Program for Self-Management of Substance Addiction Consequences: A pilot randomized controlled trial
Published 2025-06-11
Keywords
- Effectiveness,
- Addictive behavior,
- Randomized Control Trials,
- Self-management,
- Substance Addiction Consequences
How to Cite
Copyright (c) 2024 Paulo Seabra, Rui Sequeira, Ana Sequeira, Fernando Miguel, Paula Amaral, Carlos Sequeira
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Abstract
Introduction
Millions of people have their health and social status impacted because of the harmful use of alcohol and drugs.1
Objective
To evaluate the effectiveness of a training program for self-management for substance addiction consequences.
Methods
Adults integrated in a minimum of 5 weeks on a medication-based programs for alcohol and other drugs were randomly selected on this pilot trial conducted in a single outpatient addiction center, during 2023. Parallel group design comparing patients receiving the Self-Management Substance Addiction Consequences Program (ADSProgram),2 with others receiving treatment as usual (TAU), was undertaken to effectiveness evaluation and to identify possible adjustment on the program or in trial design. Data was collected at assessment (T0) and after 8 to 21 weeks (T1) on substance addiction consequences3 (SAC) and positive mental health (PMH) scales and the rate of nursing diagnoses.
Results
236 patients were screened and 72 were randomized, 38 to ADSProgram and 34 to TAU. Those on ADSProgram have been to more consultations (6 versus 2). Patients who have finalized the ADSProgram (n=25) improve their value on SAC Scale mean=35.64 (SD=6.18) to 47.60 (SD=9.02) (t test to paired samples p=<0.001), but, patients on TAU (n=16) also improve their value from mean=37.56 (SD=7.05) to 52.50 (SD=11.78) (p=<0.001).
Those on ADSProgram improve their value on the PMH Scale mean=51.52 (SD=8.23) to 55.24 (SD=7.94) (p<0.001) (n=21), and patients on TAU also improve their value mean=55.17 (SD=7.39) to 57.17 (SD=6.82) (p=0.0.54) (n=12). There was a 48.8% reduction of the number of diagnostics in all patients under ASDProgram.
Conclusion
This pilot trial demonstrate that program is applicable and could be effective to improve self-management of SAC. The program must be adapted to an application between 6 to 18 weeks, because of the achievable number of nursing consultations. Future larger randomized clinical trial is needed.