COVID-19 pandemic negatively affected several aspects of quality of life of patients with substance use disorders under medication-assisted treatment with methadone and buprenorphine

Medication-assisted treatment (MAT) programs aim to provide a healthy lifestyle and psychosocial support to patients with substance use disorders (SUD) through reinforcement of family and social relationships and improvement of Quality of Life (QoL). Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, a regime of limited social contact was adopted by public health specialists. The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on patients with SUD under MAT with buprenorphine and methadone.

In total, 463 patients (75.2% under buprenorphine, 24.8% under methadone) were included. Between them, 1.5% has been diagnosed positive to SARS-CoV-2, 6% came in touch with a COVID-19 case and 39.2% were living in a place with high risk for COVID-19. All participants completed the Nottingham Health Profile questionnaire for the assessment of the impact of COVID-19 pandemic on their health status. Parameters such as pain, sleep quality along with the effects of health or illness on social and home life between others were assessed. The results were analyzed through Fisher’s exact test and logistic regression.

Reduced activity was more intense to female and jobless participants as well as to those sufferring from chronic health problems (i.e. cardiovascular disease and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease). Moreover, the participants of older age, of higher duration stay at MAT programs, the patients that got in contact with COVID-19 cases and lived in a highly infectious area were emotionally unstable, whereas sleep disturbance was negatively correlated to the dose of the substitute. Finally, social restriction negatively affected patients interests, work and social life.

QoL of opioid addicts under MAT, a putative outcome of their recovery, was negatively affected by COVID-19 pandemic in terms of numerous aspects of their everyday life.