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Micalizzi L, Mattingly DT, Hart JL, Jensen JK, Mahabee-Gittens EM, Garrison KA. Smartphone Apps Targeting Youth Tobacco Use Prevention and Cessation: An Assessment of Credibility and Quality. CURRENT ADDICTION REPORTS 2023; 10:649-663. [PMID: 38680515 PMCID: PMC11052596 DOI: 10.1007/s40429-023-00524-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 09/18/2023] [Indexed: 05/01/2024]
Abstract
Purpose of Review The goals of this study were to identify smartphone apps targeting youth tobacco use prevention and/or cessation discussed in the academic literature and/or available in the Apple App Store and to review and rate the credibility of the apps. We took a multiphase approach in a non-systematic review that involved conducting parallel literature and App Store searches, screening the returned literature and apps for inclusion, characterizing the studies and apps, and evaluating app quality using a standardized rating scale. Recent Findings The negative consequences of youth tobacco use initiation are profound and far-reaching. Half of the youth who use nicotine want to quit, but quit rates are low. The integration of smartphone apps shows promise in complementing and enhancing evidence-based youth tobacco prevention and treatment methods. Summary Consistent with prior reviews, we identified a disconnect between apps that are readily accessible and those that have an evidence base, and many popular apps received low quality scores. Findings suggest a need for better integration between evidence-based and popular, available apps targeting youth tobacco use.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lauren Micalizzi
- Center for Alcohol and Addiction Studies, Department of Behavioral and Social Sciences, Brown University, Providence, RI 02912, USA
| | - Delvon T. Mattingly
- Department of Behavioral Science, College of Medicine, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 40536, USA
- Center for Health Equity Transformation, College of Medicine, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 40536, USA
| | - Joy L. Hart
- Department of Communication and Christina Lee Brown Environme Institute, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY 40292, USA
| | - Jessica King Jensen
- Rutgers Institute for Nicotine & Tobacco Studies, Rutgers Health, New Brunswick, NJ 08901, USA
- Department of Family Medicine & Community Health, Johnson Medical School,, Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, New Brunswick, NJ 08901, USA
| | - E. Melinda Mahabee-Gittens
- Division of Emergency Medicine, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH 45229, USA
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Machado do Vale TC, da Silva Chagas L, de Souza Pereira H, Giestal-de-Araujo E, Arévalo A, Oliveira-Silva Bomfim P. Neuroscience Outside the Box: From the Laboratory to Discussing Drug Abuse at Schools. Front Hum Neurosci 2022; 16:782205. [PMID: 35634202 PMCID: PMC9133440 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2022.782205] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2021] [Accepted: 04/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
One of the effects of the current COVID-19 pandemic is that low-income countries were pushed further into extreme poverty, exacerbating social inequalities and increasing susceptibility to drug use/abuse in people of all ages. The risks of drug abuse may not be fully understood by all members of society, partly because of the taboo nature of the subject, and partly because of the considerable gap between scientific production/understanding and communication of such knowledge to the public at large. Drug use is a major challenge to social development and a leading cause of school dropout rates worldwide. Some public policies adopted in several countries in recent decades failed to prevent drug use, especially because they focused on imposing combative or coercive measures, investing little or nothing in education and prevention. Here we highlight the role of neuroscience education as a valid approach in drug use education and prevention. We propose building a bridge between schools and scientists by promoting information, student engagement and honest dialogue, and show evidence that public policy regulators should be persuaded to support such science-based education programs in their efforts to effect important positive changes in society.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thereza Cristina Machado do Vale
- NuPEDEN, Nucleus for Research, Education, Dissemination and Neurosciences Popularization, Department of Neurobiology and Program of Neurosciences, Institute of Biology, Federal Fluminense University, Niterói, Brazil
- Department of Neurobiology and Program of Neurosciences, Institute of Biology, Federal Fluminense University, Niterói, Brazil
| | - Luana da Silva Chagas
- NuPEDEN, Nucleus for Research, Education, Dissemination and Neurosciences Popularization, Department of Neurobiology and Program of Neurosciences, Institute of Biology, Federal Fluminense University, Niterói, Brazil
- Department of Neurobiology and Program of Neurosciences, Institute of Biology, Federal Fluminense University, Niterói, Brazil
| | - Helena de Souza Pereira
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, Institute of Biology, Federal Fluminense University, Niterói, Brazil
| | - Elizabeth Giestal-de-Araujo
