Sustaining Recovery for People on Opioid Agonist Treatment With Conversational Agents

Summary

This study aims to improve retention in buprenorphine treatment, a medication used for opioid use disorder, through the use of a smartphone-delivered recovery support intervention. The intervention involves an Embodied Conversational Agent (ECA), a virtual, animated computer agent designed to simulate natural face-to-face conversations. ECAs have been shown to help individuals manage their healthcare in other settings, and this study seeks to evaluate their potential in supporting patients on medication for opioid use disorder (MOUD).

Detailed Description

One hundred participants will be enrolled in the study from the Office-Based Addiction Treatment (OBAT) clinic at Boston Medical Center (BMC). The participants will be randomly assigned to one of two groups. In the intervention group, participants will engage in ECA use and will receive (1) technical support, (2) text message reminders, and (3) monetary incentives. Alternatively, participants will be randomized to the treatment as usual group where they do not access the ECA application. Assessments will be conducted in person at baseline and over the phone at 6 months and 12 months. At 3 and 9 months, research staff will make brief telephone contacts to confirm or update participant contact information. The primary outcome is retention in buprenorphine treatment over 12 months.

Eligibility Criteria

Interventions