| Objectives The effects of regular methadone maintenance treatment (MMT) were evaluated. The AIDS-related knowledge and risk behaviors, the retention rate, and the family and social functions of the outpatients were investigated. The effects of behavioral interventions implemented in this study were analyzed. The effective interventions were also explored to provide scientific theoretical basis for promotion.Methods 1713 outpatients were recruited in ten clinics, which were selected depend on period (>2 years),number of outpatients (>150) and rate of HIV infection (>15%). The baseline data were collected by the uniform questionnaire survey, and the outpatients'blood specimen were collected for test of antibodies of HIV, HCV and syphilis. According to the number of outpatients and HIV infection rate,these clinics were then assigned to 5 pairs and divided into two groups randomly, intervention group and control group. The control group were received regular MMT, and the intervention group were received additional interventions including: raise the dose of methadone, increase the urine morphine testing, enhance the psychological counseling and support, promote the family participation and family support, as well as regular MMT. Both of intervention group and control group were evaluated by questionnaire surving and serological testing, after 6 months treatment of behavioral interventions. The data were logged by Epidata 3.1, and all analyses were conducted by using the SPSS13.0 software. Student's t test or Wilcoxon rank sum test were using to conduct the continuous variables analysis, and Chi-square test was for categorical variables.Results The mean score on the AIDS-related knwoledge was more than 7 points. The retention rate (68.90%) in intervention goup was significantly higher than the one (63.91%)in control group (P<0.05). The percentage of outpatients who never use condoms was 25.71 percent to 63.32 percent, there was no significant difference between control group and intervention group, as well as before and after MMT (P>0.05). The heroin lapse rate declined from 55.27% before intervention to 38.86% after intervention which was significantly lower than the rate of 65.80% in control group (P<0.05). The proportion of outpatients who self-reported sharing needle in the past 30 days was declined from 1.24% before intervention to 0.18% after intervention (P<0.05). The median dose of outpatients in two groups was between 50.00 mg/d and 58.00 mg/d. Compared the proportions of outpatients who hold the belief that MMT is long-term maintenance treatment in control group and intervention group, which rised from 88.85% and 83.40% in baseline to 92.40% and 93.17% follow-up (P<0.05), respectively. The proportion of outpatients who plan adhering to long-term maintenance treatment in intervention group was significantly higher than the one in control group (P<0.05). HIV incidence in control group and intervention group were 0.98 per 100 person-years and 0.52 per 100 person-years, respectively.Conclusions The drop-out of outpatients is serious, so we need to enhance valid interventions to improve the compliance. The interventions should be promoted to other clinics which would play an active role in improving retention, decreasing heroin lapse rate, enhancing the understanding of MMT, and reducing HIV incidence. Howere it is not effective on decreasing high risk behaviors, improving family and social function, therefore we need to explore more feasible and effective interventions in future.
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