Substance use among methadone patients in Vietnam: a systematic review

BackgroundDespite the increasing popularity of methadone maintenance treatment (MMT) in Vietnam, little is known regarding the substance use patterns of Vietnamese MMT patients. With it being almost 15 years since the inception of MMT in Vietnam, it felt timely to undertake a systematic review on this topic.ObjectivesWe conducted a systematic review of the peer-reviewed literature regarding substance use among MMT patients in Vietnam with three main objectives: 1) identify which types of substances are being used, 2) identify the extent of use (i.e., prevalence), and 3) identify knowledge gaps regarding drug use patterns.MethodsAfter systematically searching four bibliographic databases (PubMed, Web of Science, ScienceDirect, and PsycINFO), we included 20 studies involving 6,653 participants, published between 2012-2021 with 14 unique samples.ResultsFindings indicate that, on average, 81% of MMT patients used tobacco, 47% used alcohol, 32% used heroin, 24% engaged in injection drug use, and 12% used illicit drugs.ConclusionThese results suggest that substance use is an active issue among Vietnamese MMT patients that warrants closer attention. These data can be used by providers to inform which/how interventions are targeted at MMT patients in Vietnam and help lower the number of overdoses seen across the country.