OBJECTIVETo understand the characteristics and retention situation of clients in extension clinic of methadone maintenance therapy.

METHODSFrom December 20, 2010 to March 10, 2011, the system sampling method was used to get the cases. A total of 462 heroin addicts from 22 methadone maintenance therapy clinics and extension clinics located in Mangshi, Ruili, Longchuan, Yingjiang, Lianghe of Dehong prefecture, Yunnan province were interviewed, and the demographic characteristics, quality of life, urine testing results for morphine of the patients between the extension MMT clinic and standard MMT clinic were also collected and compared. A cohort study was conducted to analyze retention situation of the new clients with Kaplan Meier method during 9 months treatment.

RESULTSOf the 462 cases, 239 cases were from standard MMT clinic, and 223 cases were from the extension MMT clinic. Among them, 117 cases were new research objects into the group during the investigation. Among the clients of extension MMT clinic, 96.7% (147/152) of them were males, 37.5% (57/152) were Dai nationality, and 61.2% (93/152) were married, 38.8% (59/152) with primary school education, 95.4% (145/152) lived with their family or relatives, 96.7% (147/152) could arrive at the clinic from their habitation within 15 minutes. The positive detection rates 72% (13/18), 71% (24/34), 58% (30/52), 29% (15/52), 14% (6/44), 14% (4/29), 15% (5/34), 17% (6/35), 6% (2/33), 16% (5/31) of urine-morphine testing among new clients of extension MMT clinics decreased as the period of treatment lengthened (χ(2) = 61.04, P < 0.05). The period of retention of the clients in extension MMT clinics was 175-days averagely, with an average retention 122 days of when withdrawing. The retention rates of the clients were 52% (37/71)and 61% (28/46) at 9th month of the extension MMT clinics and standard MMT clinics respectively. There was no difference in the retention rate between those of two types of clinics (χ(2) = 0.82, P = 0.37) .

CONCLUSIONMost of the clients in extension MMT clinics lived with their family or relatives, and spent less time on the way to the clinics. After 9 months methadone maintenance therapy, the quality of life of clients in extension clinics was improved while addiction among them decreased. The extension clinic was an effective strategy for retention in remote areas.