Veronica Szpak, Andrea Velez, Sara Prostko, Naomi Rosenblum, Rie Maurer, Lyndon J Aguiar, Roger D Weiss, Joji Suzuki
{"title":"Correction: Pilot testing a novel remotely delivered intensive outpatient program for hospitalized patients with opioid use disorder.","authors":"Veronica Szpak, Andrea Velez, Sara Prostko, Naomi Rosenblum, Rie Maurer, Lyndon J Aguiar, Roger D Weiss, Joji Suzuki","doi":"10.1186/s13722-025-00601-x","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s13722-025-00601-x","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":54223,"journal":{"name":"Addiction Science & Clinical Practice","volume":"20 1","pages":"72"},"PeriodicalIF":3.2,"publicationDate":"2025-09-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12416062/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145024758","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Monika Dzidowska, James H Conigrave, Scott Wilson, Noel Hayman, Jim Cook, Lydia Gu, Darren Phung, Angela Dawson, Nikki Percival, Annalee Stearne, Marguerite Tracy, Jimmy Perry, Tanya Chikritzhs, Michelle Fitts, Teagan J Weatherall, Lynette Bullen, Craig Holloway, Kirsten Morley, Mustafa Al Ansari, K S Kylie Lee
{"title":"Adapting the Grog survey app for alcohol screening and feedback in aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health services: a mixed methods study protocol.","authors":"Monika Dzidowska, James H Conigrave, Scott Wilson, Noel Hayman, Jim Cook, Lydia Gu, Darren Phung, Angela Dawson, Nikki Percival, Annalee Stearne, Marguerite Tracy, Jimmy Perry, Tanya Chikritzhs, Michelle Fitts, Teagan J Weatherall, Lynette Bullen, Craig Holloway, Kirsten Morley, Mustafa Al Ansari, K S Kylie Lee","doi":"10.1186/s13722-025-00602-w","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s13722-025-00602-w","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Routine use of brief, structured screening tools is essential to detect and provide support for Australians who drink above recommended levels. However, detecting drinking above recommended levels in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australian primary care settings is complex. Inaccuracies in completing a screening tool such as Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test - Consumption, can lead to errors in estimating drinking in First Nations contexts where group sharing and episodic drinking make it difficult to accurately estimate alcohol consumption with tools that assume regular drinking patterns. This can lead to under-detection of drinking and a mismatch with the subsequent care that is offered. Hence, screening tools that consider these contextual factors are needed to make it easier for First Nations Australian primary care services to screen for alcohol consumption above recommended levels. Electronic screening tools offer the technical flexibility to consider the drinking contexts Furthermore, for sensitive topics such as alcohol and other drugs, computer-based screening in the general population has been shown to provide more accurate and comprehensive responses compared with face-to-face interviews.</p><p><strong>Aim: </strong>To facilitate alcohol screening and brief intervention in First Nations Australian primary care settings by adapting the Grog App - a community survey tool validated in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander populations for use in primary care.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>The project will use mixed-methods techniques across five study stages: 1 - Interest-holder consultation; 2 - technical development; 3 - re-validation and user interface acceptability; 4 - implementation in an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander primary care setting; 5 - acceptability study, six months after implementation.</p><p><strong>Discussion: </strong>The project will produce a novel, culturally appropriate digital health tool and implementation resources to make it easier to conduct routine alcohol screening in primary care contexts for a priority population, which may lead to increased screening and alcohol care rates. It will also provide first-ever contextual data about implementation of new health service improvement strategy focused on an electronic alcohol consumption screening tool, which is lacking in peer-reviewed literature. This study will also provide an important evidence base for using continuous quality improvement as an implementation approach in primary care settings.</p>","PeriodicalId":54223,"journal":{"name":"Addiction Science & Clinical Practice","volume":"20 1","pages":"70"},"PeriodicalIF":3.2,"publicationDate":"2025-09-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12403270/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144978473","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"\"There's a lot of people who love them, so why call 'em junkies?\": clinician and patient perspectives about words used to describe people who use drugs.","authors":"Gayathri Sundaram, Taisuke Sato, Brindet Socrates, Alysse Wurcel","doi":"10.1186/s13722-025-00591-w","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s13722-025-00591-w","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>There is increasing attention in clinician care to the importance of using person-first language. Clinicians' words can reinforce clinicians' pre-existing stigmas and biases. People who use drugs (PWUD) continue to face stigma from clinicians. Person-first language is a way to reduce stigma and perpetuation of bias.