Depression, Anxiety and Stress Among Patients Receiving Methadone Maintenance Therapy and Its Associated Factors; A Cross Sectional Study in Primary Care Clinics, Malaysia

Authors: [1] Mohd Aznan Md Aris [2] Abdul Hadi Said [3] Tin Myo Han [4] Faiza Abdullah [5] Nurakmal Mohd Sahar [6] Muhammad Firdaus Abdul Hamid [7] Muhammad Farisham Mohd Khanafiah [8] Muhammad Syahir Mohamad Fauzi [9] Ramzi Akram Mohamad

Pages: 65-69

Abstract:

Objectives: Several studies have reported the high prevalence of psychiatric problems in patients receiving Methadone Maintenance Therapy. This study measured the prevalence of depression, anxiety and stress among patients receiving Methadone Maintenance Therapy in Malaysia and its predictors. Methods: A cross sectional study was done from July to August 2014 on 83 patients receiving Methadone Maintenance Therapy from three selected government primary care clinics in Malaysia. Multistage sampling methods were used to select the participants for this study. A self-administered questionnaire using the validated Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scales 21 (DASS 21) Malay version was used. The questionnaire also comprised of sociodemopgraphic profile and clinical characteristics to assess for association. Association was tested using chi square test. Results: The prevalence of depression, anxiety and stress were 44.6%. 51.8% and 27.7% respectively. There were significant associations between recent significant traumatic life events, anxiety and stress with depression (p < 0.05). Conclusion Depression, anxiety and stress are common psychological problems associated with patients receiving MMT, therefore regular screening should be done for early detection and intervention in ensuring best treatment outcomes for the patients.