A Community-based Addiction Rehabilitation Electronic System to Improve Recovery Outcomes in Patients With Drug Use Disorder: Protocol for a Randomized Controlled Trial

Background: Relapse is very common in patients with illicit drug use disorder and contributes to a series of bad consequences that substantially impact patients' physical and social functions. Due to the limited existence of effective addiction treatment, the majority of patients with drug use disorder could not access help when needing. Mobile health (mHealth) offers a potential solution to improving recovery outcome for patients in community.

Objective: This paper is a protocol for a randomized controlled trial (RCT) of a smart phone application called community-based addiction rehabilitation electronic system (CAREs) . This interactive system consists of an APP for clients and a webpage for service providers, with the aim of teaching clients craving and emergency coping skills and helping service providers to improve work efficiency and effectiveness in community.

Methods: A randomized controlled trial(RCT) will be conducted. Sixty drug illicit users who are newly ordered to undergo community rehabilitation will be recruited from the community in Shanghai. Participants will be 1:1 randomly assigned to receive integrated community rehabilitation by using CAREs or only receiving routine community rehabilitation for 6 months. Corresponding anti-drug social workers will provide service and monitor participants' drug use behavior in accordance with the routine work-flow. Outcomes will be assessed at baseline and in the 6th month. The primary study outcome is the performance on illicit drug urine test which will be carried on regularly twice per week during the study period. Secondary study outcomes include days that participants interact with anti-drug social workers, and the decrease rate of addiction-related issues severity index.