International Journal of Drug Policy
Volume 21, Issue 5 , Pages 364-380 , September 2010

Quality of life among opiate-dependent individuals: A review of the literature

Received 16 September 2009 ,Revised 27 November 2009 ,Accepted 20 January 2010.

References 

  1. Astals M, Domingo-Salvany A, Castillo Buenaventura C, Tato J, Vazquez JM, Martín-Santos R, et al. Impact of substance dependence and dual diagnosis on the quality of life of heroin users seeking treatment. Substance Use & Misuse. 2008;43(5):612–632
  2. Bickel WK, Stitzer ML, Bigelow GE, Liebson IA, Jasinski DR, Johnson RE. A clinical trial of buprenorphine: Comparison with methadone in the detoxification of heroin addicts. Clinical Pharmacology & Therapeutics. 1988;43(1):72–78
  3. Bigelow DA, Mcfarland BH, Olson MM. Quality-of-life of community mental-health program clients – Validating a measure. Community Mental Health Journal. 1991;27(1):43–55
  4. Bizzarri J, Rucci P, Vallotta A, Girelli M, Scandolari A, Zerbetto E, et al. Dual diagnosis and quality of life in patients in treatment for opioid dependence. Substance Use & Misuse. 2005;40(12):1765–1776
  5. Bowling A, Brazier J. ‘Quality of life’ in social science and medicine: Introduction. Social Science & Medicine. 1995;41(10):1337–1338
  6. Brogly S, Mercier C, Bruneau J, Palepu A, Franco E. Towards more effective public health programming for injection drug users: Development and evaluation of the injection drug user quality of life scale. Substance Use & Misuse. 2003;38(7):965–992
  7. Brooks R EuroQoL Group. EuroQoL: The current state of play. Health Policy. 1996;37(1):53–72
  8. Brown I, Renwick R, Nagler M. The centrality of quality of life in health promotion and rehabilitation. In:  Renwick R,  Brown I,  Nagler M editor. Quality of Life in Health Promotion and Rehabilitation. California: Sage Publications; 1996;p. 3–13
  9. Buchholz A, Krol A, Rist F, Nieuwkerk PT, Schippers GM. An assessment of factorial structure and health-related quality of life in problem drug users using the short form 36 health survey. Quality of Life Research. 2008;17(7):1021–1029
  10. Burgess AP, Carretero M, Elkington A, Pascqual-Marsettin E, Lobaccaro C, Catalan J. The role of personality, coping style and social support in health-related quality of life in HIV infection. Quality of Life Research. 2000;9(4):423–437
  11. Callaly T, Trauer T, Munro L, Whelan G. Prevalence of psychiatric disorder in a methadone maintenance population. Australian and New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry. 2001;35(5):601–605
  12. Cohen SR, Mount BM, Strobel MG, Bui F. The McGill quality-of-life questionnaire – A measure of quality-of-life appropriate for people with advanced disease – A preliminary-study of validity and acceptability. Palliative Medicine. 1995;9(3):207–219
  13. Connor JP, Saunders JB, Feeney GFX. Quality of life in substance use disorders. In:  Katschnig H,  Freeman H,  Sartorius N editor. Quality of life in mental disorders. 2nd ed.. West Sussex: John Wiley & Sons Ltd; 2006;p. 199–208
  14. Cummins RA, Lau A, Stokes M. HRQOL and subjective well-being: Noncomplementary forms of outcome measurement. Expert Review of Pharmacoeconomics & Outcomes Research. 2004;4(4):413–420
  15. Cummins RA, Mccabe MP, Romeo Y, Gullone E. The comprehensive quality-of-life scale (COMQOL) – instrument development and psychometric evaluation on college staff and students. Educational and Psychological Measurement. 1994;54(2):372–382
  16. Dazord A, Mino A, Page D, Broers B. Patients on methadone maintenance treatment in Geneva. European Psychiatry. 1998;13(5):235–241
  17. De Jong CAJ, Roozen HG, van Rossum LGM, Krabbe PFM, Kerkhof AJFM. High abstinence rates in heroin addicts by a new comprehensive treatment approach. The American Journal on Addictions. 2007;16(2):124–130
