The impact of digital engagement on substance use treatment success
Research type
Research Study
Full title
An evaluation of the impact of the use of digital engagement on treatment progress completion and sustained recovery in a sample of drug users
IRAS ID
143570
Contact name
Paul Duffy
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Public Health England
Research summary
Public Health England have awarded drug services in Bradford and Darlington ’pilot site’ status to test the benefits of using a modified mobile phone to increase contact between services and clients outside therapeutic contact. The aim of this pilot study is to see if the use of the modified mobile phone enables enhanced client attendance, better treatment progress, successful treatment completions and lower rates of relapse. This information will be gathered through existing systems in the drug treatment service designed to collect this routine data. The number of clients receiving the mobile phone will be matched by the same number in each service who do not receive it (49 intervention, 49 standard care per site - total of 196 participants across the two sites). This enables a comparison between the two groups to be made in terms of outcomes. \nThere will also be an examination of the clients’ views of the usefulness and acceptability (or not) of the use of the mobile phones. This information will be gathered through face to face interviews with approximately 12-15 clients in each site, on a voluntary basis, who are using the mobile phone. The interviews will be undertaken by a researcher from the University of Bradford (Bradford) and from the Bayswater Institute (Darlington). \nThree focus groups will be undertaken in Bradford and two in Darlington with staff involved in supporting the 49 clients in each site using the mobile phone. This will enable key workers’ views to be taken into account and analysed regarding the usefulness and acceptability (or not) of the use of the mobile phones. All information will be collated and written into a report and disseminated.
REC name
East of England - Cambridgeshire and Hertfordshire Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
13/EE/0451
Date of REC Opinion
17 Dec 2013
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion