Efficacy of text-messages in helping former patients (previously treated in addiction centers) to maintain their substance use goal

• Register: ISRCTN
• Last refreshed on: 17 August 2021
• Main ID: ISRCTN17228973
• Date of registration: 12/07/2017
• Prospective Registration: Yes
• Primary sponsor: Swiss Research Institute for Public Health and Addiction ISGF
• Public title: Efficacy of text-messages in helping former patients (previously treated in addiction centers) to maintain their substance use goal
• Scientific title: Efficacy of text messaging-based aftercare following inpatient addiction treatment - DASA (Drug Alcohol SMS Aftercare): a randomised controlled trial
• Date of first enrolment: 01/08/2017
• Target sample size: 554
• Recruitment status: Stopped
• URL: https://www.isrctn.com/ISRCTN17228973
• Study type: Interventional
• Study design: Multicentre randomised active-controlled parallel-group trial (Prevention)
• Phase: Not Applicable

Countries of recruitment

Switzerland

Contacts

• Name: Susanne Schaaf

Key inclusion & exclusion criteria

Inclusion criteria:
1. Age >=18 years
2. Residential treatment will presumably be finished within one week
3. Main problem substances at beginning of treatment: opioids, cocaine, cannabis or alcohol
4. Personally set goals: abstinence (re. illegal substances and alcohol) or controlled drinking respectively
5. Owning a mobile phone

Exclusion criteria: Cognitive or linguistic deficits or health impairments which impede following the SMS dialogue

Age minimum:
Age maximum:
Gender: Both

Health Condition(s) or Problem(s) studied

Relapse prevention for former patients who completed addiction treatment successfully
Mental and Behavioural Disorders
Mental and behavioural disorders due to psychoactive substance use

Intervention(s)

Randomisation will be undertaken centrally by the Swiss Reasearch Institute for Public Health an Addiction ISGF. The questionnaires will be handed out to the participating treatment centers, and will be stratified by gender and main problem substance of patients, resulting in four combinations: a) female, alcohol, b) male, alcohol, c) female, drug (not-prescribed opiates, cocaine or cannabis), c) male, drug (ditto). Within each combination, the questionnaires are - according to the randomisation list - assigned to either control group or intervention group. The therapist fills in the questionnaire together with the client. The allocation to the study group will be disclosed on the last page of the questionnaire

The patients will be randomly assigned to one of two study groups shortly before leaving the treatment center:
1. Minimal/standardised intervention control group (CG): automatically generated, standardised text-messages, standardised supportive messages: first weekly, then biweekly SMS regarding maintenance of abstinence or controlled alcohol use respectively; support from advisor on demand
2. Intervention group (IG): semi-automatically generated, individualised text-messages: first weekly, then bi-weekly SMS regarding maintenance of abstinence resp. controlled alcohol use; individualised supportive text-messages reward, coping strategies) and active contacting by advisor in case of not-maintaining abstinence resp. controlled alcohol use.

SMS messages will be sent for a period of six months after patients have left treatment, first weekly, then biweekly.

The primary outcome measures are assessed at 6-months follow up. Frequency of use of the respective main probl

Primary Outcome(s)

Maintenance of abstinence (illegal substances such as opiates, cocaine, cannabis; legal substance: alcohol) or maintenance of controlled drinking (depending on personal goals) during the 6 months following inpatient treatment, assessed by self-report at 6-months follow up

Secondary Outcome(s)

1. Retention to intervention program (intervention group vs control group), assessed by measuring the proportion of participants which did not actively discontinue programme participation during the study period of 6 months by informing the study center via phone, text message or e-mail
2. 7-day and 30-day point prevalence abstinence and maintenance of controlled drinking, respectively, assessed by self-report at 6-months follow up
3. Acceptance of intervention program by former patients (intervention group vs control group), assessed using the log files of the text messaging system during the study period of 6 months

Secondary ID(s)

PEG201410

Source(s) of Monetary Support

Federal Office of Public Health (FOPH)

Ethics review

Status:
Approval date:
Contact:

Ethics Committee Zurich (lead committee), 19/06/2017, ref: PB_2016_02180

Results

• Results available: Yes
• Date Completed: 31/07/2020