Web-Based Application for Reducing Methamphetamine Use Among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People: Randomized Waitlist Controlled Trial
BackgroundDigital interventions can help to overcome barriers to care, including stigma, geographical distance, and a lack of culturally appropriate treatment options. “We Can Do This” is a web-based app that was designed with input from cultural advisors and end users to sup...
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JMIR Publications
2025-02-01
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| Series: | Journal of Medical Internet Research |
| Online Access: | https://www.jmir.org/2025/1/e58341 |
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| author | Rachel Reilly Rebecca McKetin Federica Barzi Tayla Degan Nadine Ezard Katherine Conigrave Julia Butt Yvette Roe Handan Wand Brendan Quinn Wade Longbottom Carla Treloar Adrian Dunlop James Ward |
| author_facet | Rachel Reilly Rebecca McKetin Federica Barzi Tayla Degan Nadine Ezard Katherine Conigrave Julia Butt Yvette Roe Handan Wand Brendan Quinn Wade Longbottom Carla Treloar Adrian Dunlop James Ward |
| author_sort | Rachel Reilly |
| collection | DOAJ |
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BackgroundDigital interventions can help to overcome barriers to care, including stigma, geographical distance, and a lack of culturally appropriate treatment options. “We Can Do This” is a web-based app that was designed with input from cultural advisors and end users to support Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people seeking to stop or reduce their use of methamphetamine and increase psychosocial well-being.
ObjectiveThis study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of the “We Can Do This” web-based app as a psychosocial treatment for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people who use methamphetamine.
MethodsThe web app was evaluated using a randomized waitlist controlled parallel group trial. Participants were Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people aged 16 years or older who self-identified as having used methamphetamine at least weekly for the past 3 months. Participants were randomized on a 1:1 ratio to receive either access to the web-based app for 6 weeks or a waitlist control group. Both groups received access to a website with harm minimization information. The primary outcome was days of methamphetamine use in the past 4 weeks assessed at 1, 2, and 3 months post randomization. Secondary outcomes included severity of methamphetamine dependence (Severity of Dependence Scale [SDS]), psychological distress (Kessler 10 [K10]), help-seeking behavior, and days spent out of role due to methamphetamine use.
ResultsParticipants (N=210) were randomized to receive either access to the web-based app (n=115) or the waitlist control condition (n=95). Follow-up was 63% at 1 month, 57% at 2 months, and 54% at 3 months. There were no significant group differences in days of methamphetamine use in the past 4 weeks at 1 the month (mean difference 0.2 days, 95% CI –1.5 to –2), 2 months (mean difference 0.6 days, 95% CI –1 to 2.4 days) or 3 months (mean difference 1.4 days, 95% CI –0.3 to 3.3 days) follow-up. There were no significant group differences in K10 scores, SDS scores, days out of role, or help-seeking at any of the 3 follow-up timepoints. There was poor adherence to the web-based app, only 20% of participants in the intervention group returned to the web-based app after their initial log-in. Participants cited personal issues and forgetting about the web-based app as the most common reasons for nonadherence.
ConclusionsWe found poor engagement with this web-based app. The web-based app had no significant effects on methamphetamine use or psychosocial well-being. Poor adherence and low follow-up hindered our ability to accurately evaluate the effectiveness of the web-based app. Future web-based apps for this population need to consider methods to increase participant engagement.
