Examining an Adaptive Approach to Providing Psychosocial Support to Buprenorphine Patients

November 4, 2024 updated by: Public Health Management Corporation

Enhancing Office-based Buprenorphine Treatment: An Adaptive Psychosocial Approach

The purpose of this study is to address important knowledge gaps regarding the optimal way to provide psychosocial treatment to patients who are receiving buprenorphine for opioid use disorder (OUD) in office-based settings. The project will develop and evaluate an adaptive treatment approach in which the interventions are delivered based on the individual needs of patients at baseline and throughout the course of care. The adaptive intervention will incorporate certified recovery specialists (CRSs) and cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), two interventions that have been widely used in the treatment of OUD. The efficacy of the adaptive intervention will be evaluated through a randomized controlled trial (RCT) that will be conducted in federally qualified health (FQHCs) in Philadelphia.

Study Overview

Detailed Description

This study will help to inform best practices for providing psychosocial treatment within the context of office-based opioid treatment (OBOT) with buprenorphine. We will use a staged approach to develop and evaluate an adaptive approach to the provision of adjunctive psychosocial treatment that includes medication management by a buprenorphine provider and linkage to CRSs and CBT depending on the needs of the patient. The specific aims of the proposal are listed below.

Aim 1: Work collaboratively with our multidisciplinary team to develop specific protocols for the CRS and CBT interventions and establish algorithms based on behavioral criteria to determine when each intervention should be implemented. As a part of this aim, we will also develop standard procedures for delivering each intervention and train interventionists [i.e., CRSs and Licensed Professional Counselors (LPCs)] to deliver them with fidelity.

Aim 2: Conduct a two-group randomized study to evaluate the efficacy of the adaptive intervention relative to TAU. Outcomes to be examined will include urinalysis-confirmed opioid use, retention in buprenorphine- based OBOT, quality of life, and psychosocial functioning through one year post-study entry.

Aim 3: Conduct a qualitative evaluation of the intervention and develop a strategic plan for its dissemination. We will conduct focus groups with clinic staff and relevant stakeholders to determine the utility and acceptability of the adaptive intervention. In addition, we will hold an expert roundtable to identify mechanisms for increasing sustainability and enhancing adoption by other office-based buprenorphine programs to inform the development of the strategic plan.

Aim 4: Establish a training program in clinical research for minority students. Eight undergraduate students from a historically minority higher education institution will be selected to participate in 9-month internships during which they will receive comprehensive and pragmatic training in the full range of clinical research from study design to dissemination.

Study Type

Interventional

Enrollment (Actual)

125

Phase

  • Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Locations

    • Pennsylvania
      • Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States, 19121
        • Project HOME Stephen J. Klein Wellness Center
      • Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States, 19123
        • PHMC Care Clinic

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Ages Eligible for Study

18 years and older (Adult, Older Adult)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Have initiated office-based buprenorphine treatment for OUD at the FQHC within the last 4 weeks;
  • Not require an inpatient level of care as determined by the healthcare provider; and
  • Be capable of providing valid contact information and informed consent.

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Patient is under the age of 18;
  • Co-morbid psychiatric disorder indicating the need for more intensive residential treatment
  • Patient is unable to provide informed consent.

Individuals who are intoxicated, cognitively impaired, or psychiatrically unstable at baseline will not be included; however, they may subsequently be included if the disqualifying condition subsides.

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Treatment
  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
  • Masking: None (Open Label)