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Through specific structured in-person interviews, we examined the usage of stigmatizing language in the care of PWUD by surveying key clinicians- such as physicians, nurses, and social workers-and patients who self-identified as PWUD at Tufts Medical Center (Boston, MA) between July 2022-September 2022. Interview guides were created using the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research (CFIR) 2.0 as a framework. We evaluated perceptions of person-first language and barriers to using person-first language amongst participants. Interviews were coded with Dedoose Software and inductive thematic analysis (ITA) methods were used until all themes were captured; CFIR 2.0 determinants used during interview guide creation were used as preliminary themes and modified as needed.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>We interviewed thirty-four people, including eleven PWUD at time of interview. Most clinicians agreed that language is important and matters when talking to patients and during documentation. Almost all patients agreed that language was important to them and impacted their relationship with their provider. However, there were responders that felt that person-first language was unnecessary, ineffective, and overly verbose in the medical setting. Major barriers to using person-first language were unawareness, lack of formal training, and perceived generational differences in appropriate language.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Addressing language usage is a critical opportunity to promote inclusion and reduce bias amongst PWUD. As medical charts become increasingly accessible by patients, the use of language by the clinician becomes increasingly important. To create and maintain equitable systems of care, it is important to meet clinicians where they are at and to work with them to address these issues. This can include targeted educational sessions and resources informing clinicians on preferred language use and curriculum for providers-in-training.</p>","PeriodicalId":54223,"journal":{"name":"Addiction Science & Clinical Practice","volume":"20 1","pages":"71"},"PeriodicalIF":3.2,"publicationDate":"2025-09-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12403917/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144978523","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Wayne Kepner, Noel Vest, Emma Risner, Hannah Cheng, Brian Hurley, Hannah Snyder, Mark McGovern
{"title":"Three trajectories of implementation of medications for opioid use disorder in primary care.","authors":"Wayne Kepner, Noel Vest, Emma Risner, Hannah Cheng, Brian Hurley, Hannah Snyder, Mark McGovern","doi":"10.1186/s13722-025-00600-y","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s13722-025-00600-y","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":54223,"journal":{"name":"Addiction Science & Clinical Practice","volume":"20 1","pages":"69"},"PeriodicalIF":3.2,"publicationDate":"2025-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12400756/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144978454","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Josefine Östh, Andreas Lundin, Peter Wennberg, Sven Andréasson, Anna-Karin Danielsson
{"title":"Clinicians' perspectives on integrating smartphone application data into routine alcohol dependency treatment: factors influencing implementation.","authors":"Josefine Östh, Andreas Lundin, Peter Wennberg, Sven Andréasson, Anna-Karin Danielsson","doi":"10.1186/s13722-025-00597-4","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s13722-025-00597-4","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Incorporating clinicians' perspectives is essential for the successful implementation of novel interventions in health care. This study aimed to explore clinicians' experiences of using smartphone-derived data in alcohol dependency treatment, and factors affecting implementation into routine care.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Two focus group discussions were conducted in April 2023, including 10 clinicians working at a specialist addiction clinic in Stockholm, Sweden. The clinicians had various levels of experience using smartphone-based data, which was available through two online portals, as part of a randomised controlled trial evaluating two smartphone-based interventions. Data were analysed using Thematic Framework Analysis, guided by Normalisation Process Theory.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Two main themes were identified: The patient as the driving force and Cultivating commitment, competence and credibility. The first theme highlighted a person-centred approach that permeated the practice and how the patients' engagement with the app-based interventions guided the clinicians' own involvement. Benefits of the interventions for both patients (i.e., increased awareness and control) and clinicians (i.e. supportive during treatment sessions) were also acknowledged. Clinicians believed that the interventions offered an opportunity for patients to become more actively involved in treatment and noted that clinician access to the app-derived data was less important. The second theme covered clinician discussions on the need for support and guidance to make better use of the interventions, continuity in the work, and additional work time. Moreover, the use of external portals made the intervention less accessible. Potential risks and concerns with the interventions were raised, including technical instability and data security.