%0 Journal Article
%@ 2368-7959
%I JMIR Publications
%V 9
%N 3
%P e36263
%T Telehealth Services for Substance Use Disorders During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Longitudinal Assessment of Intensive Outpatient Programming and Data Collection Practices
%A Gliske,Kate
%A Welsh,Justine W
%A Braughton,Jacqueline E
%A Waller,Lance A
%A Ngo,Quyen M
%+ Butler Center for Research, Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation, 15251 Pleasant Valley Road, BC4, Center City, MN, 55012, United States, 1 6512134347, KGLISKE@hazeldenbettyford.org
%K telehealth
%K substance use disorder
%K COVID-19
%K substance use treatment
%K feasibility study
%K routine outcome monitoring data
%K mental health
%K addiction
%K digital health
%K telemedicine
%K outpatient program
%K virtual health
%K addiction treatment
%K virtual care
%K patient outcomes
%D 2022
%7 14.3.2022
%9 Original Paper
%J JMIR Ment Health
%G English
%X Background: The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic necessitated the rapid transition of many types of substance use disorder (SUD) treatments to telehealth formats, despite limited information about what makes treatment effective in this novel format. Objective: This study aims to examine the feasibility and effectiveness of virtual intensive outpatient programming (IOP) treatment for SUD in the context of a global pandemic, while considering the unique challenges posed to data collection during an unprecedented public health crisis. Methods: The study is based on a longitudinal study with a baseline sample of 3642 patients who enrolled in intensive outpatient addiction treatment (in-person, hybrid, or virtual care) from January 2020 to March 2021 at a large substance use treatment center in the United States. The analytical sample consisted of patients who completed the 3-month postdischarge outcome survey as part of routine outcome monitoring (n=1060, 29.1% response rate). Results: No significant differences were detected by delivery format in continuous abstinence (χ22=0.4, P=.81), overall quality of life (F2,826=2.06, P=.13), financial well-being (F2,767=2.30, P=.10), psychological well-being (F2,918=0.72, P=.49), and confidence in one’s ability to stay sober (F2,941=0.21, P=.81). Individuals in hybrid programming were more likely to report a higher level of general health than those in virtual IOP (F2,917=4.19, P=.01). Conclusions: Virtual outpatient care for the treatment of SUD is a feasible alternative to in-person-only programming, leading to similar self-reported outcomes at 3 months postdischarge. Given the many obstacles presented throughout data collection during a pandemic, further research is needed to better understand under what conditions telehealth is an acceptable alternative to in-person care. 
%M 35285807
%R 10.2196/36263
%U https://mental.jmir.org/2022/3/e36263
%U https://doi.org/10.2196/36263
%U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/35285807