Salient beliefs related to secondary distribution of COVID-19 self-test kits within social networks.

Background: Widespread access to testing is critical to public health efforts to control the COVID-19 pandemic. Secondary distribution of COVID-19 self-test kits, where an individual distributes test kits to others in their social networks, is a potential strategy to improve access to testing. In this qualitative study, we identified salient beliefs about distributing and accepting COVID-19 self-test kits within one's social network, as well as ordering COVID-19 self-test kits from the government. Methods: We recruited 61 participants from a randomized controlled trial (NCT04797858) in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to elicit beliefs about (1) distributing COVID-19 self-test kits within one's social network, (2) receiving test kits from social contacts, and (3) ordering self-test kits from the government. Using validated, open-ended question stems, we identified the most common set of beliefs underlying attitudes, perceived norms (or social referents), and perceived behavioral control (or self-efficacy) toward each of these behaviors. Results: Twenty-seven out of 30 (90%) of participants who received self-test kits reported distributing the kits to social contacts. These participants described altruistic beliefs about giving others access to testing, and felt approval from family members, friends, and others in their social networks. When receiving test kits from social network contacts, participants described advantages of test kit convenience, but some voiced concern about test kit tampering and confusing instructions. Participants also described perceived logistic barriers to distributing and receiving self-test kits, such as delivering or transporting test kits, or finding time to meet. Participants who ordered test kits from the government also described increased convenience of test access, but described different logistic barriers such as delays in test kit delivery, or not receiving test kits at all. Conclusion: In comparison with government-ordered test kits, the secondary distribution of COVID-19 self-test kits raised unique concerns about test kit quality and instructions, as well as distinctive logistic barriers related to distributing self-test kits to network contacts, which were not raised for test kits ordered from the government. This study demonstrates that beliefs may vary depending on the type of testing behavior, and behavioral interventions may benefit from developing messages tailored to specific testing strategies.

Nonopioid Substance Use among Patients Who Recently Initiated Office-based Buprenorphine Treatment.

OBJECTIVES: Medications for opioid use disorder (MOUDs) like buprenorphine are a first-line treatment for individuals who have opioid use disorder (OUD); however, these medications are not designed to impact the use of other classes of drugs. This descriptive study provides up-to-date information about nonopioid substance use among patients who recently initiated office-based buprenorphine treatment for OUD using data from 2 ongoing clinical trials. METHODS: The study sample was composed of 257 patients from 6 federally qualified health centers in the mid-Atlantic region who recently (i.e., within the past 28 days) initiated office-based buprenorphine treatment between July 2020 and May 2022. After the screening and informed consent processes, participants completed a urine drug screen and psychosocial interview as a part of the study baseline assessment. Descriptive analyses were performed on urine drug screen results to identify the prevalence and types of substances detected. RESULTS: More than half of participants provided urine specimens that were positive for nonopioid substances, with marijuana (37%, n = 95), cocaine (22%, n = 56), and benzodiazepines (11%, n = 28) detected with the highest frequencies. CONCLUSIONS: A significant number of participants used nonopioid substances after initiating buprenorphine treatment, suggesting that some patients receiving MOUDs could potentially benefit from adjunctive psychosocial treatment and supports to address their nonopioid substance use.

Prevalence and predictors of suicidality among adults initiating office-based buprenorphine.

