• Plos One · Jan 2018

    Influence of social network on drug use among clients of methadone maintenance treatment centers in Kunming, China.

    • Ling Shen, Sawitri Assanangkornchai, Wei Liu, Le Cai, Fei Li, Songyuan Tang, Jiucheng Shen, Edward B McNeil, and Virasakdi Chongsuvivatwong.
    • Epidemiology Unit, Faculty of Medicine, Prince of Songkla University, Hat Yai, Thailand.
    • Plos One. 2018 Jan 1; 13 (7): e0200105.

    AimsTo examine drug use behavior of clients attending Methadone Maintenance Treatment (MMT) programs and its relationship with the clients' social network characteristics.DesignCross-sectional study.SettingFour MMT clinics in Kunming, Yunnan province, China.Participants324 consecutive MMT clients.MeasurementsA structured, self-completed questionnaire on background characteristics and existing social network. Current drug use was assessed by urine test for opiate metabolites.AnalysisThe association between client's social network characteristics and their own current drug use behavior is analysed using multiple logistic regression adjusting for socio-demographic characteristics. Adjusted odds ratios (AOR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI) are obtained to give the strength of the associations.FindingsMMT clients were more likely to concurrently use heroin while attending MMT if their social network had any of the following characteristics: more than half of the members were older than them (AOR = 1.03, 95% CI = 1.00,1.06), any member had a high level of influence on them (AOR = 6.47, 95% CI = 2.86,14.65) and any member joined them in using drugs (AOR = 1.94, 95% CI = 1.04,3.63). Having a social network member who could provide emotional support (AOR = 0.11, 95% CI = 0.03,0.35), having a spouse and/or child in their social network (AOR = 0.44, 95% CI = 0.24,0.81) and having a social network member with a high level of closeness (AOR = 0.28, 95% CI = 0.09,0.90) were associated with a decreased odds of heroin use.ConclusionSocial networks who could provide MMT clients with emotional support and a close relationship were significant factors for reducing the risk of concurrent drug use among clients attending MMT clinics in Kunming, China. Behavioral interventions should address the role of family and social network members in providing support to these clients.

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