Recovery Capital in Patients Receiving Methadone Maintenance Treatment Who Use Methamphetamine in Vietnam.

Background

Recovery from substance use disorder may require various types of support to address complex needs. Recovery capital (RC), a measure of resources aiding recovery, could play a vital role in determining recovery outcomes. This study explored RC and related factors in patients on methadone maintenance treatment (MMT) who also use methamphetamine.

Methods

We conducted a cross-sectional study in December 2023 with 50 participants from a large clinical trial at three MMT clinics in Hanoi, Vietnam. RC was measured using the Brief Assessment of RC (BARC-10). Multivariate linear regression was used to examine the relationships between BARC-10 scores and potentially associated variables such as age, sex, employment, friends and relatives, drug use, mental health, HIV status, MMT-related stigma, and MMT duration.

Results

Participants were predominantly male (90%), with a mean age of 44.1 years. The mean duration of MMT was 62.9 months. The mean BARC-10 scores were 47 (SD = 6.2); with the highest item scores were recovery experience and sobriety, and the lowest in social support, and physical health. Employment was positively associated with RC (Coef = 4.68; 95% CI: 0.29-9.07), whereas drug use - measured during intervention trail in the parent study (Coef = -4.20; 95% CI: -8.20 to -0.02) and enacted MMT stigma (Coef = -0.46; 95% CI: -0.82 to -0.09) were negatively associated.

Conclusions

Addressing social and structural barriers, such as employment and enacted MMT-related stigma may enhance RC among MMT patients with co-occurring methamphetamine use.