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Acceptability and Usability of a Reward-Based Mobile App for Opioid Treatment Settings: Mixed Methods Pilot Study
Steven L Proctor1,2,3, Khary K Rigg4, Allen Y Tien5
1PRO Health Group, Miami Beach, FL, United States.
JMIR Formative Research
|October 5, 2022
Summary
Contingency management, a proven opioid use disorder (OUD) treatment, is now more feasible with the PROCare Recovery app. This technology-enabled approach uses micro-incentives and smart debit cards, showing high acceptability among patients and providers.
Area of Science:
- Addiction Medicine
- Digital Health
- Behavioral Economics
Background:
- Contingency management (CM) is an evidence-based treatment for opioid use disorder (OUD) but is underutilized due to concerns about monetary incentives and lack of technological integration.
- Surging opioid overdose deaths necessitate innovative, technology-driven solutions for OUD treatment that are acceptable to both patients and providers.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the acceptability and usability of PROCare Recovery, a smartphone application designed to automate CM for OUD treatment.
- The app delivers immediate micropayments to patients for achieving recovery goals, facilitated by a smart debit card with spending restrictions.
Main Methods:
- A mixed-methods pilot study involving 10 patients with OUD receiving buprenorphine and 5 licensed prescribers.
- Qualitative interviews were conducted via video conferencing, followed by thematic analysis to explore perceptions of the technology.
Main Results:
- Participants strongly favored micro-rewards (e.g., $1) for treatment engagement, with potential monthly earnings up to $150.
- High acceptability was reported for debit card restrictions, including blocking cash withdrawals and purchases at specific venues (bars, casinos).
- Quantitative data indicated a high level of perceived usability for the PROCare Recovery app.
Conclusions:
- Both patients and healthcare providers show receptiveness to using micro-financial incentives within standard OUD treatment protocols.
- Further pilot testing and a randomized controlled trial are planned to evaluate PROCare's acceptability, feasibility, and effectiveness.
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