- Department of Neurobiology and Program of Neurosciences, Institute of Biology, Federal Fluminense University, Niterói, Brazil
| | - Analía Arévalo
- Department of Experimental Surgery, University of São Paulo Medical School, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Priscilla Oliveira-Silva Bomfim
- NuPEDEN, Nucleus for Research, Education, Dissemination and Neurosciences Popularization, Department of Neurobiology and Program of Neurosciences, Institute of Biology, Federal Fluminense University, Niterói, Brazil
- Department of Neurobiology and Program of Neurosciences, Institute of Biology, Federal Fluminense University, Niterói, Brazil
- *Correspondence: Priscilla Oliveira-Silva Bomfim,
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Martínez-Miranda J, Espinosa-Curiel IE. Serious games supporting the prevention and treatment of alcohol and drugs consumption in youth: a scoping review (Preprint). JMIR Serious Games 2022; 10:e39086. [PMID: 36006694 PMCID: PMC9459843 DOI: 10.2196/39086] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2022] [Revised: 06/23/2022] [Accepted: 07/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The consumption of alcohol and drugs, particularly in adolescents and young adults, has increased worldwide in the last several years, representing a significant public health challenge. Serious games have the potential to support preventive and treatment interventions for substance use, facilitating the acquisition of relevant knowledge and the motivation for changes in attitudes and behaviors regarding substance consumption. Objective This scoping review aims to analyze a set of 7 relevant characteristics of current serious games designed to support the prevention and treatment of alcohol and drug consumption in adolescents and young adults—the substance addressed, the type of intervention, the theoretical basis, the computational techniques used, the mechanism for data security and privacy, the evaluation procedure followed, and the main results obtained. Methods The review was performed by following the PRISMA-ScR (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews) guidelines. Data were retrieved from January 2010 to May 2022, using PubMed, Scopus (Elsevier), IEEE Xplore, and ACM Digital as data sources. The eligibility criteria included studies that described serious games designed to support the prevention or treatment of alcohol and drug consumption, targeted a population aged between 12 and 30 years, and included an evaluation procedure. Authors (JMM and IEEC) individually screened the titles and abstracts, and then full articles were reviewed for a final inclusion decision. Results A total of 629 records were obtained, and 29 (4.6%) fulfilled the inclusion criteria. Most of the serious games (14/29, 48%) were focused on the prevention or treatment of alcohol use. The type of intervention that was the most supported was prevention (18/29, 62%), and most studies mentioned the theory, theoretical construct, or therapeutic technique used as a foundation (22/29, 76%). Most of the studies only provided information about the platform for execution (23/29, 79%), and few described the use of computational techniques, such as virtual reality or motion-based interaction (5/29, 17%). A small set of studies (10/29, 34%) explicitly mentioned how data security and privacy were addressed. Most of the reported evaluation protocols were pilot studies (11/29, 38%), followed by randomized controlled trials (10/29, 34%), and the reported results were positive in terms of acceptability, usability, and efficacy. However, more research is needed to assess long-term effects. Conclusions Given the increasing interest in the use of serious games as digital interventions to support the prevention or treatment of substance use, knowing their main features is highly important. This review highlights whether and how current serious games incorporate 7 key features that are useful to consider for the further development of the area.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juan Martínez-Miranda
- Centro de Investigación Científica y de Educación Superior de Ensenada, Unidad de Transferencia Tecnológica Tepic, Tepic, Mexico
| | - Ismael Edrein Espinosa-Curiel
- Centro de Investigación Científica y de Educación Superior de Ensenada, Unidad de Transferencia Tecnológica Tepic, Tepic, Mexico
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Risky behaviors, substance use, and other lifestyle correlates of energy drink consumption in children and adolescents: a systematic review. Eur J Pediatr 2022; 181:1307-1319. [PMID: 34988663 DOI: 10.1007/s00431-021-04322-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/13/2021] [Revised: 11/10/2021] [Accepted: 11/12/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
