Pilot of methadone for recently incarcerated people with human immunodeficiency virus and opioid use in South Africa
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Mary Ann Liebert
Abstract
In South Africa, there is no provision of medication for opioid use disorder (MOUD) for people who are incarcerated or were recently incarcerated. This study aimed to describe MOUD uptake and barriers among people living with human immunodeficiency virus and using illicit opioids reentering the community from incarceration. A mixed-method exploratory study was conducted between September 2021 and September 2022 in South Africa, during which we offered low-barrier MOUD and harm reduction services. We followed 23 participants postrelease and observed a low uptake of MOUD after release (8 of 23, 35%). Reported barriers to MOUD included perceived ineffectiveness, a preference for residential withdrawal management, and delays in initiating MOUD. Innovation is needed in strategies to deliver MOUD and harm reduction in South Africa.
Description
DATA AVAILABILITY STATEMENT : The de-identified datasets used and/or analyzed in the current article are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request. The qualitative datasets are not publicly available to protect the participants’ privacy and confidentiality, particularly given the small sample size and the study’s geographic specificity. Study participants with stigmatized traits disclosed rich, detailed, and sensitive information that may unintentionally reveal their identities.
Keywords
Opioid use, Medication for opioid use disorder (MOUD), Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), Antiretroviral therapy (ART), Methadone, Correctional facilities, South Africa (SA), Correctional health care
Sustainable Development Goals
SDG-03: Good health and well-being
Citation
Bhoora, U., An, Y., Owczarzak, J. et al. 2025, 'Pilot of methadone for recently incarcerated people with human immunodeficiency virus and opioid use in South Africa', Journal of Correctional Health Care, doi : 10.1089/jchc.24.11.0096.