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Siara B. Andrews, PsyD1, James L. Sorensen, PhD2, and Kevin Delucchi, PhD1. (1) Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Francisco, 3180 18th Street, Suite 205, San Francisco, CA 94110, 415-514-3997, drsiara@itsa.ucsf.edu, (2) Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Francisco-San Francisco General Hospital, 1001 Potrero Ave, Building 20, Room 2117, San Francisco, CA 94110
Abstract – Prior research demonstrates that staff attitudes and knowledge about methadone are correlated with treatment success among opiate-dependent clients. This study examined how recovery status, personal experience with methadone, and other variables were associated with staff beliefs and knowledge about methadone. 87 staff working in four therapeutic communities in San Francisco, California, were surveyed in 2003 using the Abstinence Orientation Scale, Disapproval of Drug Use Scale, and the Methadone Knowledge Scale. The relationships between treatment staff status and scores on the assessment measures were analyzed using the Wilcoxon Two-Sample Test. Staff who had personally been in treatment or on methadone had significantly greater knowledge of methadone. This study revealed significantly greater abstinence orientation scores among TC staff than previous studies of staff working in methadone clinics. Participation in methadone sensitivity training (2 hour training offered at the TC) was correlated with abstinence orientation and methadone knowledge. This study suggests that staff experience is correlated with knowledge and beliefs and that staff training may be effective in changing knowledge and beliefs about methadone, something that could improve treatment efficacy.
Learning Objectives:
Keywords: Methadone Maintenance, Injecting Drug Use
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.