UNLABELLED Increasing concerns have been raised on the health-related risks connected with energy drink (ED) consumption in children and adolescents, with high acute or chronic consumers exceeding 10% in either age group in Europe in 2011. Preliminary evidence has suggested a common pattern of ED and substance use, especially alcohol. Additional evidence has been accumulating very fast; in addition, other lifestyle and risky behaviors may contribute to shed light on the complex interplay of factors involved in ED consumption. We have undertaken a comprehensive systematic review of the evidence on psychosocial correlates of ED consumption in 0-18 years subjects, as published up to April 1, 2021, in MEDLINE/PubMed, PsycINFO, and Cochrane Reviews and Central Register of Controlled Trials, which allowed to select 104 original articles. Only ~ 10% of the papers provided results based on longitudinal analyses. A common pattern of ED consumption and polysubstance use, including alcohol, tobacco, and soft and hard drugs, was still confirmed in adolescents; violent and risky behaviors were also related to a higher ED consumption. In addition, frequent ED consumers are more likely to have bad dietary habits, including consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages and junk foods. A generally inconclusive evidence was found for sport/physical activities, although sedentary behaviors were generally related to ED consumption. CONCLUSIONS Frequent ED consumption might be a screening indicator to identify students at risk of substance use or other risky/problem behaviors; enquiring about an adolescent's recent ED consumption could create opportunities for early intervention/prevention by informed pediatricians. WHAT IS KNOWN • Substances, especially alcohol, are associated with energy drinks in most cross-sectional studies. WHAT IS NEW • Violent behaviors are associated with energy drink consumption, in the absence of longitudinal studies; problematic use of internet/videogames deserves further investigation; unhealthy dietary patterns are related to energy drinks; evidence on physical activity is inconclusive, but sedentary behaviors are related to energy drinks.
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Marinoni M, Parpinel M, Gasparini A, Ferraroni M, Edefonti V. Psychological and socio-educational correlates of energy drink consumption in children and adolescents: a systematic review. Eur J Pediatr 2022; 181:889-901. [PMID: 34825275 DOI: 10.1007/s00431-021-04321-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/13/2021] [Revised: 11/10/2021] [Accepted: 11/12/2021] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
Energy drinks (EDs) are non-alcoholic beverages providing an extra boost in physical/cognitive performance and mood. Besides the physiological effects related to the high-caffeine content of EDs, long-term emotional, social, and behavioral effects have been recently receiving attention. However, a few systematic reviews have focused on the critical yet understudied periods of childhood and adolescence. We have undertaken a comprehensive systematic review of the evidence on any psychosocial correlates of ED consumption in 0-18-year-old subjects, as published up to April 1, 2021, in MEDLINE/PubMed, PsycINFO, and Cochrane Reviews and Central Register of Controlled Trials. Of the initial 789 records, 104 original articles were included in the systematic review. Seventy percent of them were published from 2016 onwards; among investigated topics, substance use ranked first, followed by psychological and socio-educational factors; the less investigated topic was risky behaviors. Taste and energy-seeking were the main drivers of consumption, which generally happened at home or during sport/recreational activities, without perception of health-related risks. Positive associations with ED consumption were found for sensation seeking, irritability/anger, and suicide ideation, plan, or attempts. Finally, participants with lower grades, a low parental monitoring, or bad influences from peers were more likely to consume EDs. Conclusion: With ~ 70% of papers published since the 2 comprehensive reviews on children/adolescents were carried out, an update of the literature with a broad focus is of great importance. Consumption of EDs by children/adolescents lies in the potential interplay between personality traits, school performance, and influences by family members and peers. What is Known: • Taste and energy-seeking are the main drivers of energy drink consumption, which mostly happened at home or in sport/recreational activities. What is New: • Perception of risks related to energy drinks is associated with a lower consumption, as based on cross-sectional studies. • As mostly based on cross-sectional studies: 1. energy drink consumption is related to sensation seeking, irritability/anger, and suicide ideation or attempts; 2. students with a lower school performance, low parental monitoring, or bad peer influence, are more likely to consume energy drinks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michela Marinoni
- Department of Medicine - DAME, Università Degli Studi di Udine, via Colugna 50, Udine, 33100, Italy
| | - Maria Parpinel
- Department of Medicine - DAME, Università Degli Studi di Udine, via Colugna 50, Udine, 33100, Italy
| | - Alessio Gasparini
- Branch of Medical Statistics, Biometry and Epidemiology "G. A. Maccacaro", Department of Clinical Sciences and Community Health, Università Degli Studi Di Milano, via Venezian 1, Milan, 20133, Italy
| | - Monica Ferraroni
- Branch of Medical Statistics, Biometry and Epidemiology "G. A. Maccacaro", Department of Clinical Sciences and Community Health, Università Degli Studi Di Milano, via Venezian 1, Milan, 20133, Italy
| | - Valeria Edefonti
- Branch of Medical Statistics, Biometry and Epidemiology "G. A. Maccacaro", Department of Clinical Sciences and Community Health, Università Degli Studi Di Milano, via Venezian 1, Milan, 20133, Italy.