BACKGROUND: Individuals who have substance use disorders may have an elevated risk of suicidality. This study sought to examine the prevalence of, and identify factors associated with, suicidality in adults with opioid use disorder (OUD) initiating office-based buprenorphine treatment. METHODS: Individuals were eligible to participate if they had OUD and had initiated treatment in the past month. Participants (n = 244) completed a semi-structured interview using the Addiction Severity Index-Lite. RESULTS: At baseline, 37.70% of participants reported significant thoughts of suicide over their lifetime and 27.46% reported suicidal attempts over their lifetime. Logistic regression analyses were used to identify predictors of lifetime suicidal thoughts and attempts. A history of physical abuse (OR = 4.31, p < .001), having chronic pain-related conditions (OR = 3.28, p < .001), a history of depression (OR = 3.30, p = .001) or anxiety (OR = 7.47, p = .001), and Latino/a/x ethnicity (OR = 2.66, p = .01) were associated with an increased risk of lifetime suicidal thoughts. A history of sexual abuse (OR = 2.89, p = .01), Latino/a/x ethnicity (OR = 4.01, p < .001), a history of depression (OR = 4.03, p = .001) or anxiety (OR = 15.65, p = .007) and having a chronic pain-related condition (OR = 2.43, p = .01), were associated with an increased risk of lifetime suicide attempts. CONCLUSIONS: Results demonstrate the high prevalence of suicidal thoughts and attempts among patients initiating buprenorphine. Findings may help to better identify at-risk patients and to inform screening, prevention, and mental health treatment efforts. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT04650386 (registered 12 December 2020, https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04650386 ) and NCT04257214 (registered 5 February 2020, https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04257214 ).

The development, implementation and early learnings of a training program to advance interest in behavioral research careers among undergraduate BIPOC students majoring in psychology.

OBJECTIVES: Black, indigenous and people of color (BIPOC) remain underrepresented in research occupations. This report discusses a collaboration to train undergraduate BIPOC students in clinical research between a public health institute, two medical schools, and a historically Black College or University (HBCU). This nine-month program trained BIPOC undergraduates in research methodology, psychology, and addiction science, and immersed trainees in real-world research. The program included didactic seminars, experiential activities, and a mentored research project culminating in a poster and oral presentation. METHODS: Key learnings, program satisfaction survey results, and preliminary outcomes from the first three program cohorts (N = 6 students) are presented. This program addressed several barriers hypothesized to contribute to the limited number of BIPOC students pursuing research careers, including mentorship from BIPOC faculty and financial concerns. RESULTS: Students reported moderate to high satisfaction with the program and endorsed gaining new research skills. Limitations and future directions are discussed. CONCLUSION: The expansion of the BIPOC health and research workforce is an urgent priority given the importance of BIPOC professionals to the health of our nation. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT04650386.

Weight stability in adults with obesity initiating medical marijuana treatment for other medical conditions.

Few studies have evaluated weight change in patients who initiate medical marijuana treatment to address diagnosed health concerns. The objective of this study was to examine whether patients initiating medical marijuana use for a qualifying health condition experienced changes in health and biopsychosocial functioning over time, including weight gain or loss. Specifically, this observational, longitudinal study evaluated changes in the body mass index (BMI) of adults with co-morbid obesity (body mass index [BMI] ≥ 30 kg/m2) and severe obesity (BMI ≥ 40 kg/m2) who were starting medical marijuana treatment for any of the 23 qualifying medical conditions at one of three dispensaries in Pennsylvania. Height and weight measurements were collected at baseline (prior to medical marijuana use) and then 90 days (± 14 days) later. Participants included in analyses (n = 52, M = 55.0 ± 13.6 years, 59.6% female) had a mean baseline BMI of 36.2 ± 5.4 kg/m2 and the majority sought medical marijuana for chronic pain (73.1%). No significant change in BMI was observed from baseline to month three (p > 0.05) in the sample. Additionally, no significant change in BMI was observed in the subset of patients with severe obesity (n = 12, p > 0.05). Our findings are limited by low follow-up rates and convenience sampling methodology but may help to mitigate weight gain concerns in the context of medical marijuana use.

Clinical Characteristics and Quality of Life in Adults Initiating Medical Marijuana Treatment.

