This research is being done to compare the effectiveness of standard on-site, in-person counseling with Internet web-based videoconferencing (e-therapy) in drug-dependent patients in opioid-agonist treatment programs. The study is looking to see if there are any differences in satisfaction or in treatment outcome if counseling sessions are given by e-therapy compared to standard, in-person counseling given in the clinic. The e-therapy happens in real time- it works very much like standard therapy in the clinic except that the patient is in his or her own home (or other convenient location outside the clinic) and talks to and sees the therapist through an Internet connection on the computer (the therapist will usually be at the clinic).
Allocation: Randomized
Endpoint Classification: Efficacy Study
Intervention Model: Parallel Assignment
Masking: Open Label
Primary Purpose: Health Services Research
Official Title:
Improving
Substance Abuse Counseling Adherence Using Web-based Videoconferencing
Further study details as provided by Johns Hopkins University:
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Primary Outcome Measures:
Counseling efficacy [ Time Frame: Weekly for 12 weeks ] [ Designated as safety issue: No ]
Attendance to individual counseling sessions, both online and on-site will be tracked weekly for the duration of the study.
Reinforcement value (eGetgoing) [ Time Frame: Monthly for 3 months ] [ Designated as safety issue: No ]
Subjects will complete monthly surveys to evaluate the reinforcement value of eGetgoing using a multiple choice design that will compare its perceived value to other aspects of routine treatment (e.g., take-home medications).
Reinforcement value (on-site) [ Time Frame: Baseline ] [ Designated as safety issue: No ]
Subjects will complete a survey to evaluate the reinforcement value of eGetgoing using a multiple choice design that will compare its perceived value to other aspects of routine treatment (e.g., take-home medications).
Secondary Outcome Measures:
Program Satisfaction [ Time Frame: Baseline and monthly for 3 months ] [ Designated as safety issue: No ]
Subjects will complete a survey to assess their overall program satisfaction
Treatment cost [ Time Frame: Baseline and Month 3 ] [ Designated as safety issue: No ]
Subjects will complete surveys to measure treatment related time and monetary travel costs.
Therapeutic relationship [ Time Frame: Baseline and monthly for 3 months ] [ Designated as safety issue: No ]
Subjects and their therapists will complete surveys to assess qualities of the therapeutic relationship.
Estimated Enrollment:
100
Study Start Date:
December 2009
Estimated Primary Completion Date:
August 2011 (Final data collection date for primary outcome measure)
Subjects will assigned to use an accredited web-based platform (eGetgoingTM, CRC Health Group, Inc.) to deliver routine substance abuse counseling.
Behavioral: eGet
eGet individual counseling sessions from home will be scheduled weekly for 12 weeks.
Routine on-site: No Intervention
Subjects will attend routine face-to-face individual counseling sessions.
Detailed Description:
This study will be the first to evaluate the efficacy of an accredited and currently available, Internet web-based videoconferencing platform to deliver routine schedules of counseling in an opioid agonist treatment program. It has outstanding potential to help determine transportability of this technology to other treatment programs by demonstrating the benefits of integration of web-based therapy with on-site services to expand the continuum of care.
Eligibility
Ages Eligible for Study:
18 Years to 65 Years
Genders Eligible for Study:
Both
Accepts Healthy Volunteers:
No
Criteria
Inclusion Criteria:
Access to a computer with Internet capability
Full adherence to their routine counseling schedule over the previous 30-days
Negative urine specimens over the previous 30-days
Patient at ATS for 90 days
Exclusion Criteria:
No access to a computer with Internet capability
Contacts and Locations
Please refer to this study by its ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT01142609
