The effectiveness of buprenorphine treatment for people with opioid use disorder in Vietnam

Objectives: This study assesses the effectiveness of BMT using two outcomes: opioid use and treatment discontinuation over a 12-month period among people with opioid use disorder (OUD) in Vietnam.

Methods: We conducted a retrospective cohort study in Lai Chau, Dien Bien, and Son La provinces during 2019–2020. Information from 505 participants was included. The study assessed treatment effectiveness using two outcomes: opioid use and treatment discontinuation. Mixed-effects logistic and Cox regression models were used to identify risk factors for these outcomes.

Results: About 60% of participants in BMT and 34% in MMT reached recommended dosages. Receiving BMT or MMT was not related to opioid use during treatment (aOR=1.01, 95% CI: 0.83 – 1.23). Retention rate for MMT and BMT were 62.2% and 48.1% respectively. BMT increased the hazard of treatment discontinuation compared to MMT (aHR=1.88, 95% CI: 1.28-2.77, p-value 0.001).

Conclusion: BMT and MMT were both effective in reducing opioid use reducing opioid use among people with OUD in Vietnam. However, BMT was less capable of retaining participants in care, highlighting the need to address retention challenges in future OUD treatment strategies.

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