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm
Intervention / Treatment
No Intervention: Treatment As Usual (TAU)
Participants assigned to the TAU condition will be scheduled for buprenorphine medication management appointments and will receive OBOT at the FQHC and adjunctive psychosocial treatment as typically provided at the FQHC. The team will continue to meet with the patient during subsequent MAT visits on a decreasing frequency, with some slight site-specific variation. The schedule of MAT visits generally includes 3 clinic visits during the week of induction, 1-2 visits per week until the patient is stabilized, and monthly thereafter. Behavioral health clinicians provide support to the patient, discuss UDS results, assist with strategic problem-solving around recovery and adjustment to sobriety, and monitor the patient's engagement in MAT.
Experimental: Adaptive Intervention
Participants assigned to the adaptive intervention condition will be scheduled for buprenorphine medication management appointments according to the clinic protocol described above for TAU. The adjunctive psychosocial treatment that participants in this condition receive are (1) CBT delivered by behavioral health specialists and/or (2) peer support delivered by certified recovery specialist. The active intervention period will span 3 months post-study entry. Participants will continue to receive TAU following the active intervention period.
Participants assigned to the adaptive intervention condition will be scheduled for buprenorphine medication management appointments according to the clinic protocol described above for TAU. The adjunctive psychosocial treatment that participants in this condition receive are (1) CBT delivered by behavioral health specialists and/or (2) peer support delivered by certified recovery specialist. The active intervention period will span 3 months post-study entry. Participants will continue to receive TAU following the active intervention period.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Urinalysis-confirmed abstinence from opioids at 3 month follow up
Time Frame: 3 months post study entry
Participants will provide a urine specimen at the 3 month follow up assessment. We will use the CLIA Waived® 14-Panel Drug Test Cup and fentanyl test strip for opioids, buprenorphine, methadone, oxycodone, THC, cocaine, amphetamines, PCP, methamphetamine, benzodiazepines, and barbiturates, and MDMD. The urine sample will be delivered under the supervision of the RA who will use standard procedures to detect tampering and dilution.
3 months post study entry
Urinalysis-confirmed abstinence from opioids at 6 month follow up
Time Frame: 6 months post study entry
Participants will provide a urine specimen at the 6 month follow up assessment. We will use the CLIA Waived® 14-Panel Drug Test Cup and fentanyl test strip for opioids, buprenorphine, methadone, oxycodone, THC, cocaine, amphetamines, PCP, methamphetamine, benzodiazepines, and barbiturates, and MDMD. The urine sample will be delivered under the supervision of the RA who will use standard procedures to detect tampering and dilution.
6 months post study entry
Urinalysis-confirmed abstinence from opioids at 9 month follow up
Time Frame: 9 months post study entry
Participants will provide a urine specimen at the 9 month follow up assessment. We will use the CLIA Waived® 14-Panel Drug Test Cup and fentanyl test strip for opioids, buprenorphine, methadone, oxycodone, THC, cocaine, amphetamines, PCP, methamphetamine, benzodiazepines, and barbiturates, and MDMD. The urine sample will be delivered under the supervision of the RA who will use standard procedures to detect tampering and dilution.
9 months post study entry
Urinalysis-confirmed abstinence from opioids at 12 month follow up
Time Frame: 12 months post study entry
Participants will provide a urine specimen at the 12 month follow up assessment. We will use the CLIA Waived® 14-Panel Drug Test Cup and fentanyl test strip for opioids, buprenorphine, methadone, oxycodone, THC, cocaine, amphetamines, PCP, methamphetamine, benzodiazepines, and barbiturates, and MDMD. The urine sample will be delivered under the supervision of the RA who will use standard procedures to detect tampering and dilution.
12 months post study entry

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Abstinence from or reductions in use of other (non-opioid) psychoactive substances
Time Frame: Through 12 months post-study entry
Results from the CLIAwaived® 14-panel test and fentanyl strip described above for the primary outcome will be used as an indicator of this outcome.
Through 12 months post-study entry
Retention in buprenorphine-based OBOT
Time Frame: Through 12 months post-study entry
Including appointment attendance, medication and treatment adherence, and retention in and completion of treatment.
Through 12 months post-study entry
Quality of life assessment
Time Frame: Through 12 months post-study entry
Quality of life will be measured using the Short Form-36 (SF-36). The SF-36 is a self-report inventory that assesses eight dimensions of physical and mental health-related quality of life. The SF-36 has been shown to have high reliability and validity.
Through 12 months post-study entry
Psychosocial functioning/Multidimensional problem severity
Time Frame: Through 12 months post-study entry
Multidimensional problem severity, a secondary outcome, will be measured using the Addiction Severity Index-Lite (ASI-Lite). The ASI-Lite is a reliable and valid multidimensional assessment that provides composite scores reflecting current problem severity in the medical, employment, alcohol, drug, legal, family/social, and psychiatric areas.
Through 12 months post-study entry
Treatment satisfaction
Time Frame: Through 12 months post-study entry
Treatment satisfaction will be measured using a modified version of the Treatment Services Review (TSR). The TSR measures patient therapeutic engagement in and satisfaction with treatment.
Through 12 months post-study entry

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Investigators

  • Principal Investigator: Karen Dugosh, Ph.D., PHMC

Publications and helpful links

The person responsible for entering information about the study voluntarily provides these publications. These may be about anything related to the study.

General Publications

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Actual)

September 21, 2020

Primary Completion (Actual)

May 31, 2024

Study Completion (Actual)

May 31, 2024

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

November 5, 2020

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

November 24, 2020

First Posted (Actual)

December 2, 2020

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

November 6, 2024

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

November 4, 2024

Last Verified

November 1, 2024

More Information

Terms related to this study

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

NO

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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