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Newton AS, March S, Gehring ND, Rowe AK, Radomski AD. Establishing a Working Definition of User Experience for eHealth Interventions of Self-reported User Experience Measures With eHealth Researchers and Adolescents: Scoping Review. J Med Internet Res 2021; 23:e25012. [PMID: 34860671 PMCID: PMC8686463 DOI: 10.2196/25012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2020] [Revised: 03/27/2021] [Accepted: 09/23/2021] [Indexed: 01/16/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Across eHealth intervention studies involving children, adolescents, and their parents, researchers have measured user experience to assist with intervention development, refinement, and evaluation. To date, no widely accepted definitions or measures of user experience exist to support a standardized approach for evaluation and comparison within or across interventions. OBJECTIVE We conduct a scoping review with subsequent Delphi consultation to identify how user experience is defined and measured in eHealth research studies, characterize the measurement tools used, and establish working definitions for domains of user experience that could be used in future eHealth evaluations. METHODS We systematically searched electronic databases for published and gray literature available from January 1, 2005, to April 11, 2019. We included studies assessing an eHealth intervention that targeted any health condition and was designed for use by children, adolescents, and their parents. eHealth interventions needed to be web-, computer-, or mobile-based, mediated by the internet with some degree of interactivity. We required studies to report the measurement of user experience as first-person experiences, involving cognitive and behavioral factors reported by intervention users. We appraised the quality of user experience measures in included studies using published criteria: well-established, approaching well-established, promising, or not yet established. We conducted a descriptive analysis of how user experience was defined and measured in each study. Review findings subsequently informed the survey questions used in the Delphi consultations with eHealth researchers and adolescent users for how user experience should be defined and measured. RESULTS Of the 8634 articles screened for eligibility, 129 articles and 1 erratum were included in the review. A total of 30 eHealth researchers and 27 adolescents participated in the Delphi consultations. On the basis of the literature and consultations, we proposed working definitions for 6 main user experience domains: acceptability, satisfaction, credibility, usability, user-reported adherence, and perceived impact. Although most studies incorporated a study-specific measure, we identified 10 well-established measures to quantify 5 of the 6 domains of user experience (all except for self-reported adherence). Our adolescent and researcher participants ranked perceived impact as one of the most important domains of user experience and usability as one of the least important domains. Rankings between adolescents and researchers diverged for other domains. CONCLUSIONS Findings highlight the various ways in which user experience has been defined and measured across studies and what aspects are most valued by researchers and adolescent users. We propose incorporating the working definitions and available measures of user experience to support consistent evaluation and reporting of outcomes across studies. Future studies can refine the definitions and measurement of user experience, explore how user experience relates to other eHealth outcomes, and inform the design and use of human-centered eHealth interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amanda S Newton
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
| | - Sonja March
- School of Psychology and Counselling, Centre for Health Research, University of Southern Queensland, Springfield Central, Australia
| | - Nicole D Gehring
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
| | - Arlen K Rowe
- School of Psychology and Counselling, Centre for Health Research, University of Southern Queensland, Springfield Central, Australia
| | - Ashley D Radomski
- Knowledge Institute for Child and Youth Mental Health and Addictions, Ottawa, ON, Canada.,CHEO (Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario) Research Institute, Ottawa, ON, Canada
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Garcia-Cerde R, Valente JY, Sanchez ZM. Attitudes are associated with the drug use profiles of middle school adolescents: A latent class analysis. Psychiatry Res 2021; 295:113592. [PMID: 33267966 DOI: 10.1016/j.psychres.2020.113592] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2020] [Accepted: 11/21/2020] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
