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Program Reviews

POP4Teens

Overview

POP4Teens is a web-based intervention designed to prevent prescription opioid misuse among adolescents.

POP4Teens (P4T) addresses risk factors associated with future prescription opioid (PO) misuse (attitudes, intentions, knowledge, refusal skills, and perceived risk) through 8 modules: introduction to opioids, misconceptions about opioid safety and addictiveness, illegality of PO use without a prescription, risks of PO misuse, non-medication alternatives for pain management, refusing offers to misuse PO, refusing requests by others to use personal POs, and how to know if you or someone you know is addicted. All 8 modules impart information and skill-training through 4 approaches: storytelling, an informational lesson, a skill-building video, and a quiz. Each module begins with a different fictional story of a teen who has misused POs (based on real events). Module lessons explain the science behind the stories. Videos demonstrate concrete methods for dealing with PO-related social situations and dilemmas using an action-reaction model (behavioral scenario followed by a character reflecting on the situation). Quizzes assess user knowledge of module content.

Delivery:
Web-based

Theoretical Approach(es):
Behavioral skills training

Target Substance(s):
Opioids

Target Outcome(s):
Prevention of opioid misuse

Ages:
Adolescents (12-17 years old)

Genders:
Female
Male

Races/Ethnicities:
Unspecified

Setting(s):
Online

Geographic Location(s):
Unspecified

Country:
United States

Language:
English

Evaluations

  • Evaluating the effectiveness of a web-based program (POP4Teens) to prevent prescription opioid misuse among adolescents: Randomized controlled trial

    Marsch L, Moore S, Grabinski M, et al. JMIR Public Health and Surveillance. 2021. 7(2): e18487. doi: 10.2196/18487

    Summary: Researchers recruited U.S. adolescents aged 12-17 years (n = 406) to participate in a 4-week randomized controlled trial to examine the effectiveness of POP4Teens (P4T) in reducing risk factors associated with future prescription opioid (PO) misuse. Recruitment occurred through Facebook and Google Ads directed towards parents of adolescents. Researchers randomized participants into a P4T intervention group (n = 206) and an active control (n = 200), who received access to JustThinkTwice (JTT), a PO misuse prevention website. Participants completed measures of the risk factors associated with future PO misuse (attitudes towards use, intention to use, knowledge, refusal skills, and perceived risks) at baseline and at 1, 3, and 6 months. At 1 month, Participants also completed a feedback survey on P4T or JTT. P4T demonstrated short-term (1 and 3 months) and maintained (6 months) efficacy in significantly reducing risk factors associated with future PO misuse. At 1 month, participants in both P4T and JTT groups reported significant increases in attitudes consistent with prevention, significant reductions in intentions to use POs in the next 12 months, and significantly strengthened PO refusal skills. Significant results were maintained or further improved (i.e., beneficial attitudes among P4T participants) through the 3- and 6-month follow-ups. JTT significantly increased perceived physical and other risks of PO misuse at 1, 3, and 6 months, while P4T significantly increased perceived physical risks at 1 and 3 months and significantly increased perceived other risks at 3 months. P4T significantly outperformed JTT at 1, 3, and 6 months in improving knowledge of POs (JTT produced no significant changes) and promoting preventative attitudes towards PO misuse. Participants also rated P4T significantly higher than JTT in ease of use, ease of understanding, and likeability.

    Take away: POP4Teens demonstrated short-term and sustained efficacy in significantly reducing risk factors associated with future prescription opioid misuse. Compared with JustThinkTwice, P4T produced significantly greater knowledge of POs and significantly stronger preventative attitudes towards PO misuse. Participants found POP4Teens likeable and easy to use.

  • Related Articles

    Web-Based Prescription Opioid Abuse Prevention for Adolescents: Program Development and Formative Evaluation. Moore S, Grabinski M, Bessen S, Borodovsky J, Marsch L. JMIR Formative Research. 2019. 3(3): e12389. doi: 10.2196/12389