Abstract
BackgroundSocial support plays a crucial role in the treatment and recovery process of patients engaging in methadone maintenance treatment (MMT). However, there is a paucity of research about social support among MMT patients, possibly due to a lack of appropriate measuring tools. This study aimed to evaluate the psychometric properties of the Vietnamese version of the Medical Outcomes Study: Social Support Survey (MOS-SSS) among MMT patients.MethodsA cross-sectional survey of 300 patients was conducted in a methadone clinic in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. MMT patients who agreed to participate in the study completed a face-to-face interview in a private room. The MOS-SSS was translated into Vietnamese using standard forward-backward process. Internal consistency was measured by Cronbach’s alpha. The intra-class correlation coefficient was used to determine the test-retest reliability of the MOS-SSS in 75 participants two weeks after the first survey. Concurrent validity of the MOS-SSS was evaluated by correlations with the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS) and the Perceived Stigma of Addiction Scale (PSAS). Construct validity was investigated by confirmatory factor analysis.ResultsThe MOS-SSS had good internal consistency with Cronbach’s alpha from 0.95 to 0.97 for the four subscales and 0.97 for the overall scale. The two-week test-retest reliability was at moderate level with intra-class correlation coefficients of 0.61–0.73 for the four subscales and 0.76 for the overall scale. Strong significant correlations between the MOS-SSS and the MSPSS (r = 0.77; p < 0.001) and the PSAS (r = − 0.76; p < 0.001) indicated good concurrent validity. Construct validity of the MOS-SSS was established since a final four-factor model fitted the data well with Comparative Fit Index (0.97), Tucker-Lewis Index (0.97), Standardized Root Mean Square Residual (0.03) and Root Mean Square Error of Approximation (0.068; 90% CI = 0.059–0.077).ConclusionsThe MOS-SSS is a reliable and valid tool for measuring social support in Vietnamese MMT patients. Further studies among methadone patients at different stages of their treatment and among those from different areas of Vietnam are needed.
Highlights
Social support plays a crucial role in the treatment and recovery process of patients engaging in methadone maintenance treatment (MMT)
In Vietnam, people who inject drugs have been found to be the primary drivers of the Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) epidemic, accounting for 34% of new HIV cases [5] and approximately 65% of all people living with HIV [6]
The Comparative Fit Index (CFI) (0.97), Tucker-Lewis Index (TLI) (0.97), Standardized root mean square residual (SRMR) (0.03), and Root Mean Square Error of Approximation (RMSEA) (0.068; 90% CI = 0.059–0.077) all revealed a good fit for the model specified (Fig 1)
Summary
Social support plays a crucial role in the treatment and recovery process of patients engaging in methadone maintenance treatment (MMT). This study aimed to evaluate the psychometric properties of the Vietnamese version of the Medical Outcomes Study: Social Support Survey (MOS-SSS) among MMT patients. In Vietnam, people who inject drugs have been found to be the primary drivers of the HIV epidemic, accounting for 34% of new HIV cases [5] and approximately 65% of all people living with HIV [6] To address this issue, the methadone treatment has been considered as a priority in Vietnam due to its high degree of effectiveness in reducing the frequency of illicit drug use, HIV-related risk behaviors and illegal activities, and in improving the general health and quality of life among drug users [7,8,9,10]. A higher score indicates higher level of social support that patients perceive [18]
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