The association between positive and negative attitudes and drug use profiles is examined. Participants were public middle school students (N = 5213; 49.9% girls; M age= 13.2 years) in three Brazilian cities. Analysis was performed using baseline surveys of a randomized controlled trial of the #Tamojunto2.0 drug use prevention program. We validated the attitudes construct via a confirmatory factor analysis and performed a simultaneous multinomial regression with a latent class analysis. Three latent classes were identified: abstainers/low users (ABS) (63.4%), alcohol users/binge drinkers (ALC) (29.5%), and polydrug users (POL) (7.1%). An association gradient was found between attitudes and latent classes. Using ABS as reference, a direct association was identified between positive attitudes and ALC and POL. An inverse association was found between negative attitudes and POL only. Girls and older students were more likely to be ALC and POL. These findings, from a large probabilistic sample, provide guidance that drug use prevention programs should focus on deconstructing positive attitudes -mainly- and broadening negative attitudes, and should adapt their thematic content by considering the differential drug use possibilities among girls and older students.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rodrigo Garcia-Cerde
- Department of Preventive Medicine, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, Rua Botucatu, 740, Bairro Vila Clementino. São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Juliana Y Valente
- Department of Preventive Medicine, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, Rua Botucatu, 740, Bairro Vila Clementino. São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Zila M Sanchez
- Department of Preventive Medicine, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, Rua Botucatu, 740, Bairro Vila Clementino. São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.
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Colbert S, Thornton L, Richmond R. Smartphone apps for managing alcohol consumption: a literature review. Addict Sci Clin Pract 2020; 15:17. [PMID: 32381062 PMCID: PMC7206704 DOI: 10.1186/s13722-020-00190-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2019] [Accepted: 04/27/2020] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Smartphone applications (apps) designed to assist users to reduce hazardous and harmful alcohol consumption show potential as an inexpensive alternative to traditional brief intervention in primary care. The aim of this paper is to provide an overview of the literature on alcohol reduction apps and the availability of evidenced-based apps on top commercial app stores. Methods We reviewed literature through to December 2019 using the databases PubMed, MEDLINE, PsycINFO and Google Scholar and keyword search terms smartphone/mobile/phone AND application/app AND alcohol. Articles were included if the primary intervention was a smartphone app and the study measured participant changes in frequency or volume of alcohol consumption. Results 21 relevant articles were identified that evaluated 19 unique smartphone apps. Of the 19 unique apps, seven were designed for use among youth and 12 in adult populations. The available evidence for the efficacy of alcohol reduction apps among youth is inconclusive, with results from these evaluations not showing a clear benefit in reducing alcohol consumption compared to control groups. The results of apps designed for adult populations appears more promising, but results are still mixed. Of the 19 alcohol reduction apps that have been evaluated only eight of these are currently publicly available in commercial app stores. Of these eight apps, only four were demonstrated in the literature to assist with reducing alcohol consumption. Conclusion The evidence for alcohol reduction apps is promising but inconclusive. Few apps that have been evaluated in the scientific literature are currently available for download in commercial app stores.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephanie Colbert
- School Public Health and Community Medicine, University of New South Wales, Kensington, Australia
| | - Louise Thornton
- The Matilda Centre for Research in Mental Health and Substance Use, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
| | - Robyn Richmond
- School Public Health and Community Medicine, University of New South Wales, Kensington, Australia.
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Cognitive Training for the Treatment of Addictions Mediated by Information and Communication Technologies (ICT). FUTURE INTERNET 2020. [DOI: 10.3390/fi12020038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
This work constitutes a narrative review of the state of knowledge and advances in the intervention and treatment of addictions through the use of information and communication technologies, considering the growing demand for virtuality-mediated strategies that facilitate the approach of problems of public health such as addictions, which increase considerably year after year. To this end, the reader will be provided with a current overview of the drug use trend; subsequently, a conceptualization of the concept of addiction and its understanding from a neurobiological perspective and, finally, the progress in terms of intervention processes and therapeutic approach will be presented; which will imply an approach to the concept of e-health and rehabilitation mediated by information and communication technologies (ICT).
