Telemedicine and Social Media for People Who Inject Drugs (PWID) in Greece

Completed

• Conditions: Telemedicine; Internet; Social Media; Drug Abuse, Intravenous
• Interventions: Other: Focus group discussions and survey questionnaire

• Registration Number: NCT05794984
• Lead Sponsor: State University of New York at Buffalo

Brief Summary

The current study seeks to address questions regarding internet and social media usage as well as telemedicine concept and knowledge, by conducting targeted focus group discussions (FGDs) and administering cross-sectional questionnaires among PWID in Greece. Further parameters, such as perceptions for high-quality healthcare access, confidentiality, privacy, and security, will also be explored.

Detailed Description

The study's aim is to access the feasibility, acceptability and accessibility of social media and telemedicine as methods to obtain healthcare, in order to improve linkage-to-care among Greek substance users. Underserved populations, such as people who inject drugs (PWID) have limited access to healthcare and a potential solution to expanding healthcare access points is telemedicine. For the past decade, the investigators have studied the efficacy of a facilitated telemedicine model for hepatitis C virus (HCV) treatment integrated into opioid treatment programs (OTPs) for PWIDs. The investigators have achieved high rates of HCV resolution and high patient-satisfaction through facilitated telemedicine. The investigators now seek to explore whether this same intervention might be feasible and acceptable in Greece. The first step is to capture and explore the current knowledge, experiences, believes, perceptions and attitudes of PWID in Greece regarding internet and social media usage and telemedicine concept, through targeted Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) and administration of cross-sectional questionnaire. The perceptions for high-quality healthcare, confidentiality, privacy and security matters will also be explored as well as further relevant attributes.

Study Timeline

• Study First Submitted: 2023-03-20
• Study First Submitted QC: 2023-03-20
• Study First Posted: 2023-04-03
• Study Start: 2023-05-02
• Primary Completion: 2023-09-18
• Study Completion: 2023-09-18
• Status Verified: 2024-02
• Last Update Submitted: 2024-02-02
• Last Update Posted: 2024-02-05

Recruitment & Eligibility

• Status: COMPLETED
• Sex: All
• Target Recruitment: 219

Inclusion Criteria

Not provided

Exclusion Criteria

Not provided

Study & Design

• Study Type: OBSERVATIONAL
• Study Design: Not specified

Arm && Interventions

Group	Intervention	Description
Targeted Focus Group Discussions and Cross-sectional questionnaire	Focus group discussions and survey questionnaire	57 people for targeted Focus Group Discussions 162 people for Cross-sectional questionnaire

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
There are not specific predetermined endpoints to be defined.	For the FGDs approximately up to 3-4 months is needed to enroll all study subjects. For the cross-sectional questionnaire approximately up to 6-8 months is needed to enroll all study subjects. Endpoints will be generated according to study's results.	This is a mixed methods study designed to assess the feasibility, acceptability, and accessibility of telemedicine and social media to improve healthcare access among Greek PWUD. It is not an interventional trial. The results of this study will be used to generate endpoints and sample sizes for a larger trial.

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

Prometheus; 🇬🇷 Athens, Greece