Table 5:

Themes 4–6 and their associated numbers and votes

Theme 4: Convenience		Theme 5: Managing Expectations		Theme 6: Trading One Addiction for Another
Response	Votes	Response	Votes	Response	Votes
Q1: Considerations for starting any medication treatment?
Treatment requires daily dosing, time, travel, energy, commitment	7	The dose seems to have a different effect everyday	7	You become dependent on the medication, you worry about withdrawals if you stop taking it or skip a dose.	16
		The medication effect may not meet expectations, a dose’s effect may not as long as you are told it should	3	There can be fear, shame, and embarrassment about joining a treatment program	2
		You may still have cravings even after starting treatment	3
Q2: What are the pros and cons of methadone?
Requires daily visits to treatment center for some time, unable to travel, time consuming, impacts work, feels like “handcuffs”	24	You may not be ready still, “not ready to let go,” you still want the drug of addiction	2	You are dependent on the medication, you worry about withdrawals and it is hard to stop or switch to another medication	20
Q2: What are the pros and cons of buprenorphine-naloxone sublingual?
Does not require daily site visit	3
Q2: What are the pros and cons of injected naltrexone?
Once a month dosing is convenient, provides freedom, saves time and money by not requiring frequent visit	16	Too unfamiliar with this medication to have any expectations on the pros and cons	18
This medication is so long acting, you may forget and miss dosing on time	3	Unable to continue using drugs if one is not ready to stop	8
Q2: what are the pros and cons of implantable buprenorphine?
Dosing only twice a year, no need to travel to any site frequently	5	This medication contains similarities to the familiar medication of Suboxone (buprenorphine-naloxone SL)	5