Public Health
Volume 122, Issue 10 , Pages 1013-1019 , October 2008

‘Topping up’ methadone: An analysis of patterns of heroin use among a treatment sample of Scottish drug users

  • M. Bloor

      Affiliations

    • Centre for Drug Misuse Research, University of Glasgow, 89 Dumbarton Road, Glasgow G11 6PW, UK
    • Corresponding Author InformationCorresponding author. Tel.: +44 (0) 141 330 2670; fax: +44 (0) 141 330 2820.
    • ,
  • J. McIntosh

      Affiliations

    • Centre for Drug Misuse Research, University of Glasgow, 89 Dumbarton Road, Glasgow G11 6PW, UK
    • ,
  • N. McKeganey

      Affiliations

    • Centre for Drug Misuse Research, University of Glasgow, 89 Dumbarton Road, Glasgow G11 6PW, UK
    • ,
  • M. Robertson

      Affiliations

    • Robertson Centre for Biostatistics, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK

Received 14 February 2007 ,Revised 29 November 2007 ,Accepted 30 January 2008.

References 

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  2. Hunt N. A review of the evidence-base for harm reduction approaches to drug use. London: Forward Thinking on Drugs; 2003;Available from: http://forward-thinking-on-drugs.org/review2.html [accessed 22.01.07]
  3. Department of Health . Drug misuse and dependence – guidelines on clinical management. London: Stationery Office; 1999;
  4. In:  Strang J,  Gossop M editor. Heroin addiction and the British system: treatment and other responses. vol. 2:London: Routledge; 2004;
  5. Hall W, Ward J, Mattick P. Introduction. In:  Ward J,  Mattick R,  Hall R editor. Methadone maintenance treatment and other opioid replacement therapies. Amsterdam: Harwood; 1998;
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  7. Newman R, Whitehill W. Double blind comparison of methadone and placebo maintenance treatment of narcotic addicts in Hong Kong. Lancet. 1979;ii:485–488
  8. Farrell M, Ward J, Mattick R, Hall W, Stimson G, Des Jarlais D, et al. Methadone maintenance treatment in opiate dependence: a review. BMJ. 1994;309:997–1001
  9. Marsch L. The efficacy of methadone maintenance interventions in reducing illicit opiate use, HIV risk behaviour and criminality: a meta-analysis. Addiction. 1998;93:515–532
  10. Luty J, O'Gara C, Sessay M. Editorial: is methadone too dangerous for opiate addiction?. BMJ. 2005;331:1352–1353
  11. Raffa J, Grebely J, Tossonian H, Wong T, Viljoen M, Khara M, et al. The impact of ongoing illicit drug use on methadone adherence in illicit drug users receiving treatment for HIV in a directly observed therapy programme. Drug Alcohol Depend. 2007;89:306–309
  12. Neale J, Robertson M. Recent life problems and non-fatal overdose among heroin users entering treatment. Addiction. 2005;100:168–175
  13. Neale J, Robertson M. Comparisons of self-report data and oral fluid testing in detecting drug use among new treatment clients. Drug Alcohol Depend. 2005;71:57–64
  14. Gossop M, Darke S, Griffiths P, Marsden J, Stewart D. The Severity of Dependence Scale (SDS): psychometric properties of the SDS in English and Australian samples of heroin, cocaine and amphetamine users. Addiction. 1995;90:607–614
  15. McIntosh J, Bloor M, Robertson M. The health benefits of reductions in individuals' use of illegal drugs. J Subst Use, in press.
  16. Strain E, Stitzer M, Liebson I, Bigelow G. Dose response effects of methadone in the treatment of opioid dependence. Ann Intern Med. 1993;119:23–37
  17. Anglin M, Hser Y, Grella C. Drug addiction and treatment careers among clients in the Drug Abuse Treatment Outcome Study (DATOS). Psychol Addict Behav. 1997;11:308–323
  18. Gossop M, Marsden J, Stewart D, Treacy S. Outcomes after methadone maintenance and methadone reduction treatments: two year follow-up results from the National Treatment Outcome Research Study. Drug Alcohol Depend. 2001;62:255–264
  19. McIntosh J, Bloor M, Robertson M. The effect of drug treatment upon the commission of acquisitive crime. J Subst Use. 2007;12:375–384
  20. McKeganey N, Bloor M, Robertson M, Neale J. Abstinence and drug abuse treatment in Scotland: results from the Drug Outcome Research in Scotland study. Drugs Educ Prev Policy. 2006;13:537–551

PII: S0033-3506(08)00037-1

doi: 10.1016/j.puhe.2008.01.007

Public Health
Volume 122, Issue 10 , Pages 1013-1019 , October 2008

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