COVID-19 pandemic urges patients under buprenorphine and methadone maintenance treatment to craving and to parallel illicit drug use

Thursday, 24 November, 2022 - 09:00 to 19:30

Abstract

Vulnerable groups such as patients with substance used disorders (SUD) are variously (i.e., in terms of craving) affected by COVID-19 and the precaution measures adopted. Craving is the subjective intense desire for the use of addictive substances and is related to relapse influenced by stressors related to biopsychosocial status. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of COVID-19 pandemic on craving in patients under medication-assisted treatment.

In total, 462 patients with SUD under buprenorphine maintenance treatment (BMT) (n=348) and methadone maintenance treatment (MMT) (n=114) completed the Heroin Craving Questionnaire (HCQ). HCQ is a validated tool for the assessment of five items, namely desire to use heroin, intentions and plans to use heroin, the anticipation of a positive outcome, relief from withdrawal or dysphoria and lack of control over use. Demographic data regarding gender, age, educational level, social status, place of residence, time in medication-assisted programs, duration of using addictive substances, presence of chronic disease and data relevant to COVID-19 infection as confirmed case, contact with a case, virus detection by molecular test voluntarily or mandatorily, stay with confirmed case, residence in an area with high infection risk and recent trip to an area with high infection risk among others were collected. The results were analyzed through Pearson’s chi square test and t-test.

According to the results, COVID-19 pandemic negatively affected the MMT patients on the basis of all assessed items of HCQ. Furthermore, the MMT patients were more severely, compared to their BMT counterparts, led to parallel illicit drug use (i.e., craving), which was positively correlated to the residence in an area with high infection risk.

Craving (i.e., parallel illicit drug use) severity was higher to MMT patients under the impact of COVID-19 pandemic and is positively correlated to the residence in an area with high infection risk.

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