A COMPARATIVE STUDY ON HEALTH AND SOCIAL CONDITIONS BETWEEN METHADONE CLIENTS AND NON-METHADONE CLIENTS IN HPAKANT TOWNSHIP, KACHIN STATE

The methadone treatment sites have been expanded gradually in Myanmar; however, the coverage of Methadone Maintenance Treatment (MMT) remains low and lack of social support discouraging drug users from accessing essential health services. The objectives of this study are to identify social inclusion conditions and examine drug use related health problems between non-methadone and methadone clients. This study uses descriptive methods with quantitative approach. Primary data were collected through face-to-face interviews with a hundred methadone clients and a hundred non-methadone clients. The results reveal that after methadone treatment, higher proportion of clients attained good social inclusion within their social network, consequent support contributes to the reduction of overdoses, arrests, and drug related crime. Although drug use related harms exist in both groups, MMT clients reduced frequency of drug use and risk behaviors. Their health seeking behavior becomes higher. Findings confirm that there are significant improvements of quality of life among drug users after taking MMT. The study recommends vulnerable populations without social support should be better served.