Title: Service User’s Attitudes and Experiences Regarding Substitution Therapy with Buprenorphine
Authors: Dr Rohit Garg, Dr Khushbinder Singh, Dr Kriti Anand, Dr Balwant Singh Sidhu, Dr Purushottam Dass Garg
DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.18535/jmscr/v6i2.58
Abstract
Introduction: No Indian study has explored attitudes and experiences of patients towards buprenorphine. The present study was done to assess the experiences and attitudes of buprenorphine users towards the drug.
Material and Methods: 200adult males from opioid substitution therapy centers were cross-sectionally assessed. After taking written informed consent, socio-demographic and clinical performa, Attitudes towards Buprenorphine Questionnaire (translated in Punjabi) were applied. Appropriate statistical methods were used.
Results: Mean age of participants was 34.44 ± 10.113 years. Majority had less than 12 years of formal education (68%), were married (55.5%) and resided in joint families (69.5%) in urban locality (76%). Mean Attitudes towards buprenorphine questionnaire score was 100.69 ± 16.304. Mean dose of buprenorphine was 6.38 ± 3.252 mg/day. More than 90% patients agreed that buprenorphine reduced craving, provides a normal life to an ex-addict and had done good for patients. However, 80% expressed that it should be stopped as early as possible. Nearly 40% believed that buprenorphine was an addiction, gives a high and difficult to stop. 80% patients endorsed that daily visits were problematic.
Conclusions: There is a huge gap between the number of patients who might benefit from buprenorphine and those who receive it. The positive attitudes and experiences of patients taking buprenorphine can be effectively used to bring out of treatment opioid addicts in the treatment system. Novel and diverse ways to deliver buprenorphine to suit the needs of majority of patient population are the need of the hour.
Keywords: Attitudes, Buprenorphine, Experiences, Opioid substitution therapy.
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