</p><p><strong>Discussion and conclusions: </strong>The results of this study indicate that a breathalyser-coupled and a drink-counting smartphone application have potential to be supportive complements to alcohol dependency treatment. According to the clinicians, the app-based interventions enhanced patient accountability in the change process and supported treatment delivery. To be effectively implemented into routine care, using a person-centred approach is key, as well as ensuring optimal conditions for clinicians to effectively use the systems. Technical issues constitute a barrier to acceptance, why technical robustness must be ensured.</p>","PeriodicalId":54223,"journal":{"name":"Addiction Science & Clinical Practice","volume":"20 1","pages":"66"},"PeriodicalIF":3.2,"publicationDate":"2025-08-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12344876/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144849635","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Nikki Bozinoff, Divya Prasad, Ke Bin Xiao, Anthony Ngoy, Bernard Le Foll, Anna Gordezky, Christian S Hendershot, Sandra LaFleur, Lena C Quilty, Victor M Tang, Tara Marie Watson, Matthew E Sloan
{"title":"\"It beats the hell out of going to a hospital\": service user experiences of telemedicine-based symptom-triggered alcohol withdrawal management.","authors":"Nikki Bozinoff, Divya Prasad, Ke Bin Xiao, Anthony Ngoy, Bernard Le Foll, Anna Gordezky, Christian S Hendershot, Sandra LaFleur, Lena C Quilty, Victor M Tang, Tara Marie Watson, Matthew E Sloan","doi":"10.1186/s13722-025-00585-8","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s13722-025-00585-8","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Introduction: </strong>Increasingly, services for the management of substance use disorders have been developed or adapted for remote delivery. Limited research has investigated service user experience of these services. We undertook a qualitative sub-study, embedded within a pilot feasibility study of remote symptom-triggered alcohol withdrawal management, to better understand the experiences of participants. Our aim was to determine the acceptability of the intervention and refine intervention procedures.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Eligible participants were enrolled in the parent study and completed at least one day of telemedicine-delivered symptom-triggered alcohol withdrawal management. Individuals were adults with alcohol use disorder recruited using intensity sampling. Participants completed an audio-recorded, semi-structured interview. Thematic analysis was conducted using Braun and Clarke interpretive methodology.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Fourteen individuals were enrolled in the study. Six themes were identified: benefits of being in the home environment, technological tensions, intervention-specific feedback, personal motivations for participation, post-program achievements and changes and navigating the 'system'. Participants identified numerous benefits of being in the home environment including: increased comfort, privacy and security, normalizing abstinence in the home, flexibility to engage in other tasks, and the convenience of not travelling. Intervention-specific feedback included positive aspects of the intervention (interactions with staff, accountability, counselling, use of medication), areas for improvement (preparation, scheduling, medication logistics, and aftercare), and the meaning and role of having a support person available during treatment.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Participants found remote alcohol withdrawal management to be satisfactory and associated with several benefits including increased comfort, privacy, normalizing abstinence in the home, flexibility and convenience. They also provided important feedback for refinement of the intervention. Findings suggest that remote alcohol withdrawal management could play an important role in improving access to medical management of alcohol withdrawal, particularly in rural, remote or underserved areas.</p>","PeriodicalId":54223,"journal":{"name":"Addiction Science & Clinical Practice","volume":"20 1","pages":"68"},"PeriodicalIF":3.2,"publicationDate":"2025-08-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12345073/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144849634","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Megan J Yerton, Connor J McCabe, Matthew D Iles-Shih, Judith I Tsui, Kevin A Hallgren
{"title":"Prescribed medications for patients with amphetamine-type stimulant use disorder seen in rural-serving Pacific Northwest primary care clinics.","authors":"Megan J Yerton, Connor J McCabe, Matthew D Iles-Shih, Judith I Tsui, Kevin A Hallgren","doi":"10.1186/s13722-025-00593-8","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s13722-025-00593-8","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Amphetamine-type stimulant use and overdoses have increased sharply across the US in recent years, largely driven by methamphetamine. Increased access to treatments for amphetamine-type stimulant use disorder (AT-StUD), including in primary care settings, is needed to mitigate these problems, yet effective behavioral treatments are often inaccessible and there are no FDA-approved medications for AT-StUD. In the current study, we characterize how often patients with clinically documented AT-StUD in predominantly rural-serving Pacific Northwest primary care clinics received medications that have been conditionally recommended in practice guidelines for treatment of AT-StUD.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Electronic health record data from 23 primary care clinics in the Pacific Northwest US were obtained through the Data QUEST network. Adult patients with clinically documented \"other stimulant abuse\" or \"other stimulant dependence\" diagnoses typically reflecting AT-StUD between 01/2017 and 12/2021 were included. Prescription records were used to identify orders for bupropion, mirtazapine, topiramate, naltrexone-bupropion combination, methylphenidate, dextroamphetamine, and modafinil. Statistical analyses quantified the percentage of patients with medication orders placed within one year after any documented AT-StUD diagnosis.