Introduction: Despite the rising availability and use of medical marijuana (MM) in the USA, little is known about the demographics, clinical characteristics, or quality of life of MM patients. This study describes the demographic characteristics and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) of MM patients who are initiating treatment in Pennsylvania. Methods: Two-hundred adults naive to MM and referred for any of the 23 state-approved qualifying conditions were recruited at three MM dispensaries in Pennsylvania between September 2020 and March 2021. All participants consented to the study; completed semi-structured interviews that included demographic questionnaires, the Short Form-36 (SF-36), and Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7); provided height and weight measurements; and allowed access their dispensary medical records. Results: Participants had a mean age of 48.5 ± 15.6 years, predominantly identified as female (67.5%), and were most commonly referred for chronic pain (63.5%) and/or anxiety (58.5%). Additionally, 46.0% were living with obesity as determined by BMI. Relative to a normative sample, participants reported diminished HRQoL in several domains, most notably in role limitations due to physical health (M = 46.0 ± 42.0), role limitations due to emotional problems (M = 52.5 ± 42.3), energy and fatigue (M = 39.8 ± 20.2), and pain (M = 49.4 ± 26.0). Discussion/Conclusion: Patients initiating MM treatment experienced low HRQoL in multiple domains. Future studies could evaluate the relationship between HRQoL and patients' decisions to pursue MM treatment, as well as changes in HRQoL with MM use over time.

David S. Festinger (1962-2021).

Memorializes David S. Festinger (1962-2021). He was best known for the impacts of his research contributions in the area of substance abuse treatment-particularly around issues of law and ethics. His interest in researching and promoting ethical principles for research participants was strongly influenced by the experiences of his parents, who were both Holocaust survivors. He served as principal or co-investigator on over 20 National Institutes of Health-funded grants and numerous contracts and grants from other funding agencies. Most of Dr. Festinger's career was spent with the Treatment Research Institute in Philadelphia. His final affiliation was with the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine, where he conducted research, taught students, and provided clinical supervision to trainees and early career practitioners. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved).

The COVID-19 Self-Testing through Rapid Network Distribution (C-STRAND) trial: A randomized controlled trial to increase COVID-19 testing in underserved populations.

Background Widely available population testing is critical to public health efforts to control the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. However, COVID-19 testing has been low in underserved communities disproportionately affected by COVID-19. One approach to increase testing rates is through the secondary distribution of self-collection kits, where an individual distributes test kits to contacts in their social network and encourages them to self-collect test specimens. We outline a randomized clinical trial, COVID-19 Self-testing Through Rapid Network Distribution (C-STRAND), and a cohort study of individuals with COVID-19, to determine the impact of a secondary distribution strategy on COVID-19 testing among medically underserved populations. Methods The clinical trial will seek to enroll 1048 adult index participants from federally health qualified centers in Philadelphia, PA seeking COVID-19 testing. Eligible participants will be randomized 1:1 to receive multiple self-collection test kits or multiple referrals for standard clinic-based tests to distribute to contacts within their social network. The primary outcome will be testing among at least two network contacts at 8 weeks. Index participants and network contacts who test positive for COVID-19 from C-STRAND will be eligible to join the COVID-19 Close Contact Self-testing Study (CloseST), assessing the secondary distribution of self-collection test kits among individuals with COVID-19. The primary outcome of this cohort will be the number of close contacts who test positive at 8 weeks. Conclusion Novel strategies to promote COVID-19 testing are necessary, particularly among underserved populations most affected by COVID-19. We will determine the efficacy of a self-testing secondary distribution strategy. The results may inform efforts to increase testing rates during the current pandemic.

Examining the use of visual performance feedback in drug treatment court.