  18. De Maeyer J, Vanderplasschen W, Broekaert E. Exploratory study on drug users’ perspectives on quality of life: More than health-related quality of life?. Social Indicators Research. 2009;90(1):107–126
  19. Deering DE, Frampton MA, Horn J, Sellman JD, Adamson SJ, Potiki TL. Health status of clients receiving methadone maintenance treatment using the SF-36 health survey questionnaire. Drug and Alcohol Review. 2004;23(3):273–280
  20. Diener E, Emmons RA, Larsen RJ, Griffin S. The satisfaction with life scale. Journal of Personality Assessment. 1985;49(1):71–75
  21. Dijkers M. What's in a name?” The indiscriminate use of the “Quality of life” label, and the need to bring about clarity in conceptualizations. International Journal of Nursing Studies. 2007;44(1):153–155
  22. Drake RE, Mueser KT, Brunette MF. Management of persons with co-occurring severe mental illness and substance use disorder: Program implications. World Psychiatry. 2007;6(3):131–136
  23. Dunaj R, Kovác D. Quality of life of convicted drug addicts; preliminary report. Studia Psychologica. 2003;45(4):357–359
  24. Eklund C, Melin L, Hiltunen A, Borg S. Detoxification from methadone maintenance treatment in Sweden: Long-term outcome and effects on quality of life and life situation. The International Journal of the Addictions. 1994;29(5):627–645
  25. Eland-Goossensen A, van de Goor IAM, Garretsen HFL. Heroin addicts in the community and in treatment compared for severity of problems and need for help. Substance Use & Misuse. 1997;32(10):1313–1330
  26. European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA) (2008). Annual report on the state of the drugs problem in the European Union. Luxembourg: Office for Official Publications of the European Communities.
  27. Endicott J, Nee J, Harrison W, Blumenthal R. Quality-of-life enjoyment and satisfaction questionnaire – A new measure. Psychopharmacology Bulletin. 1993;29(2):321–326
  28. Falck RS, Wang JC, Siegal HA, Carlson RG. Longitudinal application of the medical outcomes study 36-item short-form health survey with not-in-treatment crack-cocaine users. Medical Care. 2000;38(9):902–910
  29. Farquhar M. Definitions of quality of life: A taxonomy. Journal of Advanced Nursing. 1995;22(3):502–508
  30. Farrell M, Gowing L, Marsden J, Ling W, Ali R. Effectiveness of drug dependence treatment in HIV prevention. International Journal of Drug Policy. 2005;16(Suppl. 1):67–75
  31. Fassino S, Abbate Daga G, Delsedime N, Rogna L, Boggio S. Quality of life and personality disorders in heroin abusers. Drug and Alcohol Dependence. 2004;76(1):73–80
  32. Fischer G, Eder H, Peternell A, Windhaber J. Lebensqualität gravider substanzabhängiger Frauen unter oraler Erhaltungstherapie mit synthetischen Opioiden. Nervenheilkunde. 2000;19:205–211
  33. Fischer B, Rehm J, Kim G. Whose quality of life is it, really?. British Medical Journal. 2001;322:1357–1360
  34. Fischer B, Rehm J, Kim G, Kirst M. Eyes wide shut?—A conceptual and empirical critique of methadone maintenance treatment. European Addiction Research. 2005;11(1):1–9
  35. Frost MH, Bonomi AE, Cappelleri JC, Schuenemann HJ, Moynihan TJ, Aaronson NK. Applying quality-of-life data formally and systematically into clinical practice. Mayo Clinic Proceedings. 2007;82(10):1214–1228
  36. Garrat A. Patient reported outcome measures in trials. British Medical Journal. 2009;338.:a2597
  37. Garrat A, Schmidt L, Mackintosh A, Fitzpatrick R. Quality of life measurement: Bibliographic study of patient assessed health outcome measures. British Medical Journal. 2002;324(7351):1417–1421
  38. In:  Gerstein DR,  Harwood HJ editor. Treating drug problems. Vol. 1. A study of the evolution, effectiveness, and financing of public and private drug treatment systems. Washington, DC: National Academy Press; 1990;
