Our research findings indicate that cognitive impairments, depression, and anxiety are common health issues among MMT patients. Although MMT has shown significant therapeutic effects as a heroin substitution therapy, the cognitive and mental health of patients remain important areas of concern. Our survey of MMT clinics revealed that patients face significant social functioning impairments, with 76.1% of patients being unemployed. Further investigation into their sources of income revealed that the majority rely on government assistance or support from family members to sustain their livelihoods. This highlights the need to consider strategies for improving social functioning in these patients, identifying and intervening in risk factors that contribute to impaired social functioning, and promoting their reintegration into society. From the history of heroin use among MMT patients, there is evidence of recurrent cycles of relapse and withdrawal. Despite the use of MMT as a substitution treatment, 11 cases of patients tested positive for heroin in urine screenings. An investigation into the reasons for their initial heroin use revealed that 66.1% of patients did so out of curiosity, while 22.2% were influenced by others. This suggests that individual characteristics, psychological factors, and environmental influences play significant roles in substance dependency. Therefore, it is necessary to further analyze the personality traits, personal developmental backgrounds, and cultural factors associated with these patients.Furthermore, MMT patients have higher rates of HIV (22.2%) and HCV (49.8%) infections. This may be related to the association between injection drug use and the acquisition and transmission of HIV and HCV(21). Cross-sectional surveys provide insights into the comorbidity of other diseases among MMT patients, with 25.6% having hypertension and 2.7% having diabetes. The detection rates for other diseases are relatively low, suggesting insufficient awareness of their own health conditions and a lack of routine health check-ups among MMT patients. This highlights the need for comprehensive health management for MMT patients, including regular medical examinations and education and treatment regarding infectious diseases.
Cognitive dysfunction, characterized by progressive deterioration of intelligence including memory loss and/or impaired judgment, calculation, language, orientation, skills, and behavior, has been a leading cause of disability in patients(22). Substance abuse not only alters and promotes normal learning and memory processes, but also inhibits the ability to control use(23). Heroin abusers often show impairments in cognitive function, including attention, inhibition, and working memory, which can negatively affect their behavior(24, 25).Chronic heroin use results in deficits in verbal fluency, verbal working memory, inhibitory control, planning, risk, and rewards-based decision-making(26). Cognitive impairment will lead to the insufficiency of patients' cognitive ability and treatment compliance, which seriously affects the therapeutic effect of patients. At present, there are relatively few cognitive studies on patients with MMT. Literature study: Patients who have been dependent on methadone will have cognitive dysfunction such as visuospatial memory impairment and chronic working memory impairment(27). The MoCA(Montreal Cognitive Assessment) scale was used to assess methadone treatment in patients with significant cognitive impairment(28). Patients with MMT show impairments in cognitive prospective memory sustained attention, and response inhibition(29).In this study, through the MMSE assessment of the cognitive function of 293 subjects in the MMT clinic, about 52.2% of the subjects had cognitive dysfunction, and it was found that age was risk factors for cognitive dysfunction, which was consistent with a study that found that age was one of the influencing factors among the factors affecting cognitive function. Based on the fact that cognitive dysfunction can lead to the impaired social function of patients, the cognitive function should be assessed early for patients with older age, and appropriate intervention measures should be taken to prevent and delay further impairment of cognitive function, improve patients' treatment compliance, and restore their social function and living standard.
Methadone therapy is a well-known method used to treat opioid addiction(30). Despite its widespread use, there are still some challenges, such as severe dependency, depression, and anxiety(31). Many patients with MMT suffer from mental health problems, including depression and anxiety(32, 33). Depression and anxiety disorders: An estimated 5% of adults suffer from depression in 2023, according to the WHO. Depression can lead to serious consequences such as suicide. Substance-dependent patients are prone to depressive disorder, and the occurrence of depressive disorder will further aggravate substance dependence, seriously damage the patient's social function, harm the patient's physical and mental health, and increase the social and economic burden. Anxiety is a common and persistent primary symptom in patients with MMT, and co-anxiety increases the risk of injecting behavior, HIV infection, and criminal behavior in patients with MMT(34). High suicide rates in patients with MMT are associated with anxiety(35). Several surveys on anxiety of MMT patients from China showed that the incidence of anxiety was 23.0%, 30.5%, and 33.6%, respectively.(34, 36).In the SCL-90 questionnaire survey of MMT patients, there is a significant difference between their psychological status and that of normal individuals, and the presence of psychological disorders is not optimistic. The incidence rates of depression and anxiety were 64.8% and 54.3%, respectively. Analysis of risk factors: It was found that living alone, was risk factors for depression. Living alone is a common form of social isolation. Social isolation is the worst thing that can lead to substance dependence and impaired mental health. It is a catalyst for negative outcomes, including re-use of drugs, increased drug use, fatal and non-fatal overdoses, and worsening mental health symptoms. Recovery of substance-dependent patients relies on social connections, face-to-face services and groups, and access to resources for maintenance to restore their mental health(37). People living in counties with lower levels of social isolation and residential stability have a higher risk of substance dependence(38). The rat model found that depression and anxiety increased during MMT, and a rich living environment could reduce the occurrence of MMT depression and anxiety(39). Positive life experiences and anti-stress effects may prevent the release of drug addiction from developing(40). Peer-facilitated activities can improve the mental health of patients with MMT and prevent anxiety and depression(41). Therefore, for heroin and drug-dependent patients, to avoid the occurrence of depression and anxiety disorders, to avoid further substance dependence caused by depression and anxiety and a series of problems harmful to physical and mental health, We can promote the social interpersonal communication of patients, strengthen social contact, provide the rich living environment, community and volunteers and medical rehabilitation personnel to provide their social activities resources.
In addition, our research has found that MMT patients have very high rates of smoking and drinking. MMT patients have alcohol dependence, with a survey of MMT patients in Shanghai, China indicating a 30.9% prevalence of alcohol use disorder(42).MMT patients who use alcohol often face adverse consequences and health-related risks, such as drug overdose, liver issues (particularly hepatitis C and cirrhosis), and problems associated with the use of methadone (respiratory depression) (43), which can lead to impaired cognitive function(44).The combined use of alcohol by MMT patients predicts poorer clinical outcomes (such as relapse and lower survival rates) and significantly impairs their quality of life, including social functioning(45). Research has found that more than three-quarters of individuals with opioid use disorder smoke cigarettes(46). Smoking is a comorbid health risk that is common among those undergoing addiction treatment, with smoking rates much higher than other populations, with as many as 85%-98% of individuals participating in MMT treatment being smokers. Smokers receiving MMT treatment are at high risk for tobacco-related diseases, with a mortality rate four times higher than smokers not undergoing MMT treatment(47, 48). Alcohol and smoking are also forms of substance dependence. Our survey found that the smoking rate of MMT patients is as high as 93.5%, and the drinking rate is 34.5%. Previous clinical studies have found that smoking and drinking increase the incidence of mental illness. The occurrence of anxiety and depression may also be accompanied by substance dependence problems, which exacerbate the damage to physical and mental health and lead to poor treatment outcomes. Therefore, MMT patients may have higher substance dependence-related problems. When treating and following up on these patients in clinical community hospitals, attention should be paid to the severity of this problem and timely interventions should be taken, such as providing health education, smoking and drinking cessation clinics, social support, mutual aid groups, and alternative exercise measures.