A key component of drug courts is regular status hearings in which the judge reviews client progress and imposes sanctions or rewards for infractions or achievements; however, little is known about whether drug court clients fully understand the reasons for judicial responses and make clear connections between their behavior and judicially imposed consequences. Thus, we hypothesized that providing graphic performance feedback would improve clients' perceptions of procedural justice and increase the likelihood of success. This study examines the feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary efficacy of a visual performance feedback (VPF) procedure designed to improve judge-client communication during status hearings. Seventy-five adult misdemeanor drug court participants were randomized to a VPF (n = 37) or status hearings as usual (n = 38) condition. In the VPF condition, the judge projected and described two graphs for each client (i.e., abstinence rates, treatment attendance for the past two months). Outcomes included feasibility, client and stakeholder acceptability, urinalysis-confirmed abstinence, treatment attendance, perceptions of procedural justice, and duration of client-judge interactions. Findings revealed a high level of judge adherence to the VPF (feasibility), client and stakeholder acceptability of the VPF procedure, and significantly longer client-judge interactions in the VPF condition. No significant differences were observed for client-level efficacy outcomes. Overall, this study demonstrated that providing VPF to drug court clients during judicial status hearings is feasible and acceptable. Future fully powered trials of the VPF procedure are needed to further examine its efficacy in improving outcomes for drug court clients. (PsycINFO Database Record

Analyzing components of Community Reinforcement and Family Training (CRAFT): Is treatment entry training sufficient?

Community Reinforcement and Family Training (CRAFT) assists family members with a treatment-resistant loved one. The most consistent outcome of CRAFT is increased treatment entry of the identified treatment-resistant person (IP). This led us to question whether all 6 components of CRAFT are necessary. In a randomized clinical trial, 115 concerned significant others (CSOs) of an IP received 12-14 sessions of the full CRAFT intervention, 4-6 sessions focused on Treatment Entry Training (TEnT), or 12-14 sessions of Al-Anon/Nar-Anon Facilitation (ANF). We monitored treatment entry, attendance, and substance use of the IP and the CSO's mood and functioning. Data were collected at baseline and 4, 6, and 9 months after the baseline. We found significant reductions in time to treatment entry (χ(2)2 = 8.89, p = .01) and greater treatment entry rates for CRAFT (62%; odds ratio [OR] = 2.7, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.1-6.9) and TEnT (63%; OR = 2.9, 95% CI = 1.2-7.5) compared with ANF (37%), but CRAFT and TEnT did not differ significantly from each other (OR = 1.1, 95% CI = 0.4-2.7). No between-group differences in IP drug use were reported by CSOs, but days of drug use decreased over time for all groups (F(3, 277) = 13.47, p < .0001). Similarly, CSO mood and functioning did not differ between the 3 conditions but improved over time (p < .0001 for all significant measures). We replicated the results of previous trials demonstrating that CRAFT produces greater treatment entry rates than ANF and found similar treatment entry rates for CRAFT and TEnT. This suggests that treatment entry training is sufficient for producing the best established outcome of CRAFT. (PsycINFO Database Record

Extended-Release Injectable Naltrexone (XR-NTX) With Intensive Psychosocial Therapy for Amphetamine-Dependent Persons Seeking Treatment: A Placebo-Controlled Trial.

OBJECTIVE: Explore the efficacy of extended-release injectable naltrexone (XR-NTX) for preventing relapse to amphetamine use. METHOD: Clinical trial of 100 amphetamine-dependent, treatment-seeking patients who were randomized to 6 monthly 380 mg doses of XR-NTX or matching placebo before entering intensive outpatient after varying lengths of inpatient treatment in Reykjavik, Iceland. Weekly urine drug tests, retention, and standardized instruments assessed efficacy. RESULTS: Of 169 approached, 100 were randomized. Although amphetamine dependence was the main reason for seeking treatment, three-quarters or more of participants had 1 or more other substance dependencies. Of 51 randomized to XR-NTX, 20 received 4 or more injections; of 49 assigned to placebo, 26 received 4 or more injections. Of the planned 2400 weekly urine drug tests, 1247 were collected (52%); 4% of these were positive for amphetamine, 8% for benzodiazepine, 7% for marijuana, 1% for cocaine, and 1% for opioid. XR-NTX had no effect on amphetamine-positive tests, retention, or other outcomes. Those providing half or more of their tests attended more weeks of treatment than those providing less than half of their tests (m = 10.76 vs 3.31; t (92) = 5.91, P < 0.0001), and 92 participants provided at least 1 test. CONCLUSIONS: Adding XR-NTX to the usual combination of inpatient and intensive outpatient treatment did not reduce amphetamine use. The low prevalence of substance use among collected urine samples, and the association between collected samples and weeks in treatment, was consistent with other studies showing that staying in treatment is associated with better outcomes.