  39. Gerin P, Dazord A, Ciadella P, Leizorovicz A, Boissel JP. Validity and reliability of the questionnaire subjective quality-of-life profile (PQVS). Therapie. 1991;46(2):131–138
  40. Gfroerer J, Penne M, Pemberton M, Folsom R. Substance abuse treatment need among older adults in 2020: The impact of the aging baby-boom cohort. Drug and Alcohol Dependence. 2003;69(2):127–135
  41. Giacomuzzi SM, Ertl M, Kemmler G, Riemer Y, Vigl A. Sublingual buprenorphine and methadone maintenance treatment: A three-year follow-up of quality of life assessment. The Scientific World Journal. 2005;5:452–468
  42. Giacomuzzi SM, Riemer Y, Kemmler G, Ertl M, Richter R, Rössler H, et al. Subjektives Wohlbefinden und somatische Merkmale bei Methadonsubstitution. Evaluierung bei 61 Heroinabhängigen. Fortschritte der Medizin. 2001;119(3–4):103–108
  43. Giacomuzzi SM, Riemer Y, Ertl M, Kemmler G, Rössler H, Hinterhuber H, et al. Buprenorphine versus methadone maintenance treatment in an ambulant setting: A health-related quality of life assessment. Addiction. 2003;98(5):693–702
  44. Giacomuzzi SM, Riemer Y, Ertl M, Kemmler G, Rössler H, Hinterhuber H, et al. Gender differences in health-related quality of life on admission to a maintenance treatment program. European Addiction Research. 2005;11(2):69–75
  45. Giacomuzzi S, Kemmler G, Ertl M, Riemer Y. Opioid addicts at admission vs. slow-release oral morphine, methadone, and sublingual buprenorphine maintenance treatment participants. Substance Use & Misuse. 2006;41(2):223–244
  46. Gill TM, Alvan R, Feinstein R. A critical appraisal of the quality of quality-of-life measurements. Journal of the American Medical Association. 1994;272(8):619–626
  47. Grabot D, Martin C, Auriacombe M, Tignol J. A new method for quality of life assessment: Tableau d’évaluation assistée de la qualité de vie (TEAQV). Encephale-Revue de Psychiatrie Clinique Biologique et Therapeutique. 1996;22(3):181–185
  48. Guyatt GH, Feeny DH, Patrick DL. Measuring health-related quality of life. Annals of Internal Medicine. 1993;118(8):622–629
  49. Guyatt GH, Ferrans CE, Halyard MY, Revicki DA, Symonds TL, Varricchio CG, et al. Exploration of the value of health-related quality-of-life information from clinical research and into clinical practice. Mayo Clinic Proceedings. 2007;82(10):1229–1239
  50. Habrat B, Chmielewska K, Baran-Furga H, Keszycka B, Taracha E. Subjective quality of life in opiate dependent patients before admission, after six months and one-year participation in methadone program. Przeglad Lekarski. 2002;59(4–5):351–354
  51. Harper A, Power M WHOQOL Group. Development of the World Health Organization WHOQOL-BREF quality of life assessment. Psychological Medicine. 1998;28(3):551–558
  52. Haug NA, Sorensen JL, Lollo ND, Gruber VA, Delucchi KL, Hall SM. Gender differences among HIV-positive methadone maintenance patients enrolled in a medication adherence trial. AIDS Care. 2005;17(8):1022–1029
  53. Hopman WM, Towheed T, Anastassiades T, Tenenhouse A, Poliquin S, Berger C, et al. Canadian normative data for the SF-36 health survey. Canadian Medical Association Journal. 2000;163(3):265–271
  54. Hser Y. Evaluation of drug abuse treatment. A repeated measures design assessing methadone maintenance. Evaluation Review. 1988;12(5):547–570
  55. Hser Y. Predicting long-term stable recovery from heroin addiction: Findings from a 33-year follow-up study. Journal of Addictive Diseases. 2007;26(1):51–60
  56. Hunt SM, Mckenna SP, Mcewen J, Williams J, Papp E. The Nottingham health profile – subjective health-status and medical consultations. Social Science & Medicine Part A – Medical Sociology. 1981;15(3):221–229
  57. Karow A, Verthein U, Krausz M, Schäfer I. Association of personality disorders. Family conflicts and treatment with quality of life in opiate addiction. European Addiction Research. 2008;14(1):38–46
