Table 2.

Importance of reasons for choosing buprenorphine over methadone among new admissions to treatment with buprenorphine (n=80).

	Not at all Important %	A Little Important %	Very Important %
Positive Buprenorphine Experiences (self and others)
You heard good things about buprenorphine and thought it may work for you.	10.0	16.3	73.8
You know people on buprenorphine who have been successful.	8.8	22.5	68.8
You tried buprenorphine on the street and it worked.	15.0	11.3	73.8
Treatment Delivery Structure
You get take-home doses sooner with buprenorphine.	68.8	10.0	21.3
The rules at methadone programs are too strict.	91.3	1.3	7.5
Methadone programs are too crowded.	85.0	10.0	5.0
There is too much counseling with methadone treatment.	88.8	6.3	5.0
Methadone treatment is too expensive.	88.8	3.8	7.5
Pharmacological and Health Effects
You don't like how methadone makes you feel.	25.0	15.0	60.0
Methadone is bad for you physically.	5.0	10.0	85.0
The withdrawal from methadone is worse than with buprenorphine.	8.8	13.8	77.5
You have to stay on methadone too long.	35.0	12.5	52.5
Methadone Stigma
People on methadone aren't really clean.	46.3	20.0	33.8
People at methadone clinics aren't serious about recovery.	58.8	22.5	18.8
Other people (like friends, family or probation/parole officers) would not want you to take methadone.	56.3	12.5	31.3
You think methadone treatment is a “last resort” for people who can't stop using by any other means.	53.8	20.0	26.0

Interviewer's instructions, read verbatim: “I am going to list some other reasons that people may have for choosing buprenorphine treatment over methadone. For each reason I list, please tell me if the reason was not at all important, a little important, or very important.”