可归和医疗服务不足。了解社会人口学特征、临床概况和患者面临的挑战对于制定支持性干预措施至关重要，这些措施可提高患者对治疗的依从性和康复效果。