  58. Katschnig H. How useful is the concept of quality of life in psychiatry?. In:  Katschnig H,  Freeman H,  Sartorius N editor. Quality of life in mental disorders. 2nd ed.. West Sussex: John Wiley & Sons Ltd; 2006;p. 3–17
  59. Kleber HD. Future advances in addiction treatment. Clinical Neuroscience Research. 2005;5(2–4):201–205
  60. Laudet AB, Becker JB, White WL. Don’t wanna go through that madness no more: Quality of life satisfaction as predictor of sustained remission from illicit drug misuse. Substance Use & Misuse. 2009;44(2):227–252
  61. Lofwall MR, Brooner RK, Bigelow GE, Kindbom K, Strain EC. Characteristics of older opioid maintenance patients. Journal of Substance Abuse Treatment. 2005;28(3):265–272
  62. Luty S, Arokiadass SMR. Satisfaction with life and opioid dependence. Substance Abuse Treatment, Prevention, and Policy. 2008;3(2):
  63. March JC, Oviedo-Joekes E, Perea-Milla E, Carrasco F The PEPSA Team. Controlled trial of prescribed heroin in the treatment of opioid addiction. Journal of Substance Abuse Treatment. 2006;31(2):203–211
  64. Maremmani I, Pani PP, Pacini M, Perugi G. Substance use and quality of life over 12 months among buprenorphine maintenance-treated and methadone maintenance-treated heroin-addicted patients. Journal of Substance Abuse Treatment. 2007;33(1):91–98
  65. Marsch LA, Bickel WK, Badger GJ, Jacobs EA. Buprenorphine treatment for opioid dependence: The relative efficacy of daily, twice and thrice weekly dosing. Drug and Alcohol Dependence. 2005;77(2):195–204
  66. Mattick RP, Ali R, White JM, O’Brien S, Wolk S, Danz C. Buprenorphine versus methadone maintenance therapy: A randomized double-blind trial with 405 opioid-dependent patients. Addiction. 2003;98(4):441–452
  67. McHorney CA, Ware JE, Raczek AE. The MOS 36-item short-form health survey (SF-36). II. Psychometric and clinical tests of validity in measuring physical and mental health constructs. Medical Care. 1993;31(3):247–263
  68. McLellan AT. Have we evaluated addiction treatment correctly? Implications from a chronic care perspective. Addiction. 2002;97(3):249–252
  69. McLellan AT, Lewis DC, O’Brien CP, Kleber HD. Drug dependence, a chronic medical illness. Implications for treatment, insurance, and outcomes evaluation. Journal of the American Medical Association. 2000;284(13):1689–1695
  70. Miller WR, Wilbourne PL. Mesa Grande: A methodological analysis of clinical trials of treatments for alcohol use disorders. Addiction. 2002;97(3):265–277
  71. Millson PE, Challacombe L, Villeneuve PJ, Fischer B, Strike CJ, Myers T, et al. Self-perceived health among Canadian opiate users. A comparison to the general population and to other chronic disease populations. Canadian Journal of Public Health. 2004;95(2):99–103
  72. Millson PE, Challacombe L, Villeneuve PJ, Strike CJ, Fischer B, Myers T, et al. Determinants of health-related quality of life of opiate users at entry to low-threshold methadone programs. European Addiction Research. 2006;12(2):74–82
  73. Moons P, Budts W, De Geest S. Critique on the conceptualisation of quality of life: A review and evaluation of different conceptual approaches. International Journal of Nursing Studies. 2006;43(7):891–901
  74. Muldoon MF, Barger SD, Flory JD, Manuck SB. What are quality of life instruments measuring?. British Medical Journal. 1998;316(7130):542–545
  75. Neale J, Allen D, Coombes L. Qualitative research methods within the addictions. Addiction. 2005;100(11):1584–1593
  76. Neale J, Sheard L, Tompkins C. Factors that help injecting drug users to access and benefit from services: A qualitative study. Substance Abuse Treatment, Prevention, and Policy. 2007;2(31):
  77. O’Brien CP, McLellan AT. Myths about the treatment of addiction. Lancet. 1996;347(8996):237–240
