Drug abuse is a serious public health issue. Despite the serious consequences of drug abuse, there are around 2000 new cases reported by drug abusers each year. There is growing evidence of the use of auricular acupressure (AA), a traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) treatment modality, in reducing withdrawal symptoms among drug abusers. This study aims to investigate the feasibility and effectiveness of training nursing students to deliver brief education on AA on drug abusers.
A 2-arm feasibility cluster RCT will be conducted in the 80 drug abusers from 7 substance abuse clinics in Hong Kong Hospital Authority following the CONSORT statement. The intervention group will receive AA intervention individually from trained nursing students. The control group will individually receive a 5-minute seminar delivered by a research assistant.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
SINGLE
Enrollment
80
Participants will individually receive a 5-minute AA education delivered verbally at his/her respective clinic by a trained nursing student interventionist in addition to the usual scheduled follow-ups and activities at clinics.
To mimic the time and attention spent, the control group will individually receive a 5-minute seminar delivered by an RA.
Katherine Lam
Hong Kong, Hong Kong
RECRUITINGScreening rate
calculated as the number of abusers screened at participated clinics divided by number of abusers at participated clinics during the recruitment period.
Time frame: at the 6-month follow-up
Eligibility rate
calculated by dividing the number of abusers who are eligible by the number who are screened.
Time frame: at the 6-month follow-up
Consent rate
calculated by dividing the number of abusers who consent to join the study by the number who are eligible.
Time frame: at the 6-month follow-up
Randomization rate
calculated by dividing the number of abusers who are randomized into intervention and control groups by those who provide consent.
Time frame: at the 6-month follow-up
Attendance rate
calculated by dividing the number of abusers who complete the intervention by those who are randomized.
Time frame: at the 6-month follow-up
Retention rate
: calculated by dividing the number of abusers who remain in the study by those who are randomized. Retention rates for the intervention and control groups will be calculated at each follow-up.
Time frame: at the 6-month follow-up
Adherence to intervention protocol
calculated by dividing the number of abusers who follow the intervention protocol by those who are randomized.
Time frame: at the 6-month follow-up
Complete rate
calculated by dividing the number of abusers who returned questionnaires by the number of questionnaires distributed. This will be calculated by groups at baseline and each follow-up.
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Time frame: at the 6-month follow-up
Missing data
calculated as the percentage of missing values in the dataset. Unknown or blank values will be considered missing values.
Time frame: at the 6-month follow-up
Adverse events
defined as unfavorable and unintended events that are not present at baseline, or appear to have worsened during the study.
Time frame: at the 6-month follow-up
Self-reported abstinence
Self-reported drug abstinence at last 30 days.
Time frame: at the 6-month follow-up
Abstinence with urine testing
. Those who report no drug abuse within the past 30 days at the 6-month follow-up will be further invited for urine testing.
Time frame: at the 6-month follow-up
Self-reported levels of craving
The Chinese version of the 3-item craving scale will be used to measure abusers' self-reported levels of craving.
Time frame: at the 6-month follow-up
Anxiety
Generalized anxiety disorder-7 will be used to measure the severity of self-reported anxiety.
Time frame: at the 6-month follow-up
Quality of life measures by short-Form Six-Dimension
Short-Form Six-Dimension will be used to assess abusers' quality of life.It contains six dimensions of health. The Chinese version is well validated in Hong Kong.
Time frame: at the 6-month follow-up