This PhD project conducted by Dr Thu Vuong compared the cost-effectiveness of two heroin dependence treatment approaches in Vietnam: compulsory centre-based rehabilitation and voluntary community-based methadone treatment.
This project examined the comparative cost-effectiveness of each approach by conducting a three-year cohort study of people in compulsory treatment and voluntary methadone programs in Vietnam. Outcomes were analysed through mixed effects regression and an incremental cost-effectiveness ratio.
The findings from this project showed that voluntary methadone treatment was both less expensive and more effective than compulsory treatment for heroin dependence, with methadone treatment costing an average of over 85 million (VND) less, and those in methadone treatment had an average of 344 more drug-free days.
The study findings provided a scientifically solid avenue for policy reform. Results were presented to Vietnamese government officials in 2014/15, and
Vietnam Government investment in methadone treatment tripled between 2015 and 2017.
Thu Vuong is a Biostatistician at the Agency for Clinical Innovation, at the NSW Ministry of Health.
Social Policy Research Centre
Drug Policy Modelling Program
2012 to 2016
Vuong, T. (2016). Economic evaluation comparing the cost-effectiveness of center-based compulsory rehabilitation (CCT) and voluntary community-based methadone maintenance treatment (MMT) in Hai Phong City, Vietnam. Doctoral thesis, UNSW Sydney. https://doi.org/10.26190/unsworks/18990
Vuong, T., Ritter, A., Shanahan, M., Ali, R., Nguyen, N. and Minh, K.P. (2020), Quality of life as a predictor of time to heroin relapse among male residents following release from compulsory rehabilitation centres in Vietnam. Drug and Alcohol Review. https://doi.org/10.1111/dar.13176
Vuong, T., Ritter, A., Shanahan, M., Ali, R, Nguyen, N., Pham, K., Vuong, T.T.A., Giang, L. (2018) Outcomes of compulsory detention compared to community-based voluntary methadone maintenance treatment in Vietnam. Journal of Substance Abuse Treatment. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jsat.2018.01.011
Vuong, T., Ritter, A., Nguyen, N., & Ali, R. (2017) Strengthening advocacy efforts with empirical evidence: a case example of the conduct, uptake and utilisation of research in drug policy decision-making in Vietnam. International Journal of Drug Policy. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.drugpo.2017.07.029
Vuong, T., Nguyen, N., Le, G., Shanahan, M., Ali, R., & Ritter, A. (2017). The political and scientific challenges in evaluating compulsory drug treatment centers in Southeast Asia. Harm Reduction Journal. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12954-016-0130-1
Vuong, T., Shanahan, M. Nguyen, N., Le, G. Ali, R. Pham, K., Vuong, T., Dinh, T. & Ritter, A. (2016). Cost-effectiveness of center-based compulsory rehabilitation compared to community-based voluntary methadone maintenance treatment in Hai Phong City, Vietnam. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2016.09.008
The Australian Government Endeavour Postgraduate Award; NDARC PhD scholarship; funding from Atlantic Philanthropies