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Patients (N = 963) were predominantly female (53.3%), White (81.7%), and non-Hispanic (70.5%). In total, 14.3% of patients received orders for a non-stimulant medication conditionally recommended in practice guidelines; 2.7% received orders for a stimulant medication. Consistent with clinical guidelines, medications were more often prescribed when patients had documented co-occurring disorders for which the medications could also be effective.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>In this sample of rural-serving primary care clinics, approximately 1 in 7 primary care patients with AT-StUD received orders for medications with preliminary evidence of effectiveness. Efforts are needed to increase access to AT-StUD treatments within primary care. These efforts could include training health professionals to consider judicious use of pharmacotherapy consistent with clinical guidelines, increasing capacity for behavioral health services including contingency management, and continuing research on pharmacologic agents.</p>","PeriodicalId":54223,"journal":{"name":"Addiction Science & Clinical Practice","volume":"20 1","pages":"67"},"PeriodicalIF":3.2,"publicationDate":"2025-08-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12344905/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144849636","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Kenneth W Verbos Ii, Arjola Agolli, Stephen Sandelich, Anthony Alvarado, Alma Jusufagic, Kenneth D Croes, Aleksandra E Zgierska
{"title":"\"Ignite & engage:\" A mixed methods evaluation of a peer-led, school-based substance use prevention program.","authors":"Kenneth W Verbos Ii, Arjola Agolli, Stephen Sandelich, Anthony Alvarado, Alma Jusufagic, Kenneth D Croes, Aleksandra E Zgierska","doi":"10.1186/s13722-025-00595-6","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s13722-025-00595-6","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Substance use often begins in adolescence, making early identification and prevention essential to avert downstream harms, including substance use disorders. This study evaluated the impact of a peer-led, school-based storytelling program on participating middle- and high school students.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A cross-sectional, anonymous, online survey was distributed from 2014 to 2020 to Midwestern middle and high-schoolers who had attended a school-based event, \"Ignite & Engage,\" led by a recovery community organization (RCO). Descriptive statistics summarized quantitative and an inductive thematic analysis summarized qualitative survey results.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Of 10,438 surveyed students, 2,853 (27.3%) reported ever using substances The majority (55.2%) reported initiating substance use between the ages of 14 and 16 years, and 29.2% initiated it at an earlier age. The program impact was rated by 996 respondents, with 71.3% of them viewing it favorably and 76.3% noting presenters' personal recovery stories as the most valuable elements, and 51.2% feeling less likely to use alcohol or drugs afterwards, an effect stronger in middle- than high school youth (60.3% vs. 49.5%, respectively, p < 0.001). Qualitative feedback (N = 2,884) echoed the quantitative findings, emphasizing students' greater intent to avoid substance use, seek help, support peers, and reflect on recovery.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>This school-based storytelling program, delivered by presenters with lived experience of addiction recovery, represents a promising, novel approach to substance use prevention and harm reduction among middle- and high school students.</p>","PeriodicalId":54223,"journal":{"name":"Addiction Science & Clinical Practice","volume":"20 1","pages":"65"},"PeriodicalIF":3.2,"publicationDate":"2025-08-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12337543/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144823204","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Kathleen M Ward, Adam W Carrico, Daniel Vader, Reneé H Moore, K Rivet Amico, Allison K Groves, Scarlett L Bellamy, Susan G Sherman, Douglas Krakower, Silvana Mazzella, Alexis M Roth
{"title":"Implementation of contingency management with women engaging in polysubstance use.","authors":"Kathleen M Ward, Adam W Carrico, Daniel Vader, Reneé H Moore, K Rivet Amico, Allison K Groves, Scarlett L Bellamy, Susan G Sherman, Douglas Krakower, Silvana Mazzella, Alexis M Roth","doi":"10.1186/s13722-025-00590-x","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s13722-025-00590-x","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Contingency management (CM) is an effective intervention that provides financial incentives as positive reinforcement for reducing opioid or stimulant use. However, it has not been tested in populations of women who inject drugs (WWID) engaging in polysubstance use.