  78. O’Brien S, Mattick RP, White J, Breen C, Kimber J, Ritter A, et al. Maintenance pharmacotherapy for opioid dependence and SF-36 health status: A comparison with general population norms and other chronic disorders. Addictive Disorders & Their Treatment. 2006;5(4):155–164
  79. Oliver JPJ, Huxley PJ, Priebe S, Kaiser W. Measuring the quality of life of severely mentally ill people using the Lancashire Quality of Life Profile. Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology. 1997;32(2):76–83
  80. Padaiga Z, Subata E, Vanagas G. Outpatient methadone maintenance treatment program. Quality of life and health of opioid-dependent persons in Lithuania. Medicina (Kaunas). 2007;43(3):235–241
  81. Ponizovsky AM, Grinshpoon A. Quality of life among heroin users on buprenorphine versus methadone maintenance. The American Journal of Drug and Alcohol Abuse. 2007;33(5):631–642
  82. Puigdollers E, Domingo-Salvany A, Brugal MT, Torrens M, Alvarós J, Castillo C, et al. Characteristics of heroin addicts entering methadone maintenance treatment: Quality of life and gender. Substance Use & Misuse. 2004;39(9):1353–1368
  83. Raeburn JM, Rootman I. Quality of life and health promotion. In:  Renwick R,  Brown I,  Nagler M editor. Quality of Life in Health Promotion and Rehabilitation. California: Sage Publications; 1996;p. 14–25
  84. Reno RR, Aiken LS. Life activities and life quality of heroin addicts in and out of methadone treatment. The International Journal of the Addictions. 1993;28(3):211–232
  85. Robinson R. Health perceptions and health-related quality of life of substance abusers: A review of the literature. Journal of Addictions Nursing. 2006;17(3):159–168
  86. Rodríguez-Llera MC, Domingo-Salvany A, Brugal MT, Silva TC, Sánchez-Niubó A, Torrens M, et al. Psychiatric comorbidity in young heroin users. Drug and Alcohol Dependence. 2006;84(1):48–55
  87. Rooney S, Freyne A, Kelly G, O’Connor J. Differences in the quality of life of two groups of drug users. Irish Journal of Psychological Medicine. 2002;19(2):55–59
  88. Ross HE, Lin E, Cunningham J. Mental health service use: A comparison of treated and untreated individuals with substance use disorders in Ontario. Canadian Journal of Psychiatry. 1999;44(6):570–577
  89. Rounsaville BJ, Kleber HD. Untreated opiate addicts. How do they differ from those seeking treatment?. Archives of General Psychiatry. 1985;42(11):1072–1077
  90. Rudolf H, Watts J. Quality of life in substance abuse and dependency. International Review of Psychiatry. 2002;14(3):190–197
  91. Ryan CF, White JM. Health status at entry to methadone maintenance treatment using the SF-36 health survey questionnaire. Addiction. 1996;91(1):39–45
  92. Sanders C, Egger M, Donovan J, Tallon D, Frankel S. Reporting on quality of life in randomised controlled trials: Bibliographic study. British Medical Journal. 1998;317(7167):1191–1194
  93. Schalock R, Verdugo Alonso MA. Handbook on quality of life for human service practitioners. Washington: American Association on Mental Retardation; 2002;
  94. Segal L. The importance of patient empowerment in health system reform. Health Policy. 1998;44(1):31–44
  95. Senbanjo R, Wolff K, Marshall J. Excessive alcohol consumption is associated with reduced quality of life among methadone patients. Addiction. 2006;102(2):257–263
  96. Skevington SM, Lofty M, O’Connell KA. The World Health Organization's WHOQOL-BREF quality of life assessment: Psychometric properties and results of the international field trial: A report from the WHOQOL Group. Quality of Life Research. 2004;13(2):299–310
  97. Smith KW, Avis NE, Assmann SF. Distinguishing between quality of life and health status in quality of life research: A meta-analysis. Quality of Life Research. 1999;8(5):447–459
  98. Stajduhar KI, Funk L, Shaw AL, Bottorff JL, Johnson J. Resilience from the perspective of the illicit injection drug user: An exploratory descriptive study. International Journal of Drug Policy. 2009;20(4):309–316