Identifying and Addressing the Unmet Health Care Needs of Drug Court Clients.

Drug courts address issues such as employment and housing but largely miss the opportunity to address important health care issues. The current study examined the prevalence and correlates of chronic medical conditions among a sample of drug court clients who were participating in a clinical trial of an intervention to reduce HIV risk. A total of 256 clients completed a health survey at entry into the drug court program and 9 months post-entry. The baseline health survey included a comprehensive list of chronic medical conditions, and participants were asked to indicate which, if any, they had ever been diagnosed as having. They were also asked to indicate whether or not they were currently receiving treatment for each chronic condition that they endorsed. The follow-up survey was identical to the baseline survey, with the exception that it contained items reflecting (1) whether or not any member of the drug court team engaged in discussion with the client about each of the chronic conditions reported and (2) whether the client received a referral to medical care for endorsed conditions while in the drug court program. Results indicated that over 50% of clients reported at least one chronic condition and 21% reported more than one condition. Among those with chronic conditions, 71% reported having chronic conditions for which they were not currently receiving treatment. Unfortunately, drug court clients reported that the drug court team did little to address these unmet health needs. Findings from this study suggest that clients could benefit if drug court programs began to widen their focus to include addressing health-related issues.

Examining the efficacy of a computer facilitated HIV prevention tool in drug court.

BACKGROUND: Although they have demonstrated efficacy in reducing substance use and criminal recidivism, competing priorities and limited resources may preclude drug court programs from formally addressing HIV risk. This study examined the efficacy of a brief, three-session, computer-facilitated HIV prevention intervention in reducing HIV risk among adult felony drug court participants. METHODS: Two hundred participants were randomly assigned to an HIV intervention (n=101) or attention control (n=99) group. All clients attended judicial status hearings approximately every six weeks. At the first three status hearings following study entry, clients in the intervention group completed the computerized, interactive HIV risk reduction sessions while those in the control group viewed a series of educational life-skill videos of matched length. Outcomes included the rate of independently obtained HIV testing, engagement in high risk HIV-related behaviors, and rate of condom procurement from the research site at each session. RESULTS: Results indicated that participants who received the HIV intervention were significantly more likely to report having obtained HIV testing at some point during the study period than those in the control condition, although the effect was marginally significant when examined in a longitudinal model. In addition, they had higher rates of condom procurement. No group differences were found on rates of high-risk sexual behavior, and the low rate of injection drug reported precluded examination of high-risk drug-related behavior. CONCLUSIONS: The study provides support for the feasibility and utility of delivering HIV prevention services to drug court clients using an efficient computer-facilitated program.

A Systematic Review on the Use of Psychosocial Interventions in Conjunction With Medications for the Treatment of Opioid Addiction.

Opioid use and overdose rates have risen to epidemic levels in the United States during the past decade. Fortunately, there are effective medications (ie, methadone, buprenorphine, and oral and injectable naltrexone) available for the treatment of opioid addiction. Each of these medications is approved for use in conjunction with psychosocial treatment; however, there is a dearth of empirical research on the optimal psychosocial interventions to use with these medications. In this systematic review, we outline and discuss the findings of 3 prominent prior reviews and 27 recent publications of empirical studies on this topic. The most widely studied psychosocial interventions examined in conjunction with medications for opioid addiction were contingency management and cognitive behavioral therapy, with the majority focusing on methadone treatment. The results generally support the efficacy of providing psychosocial interventions in combination with medications to treat opioid addictions, although the incremental utility varied across studies, outcomes, medications, and interventions. The review highlights significant gaps in the literature and provides areas for future research. Given the enormity of the current opioid problem in the United States, it is critical to gain a better understanding of the most effective ways to deliver psychosocial treatments in conjunction with these medications to improve the health and well-being of individuals suffering from opioid addiction.

