Pilot Project, Year 4

Opioid Use Recovery Help in an Online User Support Environment (OUR HOUSE)

Sharp increases in maternal opioid and polydrug use, high costs of treating neonatal opioid withdrawal, and subsequent child removals in Arizona and across the United States  have led to increased implementation of intensive substance use treatment programs with supportive housing for women and their children. While the model is promising, women in these programs eventually face a transition from treatment back to being self-sufficient and rejoining their communities.

As a step toward an R34 pilot study powered to measure the effectiveness of enhanced online support, we are developing a secure, anonymous app-based information-sharing platform that comprehensively engages transitioning mothers as they lose the intensive support they enjoyed in intensive treatment and housing programs.

The project accomplishes the following specific aims:

•  Conduct focus groups with target users and in-depth interviews with women who have already successfully transitioned out of treatment, including peer supporters.
• Systematically develop and align app features to account for specific behavioral and contextual elements; and (AIM 3) Refine and pretest the mHealth app for feasibility and usability through an iterative, person-based process.

We posit that enhanced support through mHealth technology, designed using a person-based approach, can improve the quality of life for women transitioning out of treatment, particularly for those returning to rural areas where support is further limited. This pilot funding provides an initial proof-of-concept, reveals the most promising directions to pursue in a more comprehensive product, and contributes to gaps in understanding of recovery in this vulnerable population.

Funding: The study is funded by NIMHD/NIH U54MD012388

About the investigators