Evidence map›Paper›PMID 36528964›Full record

ArticleAddictive behaviors2023

Supporting people affected by problematic alcohol, substance use and other behaviours under pandemic conditions: A pragmatic evaluation of how SMART recovery Australia responded to COVID-19.

Alison K Beck, Briony Larance, Amanda L Baker, Frank P Deane, Victoria Manning, Leanne Hides, Peter J Kelly

Abstract read
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in Addictive behaviors, 2023. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 4 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
4citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

4 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors.

Alison K BeckSchool of Psychology, Faculty of Arts, Social Sciences and Humanities, University of Wollongong, Australia. Electronic address: alisonbe@uow.edu.au.
Briony LaranceSchool of Psychology, Faculty of Arts, Social Sciences and Humanities, University of Wollongong, Australia; Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute, University of Wollongong, Australia. Electronic address: blarance@uow.edu.au.
Amanda L BakerSchool of Medicine and Public Health, University of Newcastle, Australia. Electronic address: amanda.baker@newcastle.edu.au.
Frank P DeaneSchool of Psychology, Faculty of Arts, Social Sciences and Humanities, University of Wollongong, Australia; Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute, University of Wollongong, Australia. Electronic address: fdeane@uow.edu.au.
Victoria ManningEastern Health Clinical School, Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences, Monash University, Australia. Electronic address: victoria.manning@monash.edu.
Leanne HidesCentre for Youth Substance Abuse Research, Lives Lived Well Group, School of Psychology, University of Queensland, Australia. Electronic address: l.hides@uq.edu.au.
Peter J KellySchool of Psychology, Faculty of Arts, Social Sciences and Humanities, University of Wollongong, Australia; Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute, University of Wollongong, Australia. Electronic address: pkelly@uow.edu.au.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundThe COVID-19 pandemic prompted rapid, reflexive transition from face-to-face to online healthcare. For group-based addiction services, evidence for the impact on service delivery and participant experience is limited.

methodsA 12-month (plus 2-month follow-up) pragmatic evaluation of the upscaling of online mutual-help groups by SMART Recovery Australia (SRAU) was conducted using The Reach Effectiveness Adoption Implementation Maintenance (RE-AIM) framework. Data captured by SRAU between 1st July 2020 and 31st August 2021 included participant questionnaires, Zoom Data Analytics and administrative logs.

resultsReach: The number of online groups increased from just 6 pre-COVID-19 to 132. These groups were delivered on 2786 (M = 232.16, SD = 42.34 per month) occasions, to 41,752 (M = 3479.33, SD = 576.34) attendees. EFFECTIVENESS: Participants (n = 1052) reported finding the online group meetings highly engaging and a positive, recovery supportive experience. 91 % of people with experience of face-to-face group meetings rated their online experience as equivalent or better. Adoption: Eleven services (including SRAU) and five volunteers delivered group meetings for the entire 12-months. IMPLEMENTATION: SRAU surpassed their goal of establishing 100 groups. Maintenance: The average number of meetings delivered [t(11.14) = -1.45, p = 0.1737] and attendees [t(1.95) = -3.28, p = 0.1880] per month were maintained across a two-month follow-up period.

conclusionsSRAU scaled-up the delivery of online mutual-help groups in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Findings support the accessibility, acceptability and sustainability of delivering SMART Recovery mutual-help groups online. Not only are these findings important in light of the global pandemic and public safety, but they demonstrate the potential for reaching and supporting difficult and under-served populations.

Indexed as

COVID-19Substance-Related DisordersDelivery of Health CareHumansPandemicsSelf-Help GroupsDigital Recovery Support ServicesMutual-helpRE-AIMSMART RecoverySubstance Use Disorders, COVID-19

Identifiers

PMID36528964
PMCPMC9741494

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.