Relationships between perceived social support and retention patients receiving methadone maintenance treatment in China mainland

ObjectiveThe purpose of this study was to explore the relationships between perceived social support and retention in Chinese mainland patients receiving methadone maintenance treatment (MMT).MethodsThis was a cross-sectional two-year follow-up study. The data collected included patients' baseline characteristics, perceived social support and retention in MMT.ResultsA total of 1212 patients completed the cross-sectional survey; 809 (66.7%) had good perceived social support and 458 (37.8%) had experienced readmissions. With and without controlling for baseline characteristics, past retention had no significant influence on perceived social support. By the end of the follow-up, 527 (43.5%) patients had terminated MMT. The patients without good perceived social support were more likely to terminate treatment than those with good perceived social support [hazard ratio: 1.31, 95% confidence interval: 1.10, 1.57; 1.25 (1.04, 1.51)] regardless of their baseline characteristics and past retention.ConclusionsRetention, thus, had no significant influence on perceived social support in MMT, whereas good perceived social support was a strong protective predictor of retention.