Methadone Research Summary

Holtyn et al. (2014) conducted an experiment described as, “the use of employment-based abstinence reinforcement in out-of –treatment injection drug users, in this secondary analysis of a previously reported trial,” (p. 682). The main problem that was found with injection drug usage according to the article was the risk of spreading HIV through the use of sharing the same needles. The solution to the problem of using drugs and lowering the risk of HIV is through the use of methadone which works as a replacement to opiates. Methadone is effective with helping individuals with drug addiction, but many drug users do not participate in treatment, or do not complete treatment. This article examines a potential solution to out of treatment injection drug users with the use of a therapeutic work environment to help reinforce individuals to remain abstinent from opiates and cocaine. This study …show more content…
The method in this study was a collection of data in a clinical trial that focused on the importance of the therapeutic workplace to ensure abstinence from drugs with out of treatment injection users. an induction period and three randomly assigned conditions known as work reinforcement, methadone and work reinforcement, and abstinence, methadone, and work reinforcement. In the induction portion of the experiment participants were invited to the workplace and asked if they would like to participate in the methadone treatment as well. Participants who expressed interest in methadone treatment would select a program and the staff who were in the study would schedule an appointment for the methadone treatment and provide an appointment card to the