Plain English Summary
Background and study aims
Text-messaging-based aftercare has been shown to be effective for various mental health problems such as eating disorders and alcohol withdrawal. Former patients can generally be reached easily with text messages, which might help to reduce their risk of relapsing. The aim of this study is to assess the effectiveness of text messages in helping former patients (previously treated in addiction centers) to maintain their substance use goal during the 6 months following inpatient treatment.
Who can participate?
Patients aged 18 and over who have completed their addiction treatment
What does the study involve ?
Participants are randomly allocated to one of two groups shortly before leaving the treatment center. Participants in one group receive automatically generated supportive text-messages to help them to avoid relapses. Participants in the other group receive semi-automatically generated, individualised supportive text messages and also telephone calls from a counselor. Text messages are sent for a period of six months after patients have left treatment, first weekly, then biweekly. Both groups are assessed for their maintenance of abstinence or controlled drinking (depending on personal goals) during the 6 months following inpatient treatment.
What are the possible benefits and risks of participating ?
Former patients who receive text message based aftercare might be encouraged to avoid relapses. No risks are expected.
Where is the study run from?
1. Swiss Research Institute for Public Health and Addiction ISGF (Switzerland)
2. Akzente Prävention und Suchttherapie, Luzern (Switzerland)
3. Die Alternative, Ottenbach (Switzerland)
4. Freihof Küsnacht, Küsnacht (Switzerland)
5. Forelhaus, Zürich (Switzerland)
6. RehabilitationsZentrum Lutzenberg, Lutzenberg (Switzerland)
7. Suchttherapiebärn, Bern (Switzerland)
When is the study starting and how long is it expected to run for?
September 2015 to July 2020
Who is funding the study?
Federal Office of Public Health (FOPH) (Switzerland)
Who is main contact ?
Mrs Susanne Schaaf
schaaf@isgf.uzh.ch
Study website
Contact information
Type
Scientific
Contact name
Mrs Susanne Schaaf
ORCID ID
http://orcid.org/0000-0003-3763-9863
Contact details
Swiss Research Institute for Public Health and Addiction ISGF
Konradstrasse 32
PO Box
Zurich
8031
Switzerland
+41 (0)44 448 11 60
schaaf@isgf.uzh.ch
Additional identifiers
EudraCT/CTIS number
IRAS number
ClinicalTrials.gov number
Protocol/serial number
PEG201410
Study information
Scientific title
Efficacy of text messaging-based aftercare following inpatient addiction treatment - DASA (Drug Alcohol SMS Aftercare): a randomised controlled trial
Acronym
DASA – Drug Alcohol SMS Aftercare
Study hypothesis
Individualised SMS-based intervention (including information on personal reward suggestions and coping strategies on how to deal with tempting situations, as well as in addition phone calls from therapists) is more effective than non-individualised SMS-based intervention to maintain abstinence or controlled drinking (depending on the personally set goal).
Ethics approval(s)
Ethics Committee Zurich (lead committee), 19/06/2017, ref: PB_2016_02180
Study design
Multicentre randomised active-controlled parallel-group trial
Primary study design
Interventional
Secondary study design
Randomised controlled trial
Study setting(s)
Other
Study type
Prevention
Patient information sheet
See additional files
Condition
Relapse prevention for former patients who completed addiction treatment successfully
Intervention
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 problem substance within the previous six months will be assessed. Participants indicating that they never used the substance within the previous six months are considered as abstinent (prolonged abstinence). Concerning controlled drinking, the participants should indicate whether or not they always maintained their personal goal of alcohol use within the previous six months (prolonged maintenance of drinking goal).
Intervention type
Other
Primary outcome measure
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 measures
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
Overall study start date
07/09/2015
Overall study end date
31/07/2020
Reason abandoned (if study stopped)
Objectives no longer viable
Eligibility
Participant 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
Participant type(s)
Other
Age group
Adult
Lower age limit
18 Years
Sex
Both
Target number of participants
554
Participant exclusion criteria
Cognitive or linguistic deficits or health impairments which impede following the SMS dialogue
Recruitment start date
01/08/2017
Recruitment end date
15/06/2019
Locations
Countries of recruitment
Switzerland
Study participating centre
RehabilitationsZentrum Lutzenberg
Lutzenberg
9426
Switzerland
Study participating centre
Suchttherapiebärn
Bern
3006
Switzerland
Study participating centre
Akzent Prävention und Suchttherapie
Luzern
6003
Switzerland
Study participating centre
Die Alternative
Ottenbach
8913
Switzerland
Study participating centre
Freihof Küsnacht
Küsnacht
8700
Switzerland
Study participating centre
Forelhaus
Zürich
8003
Switzerland
Sponsor information
Organisation
Swiss Research Institute for Public Health and Addiction ISGF
Sponsor details
Konradstrasse 32
PO Box
Zurich
8031
Switzerland
+41 (0)44 448 11 60
schaaf@isgf.uzh.ch
Sponsor type
Research organisation
Website
ROR
Funders
Funder type
Government
Funder name
Federal Office of Public Health (FOPH)
Alternative name(s)
Funding Body Type
Funding Body Subtype
Location
Results and Publications
Publication and dissemination plan
Planned publication in a high-impact peer reviewed journal in 2021.
Intention to publish date
31/07/2021
Individual participant data (IPD) sharing plan
The datasets generated during and/or analysed during the current study are not expected to be made available due to a lack of participants' consent to share data with other institutions.
IPD sharing plan summary
Not expected to be made available
Study outputs
| Output type | Details | Date created | Date added | Peer reviewed? | Patient-facing? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Participant information sheet | 12/07/2017 | 12/07/2017 | No | Yes |
Additional files
- ISRCTN17228973_PIS_12Jul17_German.pdf Uploaded 12/07/2017