Drug abuse, methadone treatment, and health services use among injection drug users with AIDS

This paper compares health care use across subgroups of injection drug user s (IDUs) with AIDS, as defined by current drug abuse status and participati on in methadone maintenance treatment (MMT), using surveillance-identified IDU status and health care claims data. Merged Medicaid and AIDS surveillan ce data were analyzed using ordinary least squares regression, simple logis tic regression and multinomial logistic regression. Consistent MMT was more likely among women, Whites and older subjects. Monthly total expenditures and inpatient expenditures were significantly lower for IDUs in MMT than fo r IDUs with claims indicative of current drug abuse. Consistent participati on in MMT was associated with a higher probability of antiretroviral use an d, among antiretroviral users, more consistent use of antiretrovirals. Merg ed administrative data sets can be an important data source that illuminate the relationships among drug abuse, drug treatment, and HIV-related health care. For AIDS-infected IDUs, consistent MMT may lower barriers to receipt of appropriate HIV-related health care and reinforce adherence to medical recommendations. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd. Ail rights reserved .