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>We aimed to compare the feasibility of two CM protocols designed to encourage illicit stimulant and opioid abstinence among WWID participating in an ongoing HIV prevention trial. Participants completed a 3-month CM period during which they submitted thrice weekly urine toxicology screenings (UTOX). In the 'abstinence from stimulants and opioids' protocol, participants received a $5 USD incentive when metabolites of stimulants and opioids were not detected in urine. In the 'partial-abstinence protocol', they received a $5 USD incentive when metabolites of stimulants or opioids were not detected, thus doubling the potential incentive obtained each visit. Women also received scaling bonuses after three consecutive negative UTOX ($5-$15 USD). We used descriptive statistics to summarize the total number of (1) UTOXs completed and (2) bonuses distributed. Rates of engagement per person per month were calculated (i.e., total number of completed UTOX/3 months*24 participants). Rates of engagement were compared by CM protocol period.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Participants were primarily White women (67%) with an average age of 47 years. Self-reported polysubstance use was common (96%) with women reporting injecting an average of 5 times daily (Interquartile Range: 2-7). Participants (N = 24) collectively submitted 177 UTOX during their 3-month CM periods. Rates of non-reactive UTOX results were slightly higher in the partial-abstinence protocol compared to the abstinence from stimulants and opioids protocol (2.9 per month versus 1.0 per month). More bonuses were earned in the partial-abstinence protocol (0.50 bonuses per participant per month) compared to the abstinence from stimulants and opioids protocol (none). There were no study related adverse events in either protocol group during the CM period.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Findings demonstrate the feasibility of a CM protocol that provided financial incentives for partial abstinence, periods with documented stimulant or opioid abstinence, as well as abstinence to both, without the occurrence of iatrogenic effects. Future research focusing on CM protocols with more flexible incentive structures remains critical.</p><p><strong>Trial registration: </strong>NCT05192434.</p>","PeriodicalId":54223,"journal":{"name":"Addiction Science & Clinical Practice","volume":"20 1","pages":"63"},"PeriodicalIF":3.2,"publicationDate":"2025-08-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12333167/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144805315","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Olivia Gaddum, Stefan Gutwinski, Alva Lütt, Daa Un Moon, Anne Beck, Nadja Ruckser, Alessandro Turno, Robert Schöneck, Felix Bermpohl, Nikolaos Tsamitros
{"title":"Virtual reality interventions in the assessment and treatment of alcohol use disorder - a systematic scoping review on methodology.","authors":"Olivia Gaddum, Stefan Gutwinski, Alva Lütt, Daa Un Moon, Anne Beck, Nadja Ruckser, Alessandro Turno, Robert Schöneck, Felix Bermpohl, Nikolaos Tsamitros","doi":"10.1186/s13722-025-00587-6","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s13722-025-00587-6","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Virtual reality (VR) technology has been increasingly employed to develop innovative treatments for Alcohol use disorder (AUD) and overcome limitations of currents therapies. However, previous research in this field has yielded inconclusive results. To improve the quality and comparability of studies, a critical analysis of the research methodology employed in this field is necessary.</p><p><strong>Objectives: </strong>This scoping review aims to provide an overview of existing studies with a focus on their objectives, methodology, treatment paradigms, and VR design characteristics.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A systematic literature research was conducted in the electronic databases MEDLINE (PubMed), APA PsychInfo, APA PsychArticles, PSYINDEX (EBSCOhost), Scopus, Web of Science and by search in the reference list of included publication to identify relevant publications. Clinical studies and study protocols using VR for the assessment or treatment of patients with AUD were included.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The literature search yielded 1.197 studies, of which 22 met the inclusion criteria. Completed trials (n = 16) and study protocols (n = 6) were included. The majority of the studies (n = 19) used a VR cue exposure paradigm to induce craving. The studies can be classified either as assessment (n = 9) or treatment studies (n = 13). The duration (7-60 min) and number of applied sessions (1-13) varied significantly depending on the type of study. Craving outcomes were based on subjective and physiological measurements. All studies used alcoholic beverages and VR scenarios such as bars, pubs, parties and restaurants, with additional scenarios varying, except for one study using a hospital and subway scenario as aversive scenarios. Moreover, synchronized olfactory stimuli were frequently used.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Despite the heterogeneity of VR software features and VR interventions, it was possible to identify a similarity within the main VR scenarios employed, as well as consistent positive results concerning the induction of subjective craving by alcohol-associated VR cues. While VR interventions for AUD show methodological progress, future research should adopt standardized protocols, include objective psychophysiological outcomes, and evaluate long-term efficacy and feasibility in clinical settings. Integration of emerging VR paradigms and technologies may further enhance the therapeutic potential.</p>","PeriodicalId":54223,"journal":{"name":"Addiction Science & Clinical Practice","volume":"20 1","pages":"64"},"PeriodicalIF":3.2,"publicationDate":"2025-08-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12333255/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144805316","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}