The Contribution of Online Social Networks for Drug Abuse Treatment Referral: a Pilot Study

Abstract

Background: The consumption of psychoactive drugs is growing in Brazil, as well as the access of social networks. This study is a preliminary short report about the contribution of online social networks for drug abuse treatment. The study aimed to evaluate the role of an online social network to engage psychoactive drug users in treatment. Methods: A descriptive study was undertaken from July to September 2015. The study population were psychoactive drugs users who accessed voluntarily the webpage “Stay Free of Drugs” (SFD) from the social network Facebook. Results: A total of 25 psychoactive drug users were enrolled in the study, and 16 (64%) accessed a healthcare centre seeking treatment. The average from the users’ online contact to their visit to the healthcare centre was 8.4 days. Half of the participants were exclusive alcohol users and accessed the webpage at night (65%). Conclusions: The use of a social network showed a potential importance in referring drug users to treatment, also acting as health education strategy.