Characteristics and treatment outcome of older methadone-maintenance patients.

OBJECTIVE: There are over 160,000 persons receiving methadone maintenance treatment in the United States. Surveys indicate that 5% to 6% of these patients are older than age 55. Authors hypothesized, from a survey of methadone programs, that methadone patients older than age 55 would have higher rates of medical and psychiatric problems and higher rates of unemployment, and would do less well in treatment, as compared with their younger counterparts. METHODS: Authors reviewed 759 consecutive admissions to a Midwestern methadone-maintenance program. RESULTS: It was unexpectedly found that patients older than age 55 (N=54) were not different from their younger counterparts in terms of medical and psychiatric problems or employment; they were more likely to be married, and did significantly better in treatment. CONCLUSIONS: Older methadone patients may, in fact, have fewer problems and do well in treatment. This finding has implications regarding allocation of resources for methadone programs serving these patients.