Evidence map›Paper›PMID 36944465›Full record

ArticleBMJ open2023

Patients' perceptions of self-administered dosing to opioid agonist treatment and other changes during the COVID-19 pandemic: a qualitative study.

Gemma Scott, Sophie Turner, Natalie Lowry, Annette Hodge, Waniya Ashraf, Katie McClean, Mike Kelleher, Luke Mitcheson, John Marsden

Open access · goldAbstract read
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in BMJ open, 2023. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 6 papers, 3 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
6citing papers in PubMed, 3 pooled it
3.2field-weighted citation impact, top 9% of its field
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

6 citing papers in PubMed, 3 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 11 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Pooled it
  3. Pooled it
  4. Article
  5. Article
  6. Article
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

9 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.

Gemma ScottLambeth Addiction, South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK gemma.scott@slam.nhs.uk.ORCID 0000-0002-7038-2396
Sophie TurnerLambeth Addiction, South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK.
Natalie LowryLambeth Addiction, South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK.ORCID 0000-0002-9137-5005
Annette HodgeLambeth Addiction, South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK.
Waniya AshrafLambeth Addiction, South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK.
Katie McCleanLambeth Addiction, South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK.
Mike KelleherLambeth Addiction, South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK.
Luke MitchesonLambeth Addiction, South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK.
John MarsdenLambeth Addiction, South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK.ORCID 0000-0002-1307-2498
South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust · GBKing's College London · GB

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectivesDuring the COVID-19 pandemic, addiction treatment services received official guidance asking them to limit face-to-face contact with patients and to prescribe opioid agonist treatment (OAT) medication flexibly. With the aim for most patients to receive take-home supplies for self-administration rather than attendance for observed daily dosing.

designThis was a theory-driven, clinically applied qualitative study, with data for thematic analysis collected by semi-structured, audio-recorded, telephone interviews.

participantsTwenty-seven adults (aged ≥18 years) enrolled in sublingual (tablet) buprenorphine and oral (liquid) methadone OAT.

settingCommunity addictions centre in the London Borough of Lambeth operated by South London and Maudsley NHS Trust.

resultsThree major themes were identified: (1) dissatisfaction and perceived stigma with OAT medication dispensing arrangements before the pandemic; (2) positive adaptations in response to COVID-19 by services; (3) participants recommended that, according to preference and evidence of adherence, OAT should be personalised to offer increasing medication supplies for self-administration from as early as 7 days after commencement of maintenance prescribing.

conclusionsIn an applied qualitative study of patients enrolled in OAT during the COVID-19 pandemic, participants endorsed their opportunity to take medication themselves at home and with virtual addiction support. Most patients described a preference for self-administration with increased dispensing supplies, from as early as 7 days into maintenance treatment, if they could demonstrate adherence to their prescription.

Indexed as

BuprenorphineCOVID-19Opioid-Related DisordersAdolescentAdultAnalgesics, OpioidHumansMethadoneOpiate Substitution TreatmentPandemicsAnalgesics, OpioidBuprenorphineMethadoneAdult psychiatryClinical governanceCOVID-19Health policyPUBLIC HEALTHSubstance misuse

Identifiers

PMID36944465
PMCPMC10032386
OpenAlexW4328138107

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY-NC
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

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.