Telemedicine and Social Media for People Who Inject Drugs (PWID) in Greece

NCT05794984 | Completed

• 1 other identifier: STUDY00007088
• Study Type: observational
• Target: 219
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

The current study seeks to address questions regarding internet and social media usage as well as telemedicine concept and knowledge, by conducting targeted focus group discussions (FGDs) and administering cross-sectional questionnaires among PWID in Greece. Further parameters, such as perceptions for high-quality healthcare access, confidentiality, privacy, and security, will also be explored.

Conditions

Drug Abuse, Intravenous; Internet; Social Media; Telemedicine

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

• There are not specific predetermined endpoints to be defined.

  This is a mixed methods study designed to assess the feasibility, acceptability, and accessibility of telemedicine and social media to improve healthcare access among Greek PWUD. It is not an interventional trial. The results of this study will be used to generate endpoints and sample sizes for a larger trial.

  For the FGDs approximately up to 3-4 months is needed to enroll all study subjects. For the cross-sectional questionnaire approximately up to 6-8 months is needed to enroll all study subjects. Endpoints will be generated according to study's results.

Study Arms (1)

Targeted Focus Group Discussions and Cross-sectional questionnaire

57 people for targeted Focus Group Discussions 162 people for Cross-sectional questionnaire

Other: Focus group discussions and survey questionnaire

Interventions

Focus group discussions and survey questionnaire OTHER

Questions regarding internet and social media usage, as well as telemedicine concept and knowledge. Assessment of the feasibility, acceptability and accessibility of social media and telemedicine as methods to obtain healthcare. Perceptions for high-quality healthcare access, confidentiality, privacy, and security, will also be explored.

Targeted Focus Group Discussions and Cross-sectional questionnaire

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 18 Years+
• Sex: all
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)
• Sampling Method: Non-Probability Sample

Study Population

PWID are a medically and socially vulnerable population with high incidence of overdose, mental illness and infections such as HIV and hepatitis C

You may qualify if:

• \>18 years old
• PWID
• Willing and able to provide informed consent and participate
• Fluent in Greek spoken language
• Internet access
• \>18 years old
• PWID
• Willing and able to provide informed consent and participate
• Fluent in Greek spoken language

You may not qualify if:

• \<18 years old
• Unable/unwilling to consent
• Legally incompetent

Sponsors & Collaborators

• State University of New York at Buffalo: lead
• Hellenic Scientific Society for the Study of AIDS, Sexually Transmitted and Emerging Diseases: collaborator

Study Sites (1)

Prometheus

Athens, Greece

Location

Related Publications (8)

• Talal AH, Andrews P, Mcleod A, Chen Y, Sylvester C, Markatou M, Brown LS. Integrated, Co-located, Telemedicine-based Treatment Approaches for Hepatitis C Virus Management in Opioid Use Disorder Patients on Methadone. Clin Infect Dis. 2019 Jul 2;69(2):323-331. doi: 10.1093/cid/ciy899.

  PMID: 30329042 BACKGROUND

• Talal AH, McLeod A, Andrews P, Nieves-McGrath H, Chen Y, Reynolds A, Sylvester C, Dickerson SS, Markatou M, Brown LS. Patient Reaction to Telemedicine for Clinical Management of Hepatitis C Virus Integrated into an Opioid Treatment Program. Telemed J E Health. 2019 Sep;25(9):791-801. doi: 10.1089/tmj.2018.0161. Epub 2018 Oct 16.

  PMID: 30325701 BACKGROUND

• Talal AH, Markatou M, Sofikitou EM, Brown LS, Perumalswami P, Dinani A, Tobin JN. Patient-centered HCV care via telemedicine for individuals on medication for opioid use disorder: Telemedicine for Evaluation, Adherence and Medication for Hepatitis C (TEAM-C). Contemp Clin Trials. 2022 Jan;112:106632. doi: 10.1016/j.cct.2021.106632. Epub 2021 Nov 20.

  PMID: 34813962 BACKGROUND

• Talal AH, Sofikitou EM, Wang K, Dickerson S, Jaanimagi U, Markatou M. High Satisfaction with Patient-Centered Telemedicine for Hepatitis C Virus Delivered to Substance Users: A Mixed-Methods Study. Telemed J E Health. 2023 Mar;29(3):395-407. doi: 10.1089/tmj.2022.0189. Epub 2022 Aug 4.

  PMID: 35925809 BACKGROUND

• Hatzakis A, Sypsa V, Paraskevis D, Nikolopoulos G, Tsiara C, Micha K, Panopoulos A, Malliori M, Psichogiou M, Pharris A, Wiessing L, van de Laar M, Donoghoe M, Heckathorn DD, Friedman SR, Des Jarlais DC. Design and baseline findings of a large-scale rapid response to an HIV outbreak in people who inject drugs in Athens, Greece: the ARISTOTLE programme. Addiction. 2015 Sep;110(9):1453-67. doi: 10.1111/add.12999. Epub 2015 Jul 14.

  PMID: 26032121 BACKGROUND

• Sypsa V, Psichogiou M, Paraskevis D, Nikolopoulos G, Tsiara C, Paraskeva D, Micha K, Malliori M, Pharris A, Wiessing L, Donoghoe M, Friedman S, Jarlais DD, Daikos G, Hatzakis A. Rapid Decline in HIV Incidence Among Persons Who Inject Drugs During a Fast-Track Combination Prevention Program After an HIV Outbreak in Athens. J Infect Dis. 2017 May 15;215(10):1496-1505. doi: 10.1093/infdis/jix100.

  PMID: 28407106 BACKGROUND

• Papalamprakopoulou Z, Roussos S, Ntagianta E, Triantafyllou V, Kalamitsis G, Dharia A, Sypsa V, Hatzakis A, Talal AH. Considerations for equitable distribution of digital healthcare for people who use drugs. BMC Health Serv Res. 2025 Apr 10;25(1):531. doi: 10.1186/s12913-025-12619-7.

  PMID: 40211324 DERIVED

• Papalamprakopoulou Z, Ntagianta E, Triantafyllou V, Kalamitsis G, Dharia A, Dickerson SS, Hatzakis A, Talal AH. Telehealth to increase healthcare access; perspectives of people who use drugs. BMC Med Inform Decis Mak. 2024 Oct 19;24(1):306. doi: 10.1186/s12911-024-02718-6.

  PMID: 39425182 DERIVED

Related Links

• Extensions of Respondent-Driven Sampling: Analyzing Continuous Variables and Controlling for Differential Recruitment

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Substance Abuse, Intravenous

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Substance-Related Disorders; Chemically-Induced Disorders; Mental Disorders

Study Officials

• Andrew Talal, MD

  University at Buffalo

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Study Design

• Study Type: observational
• Observational Model: OTHER
• Time Perspective: CROSS SECTIONAL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Principal Investigator

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: March 20, 2023
• First Posted: April 3, 2023
• Study Start: May 2, 2023
• Primary Completion: September 18, 2023
• Study Completion: September 18, 2023
• Last Updated: February 5, 2024

Record last verified: 2024-02

Locations

GR (1)