Minimum recommended physical activity, and perceived barriers and benefits of exercise in methadone maintained persons

Abstract

Methadone-maintained persons are at increased risk for many physical and mental health disorders compared to the general population. Increased physical activity could offset these risks. We assessed physical activity level, and perceived benefits and barriers to exercise in a group of 305 methadone-maintained smokers. Mean participant age was 39.9 years of age, 50.2% were male, 79.7% were non-Hispanic White, and mean body mass index was 29.8. Nearly 45% endorsed fair or poor physical health. Although participants perceived many benefits of exercise and few barriers, only 38% of participants met weekly recommendations for physical activity, and nearly 25% reported no physical activity. Those who met recommended guidelines were significantly more likely to endorse relapse prevention as a benefit of exercise. Motivating MMT patients to increase physical activity could have important physical, mental health, and drug treatment benefits.

Physical activity, psychiatric distress, and interest in exercise group participation among individuals seeking methadone maintenance treatment with and without chronic pain

“…Most participants reported little or no past‐week moderate or vigorous physical activity, and thus appear to be inactive or sedentary . In the current study of individuals seeking MMT, a lower proportion (27%) met recommended weekly physical activity levels compared to a prior study of patients enrolled in MMT for at least 1 month . Differences in the patient population, measures used to measure physical activity, or treatment status at the time of assessment (newly enrolling or currently receiving MMT) may account for these differences.…”

“…The promotion of exercise in MMT programs may be particularly timely because a recent study of methadone‐maintained participants found that the majority did not meet recommended weekly levels of physical activity . While exercise has been proposed as an intervention for enhacing the psychological functioning of patients in MMT and for managing pain in those with co‐occurring chronic pain and opioid use disorder, few studies have examined the feasibility, acceptability, or efficacy of these approaches .…”

Perceived stress and substance use in methadone-maintained smokers

“…Participants were 315 adult outpatient cigarette smokers recruited from nine MMTPs in the northeast U.S. for a smoking cessation study (Caviness et al, 2013a, 2013b). Eligibility criteria included: (1) being over 18 years of age; (2) being a current, regular smoker (at least 10 cigs/day for the past 3 months); (3) speaking English or Spanish; (4) having received methadone for at least the last month; (5) agreeing to be available for 12 months; and, (6) willingness to set a quit date seven days after the baseline assessment.…”

Inmates with Harmful Substance Use Increase both Exercise and Nicotine Use under Incarceration

“…Despite this consensus, people with harmful substance use typically report far lower rates of exercise than the general population [8]. This is true for out-of-treatment users, inpatients [16,17], and outpatients [16], with mixed evidence from inmates [18,19]. Substance use disorders are the most common mental disorders among inmates, with pooled estimates of a 51% prevalence of drug use disorders worldwide, and a 24% prevalence of alcohol use disorder [20].…”