35th AM (2024) - Poster Session-Attitudes Toward Methadone among African Americans

Attitudes Toward Methadone among African Americans

Pdf Summary

This study by Khary Rigg and Kayleigh Faber explores attitudes toward methadone treatment among African-Americans (AAs), a group that is underrepresented in prior research despite significant opioid-related health challenges. Conducted in Southwest Florida from August 2021 to February 2022, the study involved 403 surveys and 30 qualitative interviews with AAs who reported recent opioid misuse. The research aimed to identify and explain AAs' ambivalence towards methadone treatment.<br /><br />Findings indicate that negative attitudes prevail, particularly concerning methadone's perceived help and side effects. Key attitudes included beliefs that methadone can induce a "high" similar to heroin (74.9%), that stopping methadone use quickly is beneficial (73.9%), and that methadone acts as a "crutch" (72.0%). Many participants viewed methadone treatment as superficially addressing addiction, not tackling underlying issues.<br /><br />Moreover, methadone was often compared unfavorably to abstinence-based recovery, perceived as a temporary solution rather than a long-term strategy. Such beliefs contribute to low methadone engagement and retention rates among AAs, who typically show lower treatment adherence than Whites, despite methadone being a first-line treatment for opioid use disorder (OUD).<br /><br />The study suggests that better patient education could alleviate these negative perceptions. Providers are recommended to clarify methadone’s role, emphasizing its differences from heroin, safeguards to prevent intoxication, and its status as a gold-standard treatment. This information is often not successfully communicated to patients, potentially impacting their willingness to engage with methadone treatment.<br /><br />Overall, the research highlights the necessity of addressing ambivalence towards methadone among AAs to combat opioid-related morbidity and mortality through improved treatment uptake and retention.

Keywords

methadone treatment

African-Americans

opioid misuse

negative attitudes

patient education

treatment adherence

opioid use disorder

Southwest Florida

qualitative interviews

treatment retention

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