NCT05794984

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

Targeted Focus Groups Discussions (FGDs) and Cross-sectional Questionnaire to Address Questions Regarding Telemedicine Concept and Knowledge, and Social Media Usage Among People Who Inject Drugs (PWID) in Greece

• Status: Completed
• Phase: —
• Study type: Observational
• Enrollment: 219 (actual)
• Sponsor: State University of New York at Buffalo · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: 18 Years
• Healthy volunteers: —

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.

Detailed description

The study's aim is to access the feasibility, acceptability and accessibility of social media and telemedicine as methods to obtain healthcare, in order to improve linkage-to-care among Greek substance users. Underserved populations, such as people who inject drugs (PWID) have limited access to healthcare and a potential solution to expanding healthcare access points is telemedicine. For the past decade, the investigators have studied the efficacy of a facilitated telemedicine model for hepatitis C virus (HCV) treatment integrated into opioid treatment programs (OTPs) for PWIDs. The investigators have achieved high rates of HCV resolution and high patient-satisfaction through facilitated telemedicine. The investigators now seek to explore whether this same intervention might be feasible and acceptable in Greece. The first step is to capture and explore the current knowledge, experiences, believes, perceptions and attitudes of PWID in Greece regarding internet and social media usage and telemedicine concept, through targeted Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) and administration of cross-sectional questionnaire. The perceptions for high-quality healthcare, confidentiality, privacy and security matters will also be explored as well as further relevant attributes.

Conditions

• Drug Abuse, Intravenous
• Internet
• Social Media
• Telemedicine

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
OTHER	Focus group discussions and survey questionnaire	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.

Timeline

• Start date: 2023-05-02
• Primary completion: 2023-09-18
• Completion: 2023-09-18
• First posted: 2023-04-03
• Last updated: 2024-02-05

Locations

1 site across 1 country: Greece