Methadone Patients Fare as Well as Drug-Free Patients in a Therapeutic Community Setting: At half-yearly assessments, the proportions of methadone and comparison-group patients testing positive for illicit opioid or stimulant use were statistically equivalent. In both groups, the number of individuals using opioids or stimulants increased as more people left the treatment program. All study participants were tracked for 2 years whether or not they left treatment; participants who switched into methadone treatment during the study are included among the comparison group in this graph.This set of bar graphs, titled "Methadone Patients Fare as well as Drug-Free Patients in a Therapeutic Community Setting," displays, at half-yearly assessments, the proportions of methadone and comparison-group patients testing positive for illicit opioid or stimulant use.
The first bar graph displays the percentage of the methadone and comparison-group patients testing positive for illicit opioids.
At entry, the methadone group had 10% testing positive, while the comparison group had 12% testing positive.
At 6 months, the methadone group had 30% testing positive, while the comparison group had 34% testing positive.
At 12 months, the methadone group had 42% testing positive, while the comparison group had 36% testing positive.
At 18 months, the methadone group had 52% testing positive, while the comparison group had 50% testing positive.
At 24 months, the methadone group had 41% testing positive, while the comparison group had 43% testing positive.
The second bar graph displays the percentage of the methadone and comparison-group patients testing positive for stimulants.
At entry, the methadone group had 8% testing positive, while the comparison group had 5% testing positive.
At 6 months, the methadone group had 33% testing positive, while the comparison group had 20% testing positive.
At 12 months, the methadone group had 37% testing positive, while the comparison group had 35% testing positive.
At 18 months, the methadone group had 45% testing positive, while the comparison group had 30% testing positive.
At 24 months, the methadone group had 38% testing positive, while the comparison group had 41% testing positive.