Trial RegistrationAustralian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry ACTRN12619000134123p; https://www.anzctr.org.au/Trial/Registration/TrialReview.aspx?id=376088
International Registered Report Identifier (IRRID)RR2-10.2196/14084 |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-25c62dd8fdcf4ab29e0a9d84ceb18abc |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 1438-8871 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-02-01 |
| publisher | JMIR Publications |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Journal of Medical Internet Research |
| spelling | doaj-art-25c62dd8fdcf4ab29e0a9d84ceb18abc2025-08-20T02:11:12ZengJMIR PublicationsJournal of Medical Internet Research1438-88712025-02-0127e5834110.2196/58341Web-Based Application for Reducing Methamphetamine Use Among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People: Randomized Waitlist Controlled TrialRachel Reillyhttps://orcid.org/0000-0003-2107-9187Rebecca McKetinhttps://orcid.org/0000-0003-2833-4830Federica Barzihttps://orcid.org/0000-0001-7427-0167Tayla Deganhttps://orcid.org/0000-0002-3552-4627Nadine Ezardhttps://orcid.org/0000-0002-7495-8305Katherine Conigravehttps://orcid.org/0000-0002-6428-1441Julia Butthttps://orcid.org/0000-0003-4714-2252Yvette Roehttps://orcid.org/0000-0001-6851-4233Handan Wandhttps://orcid.org/0000-0002-8279-7652Brendan Quinnhttps://orcid.org/0000-0002-2977-3133Wade Longbottomhttps://orcid.org/0009-0005-1197-4980Carla Treloarhttps://orcid.org/0000-0002-8230-0386Adrian Dunlophttps://orcid.org/0000-0003-2394-5966James Wardhttps://orcid.org/0000-0002-2892-4542 BackgroundDigital interventions can help to overcome barriers to care, including stigma, geographical distance, and a lack of culturally appropriate treatment options. “We Can Do This” is a web-based app that was designed with input from cultural advisors and end users to support Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people seeking to stop or reduce their use of methamphetamine and increase psychosocial well-being. ObjectiveThis study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of the “We Can Do This” web-based app as a psychosocial treatment for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people who use methamphetamine. MethodsThe web app was evaluated using a randomized waitlist controlled parallel group trial. Participants were Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people aged 16 years or older who self-identified as having used methamphetamine at least weekly for the past 3 months. Participants were randomized on a 1:1 ratio to receive either access to the web-based app for 6 weeks or a waitlist control group. Both groups received access to a website with harm minimization information. The primary outcome was days of methamphetamine use in the past 4 weeks assessed at 1, 2, and 3 months post randomization. Secondary outcomes included severity of methamphetamine dependence (Severity of Dependence Scale [SDS]), psychological distress (Kessler 10 [K10]), help-seeking behavior, and days spent out of role due to methamphetamine use. ResultsParticipants (N=210) were randomized to receive either access to the web-based app (n=115) or the waitlist control condition (n=95). Follow-up was 63% at 1 month, 57% at 2 months, and 54% at 3 months. There were no significant group differences in days of methamphetamine use in the past 4 weeks at 1 the month (mean difference 0.2 days, 95% CI –1.5 to –2), 2 months (mean difference 0.6 days, 95% CI –1 to 2.4 days) or 3 months (mean difference 1.4 days, 95% CI –0.3 to 3.3 days) follow-up. There were no significant group differences in K10 scores, SDS scores, days out of role, or help-seeking at any of the 3 follow-up timepoints. There was poor adherence to the web-based app, only 20% of participants in the intervention group returned to the web-based app after their initial log-in. Participants cited personal issues and forgetting about the web-based app as the most common reasons for nonadherence. ConclusionsWe found poor engagement with this web-based app. The web-based app had no significant effects on methamphetamine use or psychosocial well-being. Poor adherence and low follow-up hindered our ability to accurately evaluate the effectiveness of the web-based app. Future web-based apps for this population need to consider methods to increase participant engagement. Trial RegistrationAustralian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry ACTRN12619000134123p; https://www.anzctr.org.au/Trial/Registration/TrialReview.aspx?id=376088 International Registered Report Identifier (IRRID)RR2-10.2196/14084https://www.jmir.org/2025/1/e58341 |
| spellingShingle | Rachel Reilly Rebecca McKetin Federica Barzi Tayla Degan Nadine Ezard Katherine Conigrave Julia Butt Yvette Roe Handan Wand Brendan Quinn Wade Longbottom Carla Treloar Adrian Dunlop James Ward Web-Based Application for Reducing Methamphetamine Use Among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People: Randomized Waitlist Controlled Trial Journal of Medical Internet Research |
| title | Web-Based Application for Reducing Methamphetamine Use Among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People: Randomized Waitlist Controlled Trial |
| title_full | Web-Based Application for Reducing Methamphetamine Use Among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People: Randomized Waitlist Controlled Trial |
| title_fullStr | Web-Based Application for Reducing Methamphetamine Use Among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People: Randomized Waitlist Controlled Trial |
| title_full_unstemmed | Web-Based Application for Reducing Methamphetamine Use Among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People: Randomized Waitlist Controlled Trial |
| title_short | Web-Based Application for Reducing Methamphetamine Use Among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People: Randomized Waitlist Controlled Trial |
| title_sort | web based application for reducing methamphetamine use among aboriginal and torres strait islander people randomized waitlist controlled trial |
| url | https://www.jmir.org/2025/1/e58341 |
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