  99. Stark MJ, Campbell BK. A psychoeducational approach to methadone-maintenance treatment—A survey of client reactions. Journal of Substance Abuse Treatment. 1991;8(3):125–131
  100. Torrens M, San L, Martinez A, Castillo C, Domingo-Salvany A, Alonso J. Use of the Nottingham health profile for measuring health status of patients in methadone maintenance treatment. Addiction. 1997;92(6):707–716
  101. Valderas JM, Kotzeva A, Espallargues M, Guyatt G, Ferrans CE, Haylard MY, et al. The impact of measuring patient-reported outcomes in clinical practice: A systematic review of the literature. Quality of Life Research. 2008;17(10):179–193
  102. Van den Brink W, Haasen C. Evidenced-based treatment of opioid-dependent patients. Canadian Journal of Psychiatry. 2006;51(10):635–646
  103. Van den Brink W, Goppel M, van Ree JM. Management of opioid dependence. Current Opinion in Psychiatry. 2003;16(3):297–304
  104. Van Nieuwenhuizen Ch, Schene AH, Koeter M. Quality of life in forensic psychiatry: An unreclaimed territory?. International Review of Psychiatry. 2002;14(3):198–202
  105. Vanagas G, Padaiga Z, Subata E. Drug addiction maintenance treatment and quality of life measurements. Medicina (Kaunas). 2004;40(9):833–841
  106. Vanderplasschen W, Rapp RC, Wolf J, Broekaert E. The development and implementation of case management for substance use disorders in North America and Europe. Psychiatric Services. 2004;55(8):913–922
  107. Vanderplasschen, W., Bloor, M., & McKeganey, N. (in press). Long-term outcomes of aftercare participation following various forms of drug abuse treatment in Scotland. Journal of Drug Issues, 40(2).
  108. Verrando R, Robaeys G, Mathei C, Buntinx F. Methadone and buprenorphine maintenance therapies for patients with hepatitis C virus infected after intravenous drug use. Acta Gastro-Enterologica Belgica. 2005;68(1):81–85
  109. Vignau J, Brunelle E. Differences between general practitioner- and addiction centre-prescribed buprenorphine substitution therapy in France. European Addiction Research. 1998;4(1):24–28
  110. Villeneuve PJ, Challacombe L, Strike CJ, Myers T, Fischer B, Shore R, et al. Change in health-related quality of life of opiate users in low-threshold methadone programs. Journal of Substance Use. 2006;11(2):137–149
  111. Ward J, Hall W, Mattick RP. Role of maintenance treatment in opioid dependence. The Lancet. 1999;353(9148):221–226
  112. Ware JE, Sherbourne CD. The MOS 36-item short-form health survey (SF-36): I. Conceptual-framework and item selection. Medical Care. 1992;30(6):473–483
  113. Ware JE, Kosinski M, Keller SD. A 12-item short-form health survey – Construction of scales and preliminary tests of reliability and validity. Medical Care. 1996;34(3):220–233
  114. Wiebe S, Guyatt G, Weaver B, Matijevic S, Sidwell C. Comparative responsiveness of generic and specific quality-of-life instruments. Journal of Clinical Epidemiology. 2003;56(1):52–60
  115. Wiklund I. Assessment of patient-reported outcomes in clinical trials: The example of health-related quality of life. Fundamental & Clinical Pharmacology. 2004;18(3):351–363
  116. Winklbaur B, Jagsch R, Ebner N, Thau K, Fischer G. Quality of life in patients receiving opioid maintenance therapy. European Addiction Research. 2008;14(2):99–105
  117. Wu C, Yao G. Examining the relationship between global and domain measures of quality of life by three factor structure models. Social Indicators Research. 2007;84(2):189–202
  118. Zubaran C, Foresti K. Quality of life and substance use: Concepts and recent tendencies. Current Opinion in Psychiatry. 2009;22(3):281–286

PII: S0955-3959(10)00011-3

doi: 10.1016/j.drugpo.2010.01.010

International Journal of Drug Policy
Volume 21, Issue 5 , Pages 364-380 , September 2010