Quality of Life in Heroin Users Attending Substitution Treatment: A Multicenter Study in Italy

Abstract

Quality of life (QoL) is an important measure to verify the effectiveness of therapy in substance use disorders (SUD). In this cross-sectional, multicenter study QoL has been measured in 1057 heroin dependents attending SerDs ("Servizi per le Dipen-denze", Italian National Health System Services for Addictions) and has been correlated with demographic variables and drug treatment. QoL has been measured by using GHQ-12 (12-item General Health Questionnaire), a self-administered questionnaire whose value is inversely correlated with the QoL. The median value of GHQ-12 in the study population was 12 (interquartile range [IQ] 9-18): 640 patients (60.6%) scored <15 which relates with a sufficiently good QoL, 257 (24.3%) scored between 15-20, and 160 (15.1%) scored >20 points at the GHQ-12, which relates with a bad QoL. Female population showed higher GHQ12 scores when compared to male population (14 [IQ 9-19] vs. 12 [IQ 9-17], p = 0.03). Similarly, unemployed patients showed higher GHQ12 scores when compared to employed patients (15 [IQ 10-20] vs. 12 [IQ 8-16], p < 0.00). Unemployment (OR 2.09, CI 95% 1.5-3.0, p < 0.00), non-opioid psychopharmacological treatment (OR 1.82, CI 95% 1.3-2.6, p = 0.00) and substitution therapy with buprenorphine (OR 0.55, CI 95% 0.3-0.8, p = 0.01) were independent predictors of GHQ-12 >20. Results show that most of patients receiving care for heroin dependence at SerDs have a positive assessment of their quality of life, and that being unemployed and having a dual diagnosis are predictors of poor QoL. Besides, data suggest that assuming buprenorphine could be a protective factor for QoL. How to cite this paper: Fiumana