Characteristics of heroin addicts entering methadone maintenance treatment: quality of life and gender.

Study Objective: To provide information on MMP patient's characteristics, particularly those related with Health Related Quality of Life (HRQoL) and gender.
Design: Cross-sectional study. Data were collected on socio-demographic, toxicological variables, HIV risk behaviors, and HRQoL through the Nottingham Health Profile (NHP).
Patients and Setting: Over a 30-month period (1996--1999) Barcelona's Municipal Drug Care Centres recruited 586 patients.
Main Results: Mean age of patients was 31 years, 70% were males and 25% were HIV-infected. Rates of unemployment, criminal records and low educational level were high. Most poly-drug users used cocaine. NHP mean score was related with poly-drug use, educational level and HIV status. Consistent condom use was related with HIV status. Females' route of administration was less likely to be injection, even though they were more frequently HIV-positive and manifested contemporary poorer general health.
Conclusions: Patients QoL was poor. Nowadays harm reduction health strategies would need to face cocaine use, and sexual risk behaviors mainly among females and sexual partners.