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Bagot K, Hodgdon E, Sidhu N, Patrick K, Kelly M, Lu Y, Bath E. End User-Informed Mobile Health Intervention Development for Adolescent Cannabis Use Disorder: Qualitative Study. JMIR Mhealth Uhealth 2019; 7:e13691. [PMID: 31588909 PMCID: PMC6913713 DOI: 10.2196/13691] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2019] [Revised: 05/14/2019] [Accepted: 05/19/2019] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The rates of cannabis use continue to increase among adolescents and the current interventions have modest effects and high rates of relapse following treatment. There is increasing evidence for the efficacy of mobile technology-based interventions for adults with substance use disorders, but there is limited study of this technology in adolescents who use cannabis. OBJECTIVE The goal of our study was to elucidate elements of an app-based adjunctive intervention for cannabis cessation that resonate with adolescents who use cannabis. METHODS Adolescents, aged between 14 and 17 years, who used cannabis were recruited from San Diego County high schools. Semistructured focus groups (6 total; N=37) were conducted to examine the ways in which participants used smartphones, including the use of any health behavior change apps, as well as to elicit opinions about elements that would promote engagement with an app-based intervention for adolescent cannabis cessation. An iterative coding structure was used with first cycle structural coding, followed by pattern coding. RESULTS Themes that emerged from the analysis included (1) youth valued rewards to incentivize the progressive reduction of cannabis use, which included both nontangible rewards that mimic those obtained on social media platforms and prosocial activity-related rewards, (2) having the ability to self-monitor progression, (3) peer social support, (4) privacy and confidentiality discrete logo and name and usernames within the app, and (5) individualizing frequency and content of notifications and reminders. CONCLUSIONS Integrating content, language, interfaces, delivery systems, and rewards with which adolescents who use cannabis are familiar, engage with on a day-to-day basis, and identify as relevant, may increase treatment engagement and retention for adolescents in substance use treatment. We may increase treatment effectiveness by adapting and individualizing current evidence-based interventions, so that they target the needs of adolescents and are more easily incorporated into their everyday routines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kara Bagot
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, United States
| | - Elizabeth Hodgdon
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, United States
| | - Natasha Sidhu
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, United States
| | - Kevin Patrick
- Department of Family and Preventive Medicine, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, United States
| | - Mikaela Kelly
- Neuropsychiatric Institute, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Yang Lu
- University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, United States
| | - Eraka Bath
- Neuropsychiatric Institute, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, United States
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Hansen WB, Scheier LM. Specialized Smartphone Intervention Apps: Review of 2014 to 2018 NIH Funded Grants. JMIR Mhealth Uhealth 2019; 7:e14655. [PMID: 31359866 PMCID: PMC6690163 DOI: 10.2196/14655] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2019] [Revised: 06/25/2019] [Accepted: 06/27/2019] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The widespread adoption of smartphones provides researchers with expanded opportunities for developing, testing and implementing interventions. National Institutes of Health (NIH) funds competitive, investigator-initiated grant applications. Funded grants represent the state of the science and therefore are expected to anticipate the progression of research in the near future. Objective The objective of this paper is to provide an analysis of the kinds of smartphone-based intervention apps funded in NIH research grants during the five-year period between 2014 and 2018. Methods We queried NIH Reporter to identify candidate funded grants that addressed mHealth and the use of smartphones. From 1524 potential grants, we identified 397 that met the requisites of including an intervention app. Each grant’s abstract was analyzed to understand the focus of intervention. The year of funding, type of activity (eg, R01, R34, and so on) and funding were noted. Results We identified 13 categories of strategies employed in funded smartphone intervention apps. Most grants included either one (35.0%) or two (39.0%) intervention approaches. These included artificial intelligence (57 apps), bionic adaptation (33 apps), cognitive and behavioral therapies (68 apps), contingency management (24 apps), education and information (85 apps), enhanced motivation (50 apps), facilitating, reminding and referring (60 apps), gaming and gamification (52 apps), mindfulness training (18 apps), monitoring and feedback (192 apps), norm setting (7 apps), skills training (85 apps) and social support and social networking (59 apps). The most frequently observed grant types included Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) grants (40.8%) and Research Project Grants (R01s) (26.2%). The number of grants funded increased through the five-year period from 60 in 2014 to 112 in 2018. Conclusions Smartphone intervention apps are increasingly competitive for NIH funding. They reflect a wide diversity of approaches that have significant potential for use in applied settings.
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