Masson C, Chen I, Levine J, Shopshire M, Sorensen J. (2019). Health-related internet use among opioid treatment patients. Addictive Behaviors Reports. 9: 100157. doi: 10.1016/j.abrep.2018.100157
Researchers surveyed 178 patients (ages 18-64) of a San Francisco methadone treatment program to examine how socioeconomically disadvantaged individuals with opioid use disorder (OUD) use mobile technology and the internet. Recruitment occurred in the clinic waiting room. All participants completed an hour-long survey to obtain information about participant sociodemographics, internet use, and mobile phone ownership and use. The survey also included questions on substance use, physical and mental health, health literacy, and technology acceptance. Analysis of study data revealed that younger age, current employment, less bodily pain, and technology acceptance were all significant predictors of internet use for health-related purposes. Most participants used the internet daily (67%) for at least 1 hour (64%). A large majority (74%) usually used a mobile device to access the internet. Almost all participants (88%) had searched the internet for health information at least once in the past 3 months, and about half (52%) had searched for health information more than 6 times in the past 3 months. Almost all participants (94%) had owned a smartphone in the past year. Over half of participants who owned smartphones (59%) had experienced one or more interruptions in phone service in the past year. Thirteen participants who owned smartphones (8%) had used medication management apps. Results support the potential of smartphones as delivery platforms to aid recovery among socioeconomically disadvantaged individuals with OUD, but issues of maintaining consistent access to phone service need to be systemically addressed.