Use of the Internet to Obtain Drugs without a Prescription Among Treatment-involved Adolescents and Young Adults.

Nonmedical use of prescription drugs is common and poses risks such as injury, overdose, and development of abuse and dependence. Internet pharmacies offer prescription drugs without a prescription, creating a source of illicit drugs accessible to anyone with an Internet connection. We examined this issue in a convenience sample of 1,860 adolescents and young adults from 24 residential and outpatient treatment programs. Few individuals obtained drugs from the Internet (n = 26, 2.3%). Pain relievers were the most frequently purchased type of drug. The majority of adolescents and young adult online purchasers made the purchases from their own or a friend's house.

An Experimental Trial of Adaptive Programming in Drug Court: Outcomes at 6, 12 and 18 Months.

OBJECTIVES: Test whether an adaptive program improves outcomes in drug court by adjusting the schedule of court hearings and clinical case-management sessions pursuant to a priori performance criteria. METHODS: Consenting participants in a misdemeanor drug court were randomly assigned to the adaptive program (n = 62) or to a baseline-matching condition (n = 63) in which they attended court hearings based on the results of a criminal risk assessment. Outcome measures were re-arrest rates at 18 months post-entry to the drug court and urine drug test results and structured interview results at 6 and 12 months post-entry. RESULTS: Although previously published analyses revealed significantly fewer positive drug tests for participants in the adaptive condition during the first 18 weeks of drug court, current analyses indicate the effects converged during the ensuing year. Between-group differences in new arrest rates, urine drug test results and self-reported psychosocial problems were small and non-statistically significant at 6, 12 and 18 months post-entry. A non-significant trend (p = .10) suggests there may have been a small residual impact (Cramer's ν = .15) on new misdemeanor arrests after 18 months. CONCLUSIONS: Adaptive programming shows promise for enhancing short-term outcomes in drug courts; however, additional efforts are needed to extend the effects beyond the first 4 to 6 months of enrollment.

Prize-based contingency management for the treatment of substance abusers: a meta-analysis.

AIM: To review randomized controlled trials to assess efficacy of a prize-based contingency management procedure in reducing substance use (where a drug-free breath or urine sample provides a chance of winning a prize). METHODS: A meta-analysis was conducted on papers published from January 2000 to February 2013 to determine the effect size of studies comparing prize-based contingency management to a treatment-as-usual control condition (k = 19 studies). Parallel analyses evaluated the efficacy of both short- (k = nine studies) and long-term outcomes (k = six studies) of prize-based contingency management. RESULTS: The average end-of-treatment effect size (Cohen's d) was 0.46 [95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.37, 0.54]. This effect size decreased at the short-term (≤3-month) post-intervention follow-up to 0.33 (95% CI = 0.12, 0.54) and at the 6-month follow-up time-point there was no detectable effect [d = -0.09 (95% CI = -0.28, 0.10)]. CONCLUSION: Adding prize-based contingency management to behavioral support for substance use disorders can increase short-term abstinence, but the effect does not appear to persist to 6 months.

Contingency management for cocaine treatment: cash vs. vouchers.

The efficacy of contingency management (CM) for treating drug abuse is well supported. The most widely used form of CM is voucher-based reinforcement therapy (VBRT), where clients receive an escalating schedule of vouchers that can be redeemed for goods and services for meeting treatment goals. Though generally rejected due to concerns about potential harms to drug using participants, research suggests that cash may be a more effective reinforcer. This three-group randomized trial compared the efficacy of cash-based reinforcement therapy (CBRT) to VBRT and a non-CM condition on cocaine abstinence and treatment attendance; and examined whether CBRT resulted in greater levels of harm than VBRT. Findings indicated that the CBRT was as effective as VBRT when compared to the non-CM condition and that it did not increase rates of drug use, cravings, or high-risk behaviors. Future research should examine potential cost savings associated with a cash-based CM approach as this could have important implications for the wider adoption of the CM model.