Peer Support for Opioid Use Disorders: Feasibility and Acceptability of a Moderated Text-Based Group Chat Application
*Corresponding Author: Francesca L. Beaudoin, Department of Psychiatry, Brown-Lifespan Center for Digital Health, Providence, AZ USA, Email: Francesca_Beaudoin@brown.edu
Copyright: © 2021 . This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.
Abstract
Purpose: To elucidate key elements surrounding acceptability/feasibility, usability, and features of a smartphone-based mobile peer support application for adults engaged in treatment for opioid use disorder.
Methods: We recruited adults engaged in treatment for opioid use disorder, during the course of usual care, at a hospital-affiliated outpatient clinic. Participants piloted a smartphone-based mobile peer support application for six weeks and completed semi-structured interviews exploring usability and acceptability of the mobile platform. Interviews were conducted by trained interviewers, audio-recorded, and transcribed verbatim. A coding structure was iteratively developed using Framework Analysis focusing on feasibility and acceptability of the app and recommendations for improvement.
Results: Saturation was reached after 20 interviews (mean age 43.1; 60% white; 15% Hispanic/Latinx; 55% late in recovery; 55% high engagement users). Qualitatively, participants articulated (1) Acceptability/feasibility themes: benefits, challenges, feature recommendations; and (2) Emergent themes: support and alternative treatment option. Quantitative measures indicated feasibility with a total of 2,436 messages sent over the study period.
Conclusion: Adults engaged in medication for opioid use disorder expressed high degree of user satisfaction about a smartphone-based mobile peer support application. Incorporating thematic results on participants’ experiences and interactions with the peer support application and the application’s role in recovery efforts can inform development of future mobile-peer support applications for adults engaged in medication for opioid use disorder. Concerns about activity in peer support groups may be addressed through structured support from a moderator or designatedtimeframes to go online.
