Systematic Content Analysis of Patient Evaluations of START NOW Psychotherapy Reveals Practical Strategies for Improving the Treatment of Opioid Use

• NCJ Number: 306137
• Journal: BMC Psychiatry Volume: 21 Issue: 23 Dated: December 2021
• Author(s): Albert Yi-Que Truong; Brian Fabian Saway; Malek H. Bouzaher; Mustafa Nawroz Rasheed; Sanaz Monjazeb; Soleille Dorothy Everest; Susan Linda Giampalmo; David Hartman; Cheryl Hartman; Anita S. Kablinger; Robert L. Trestman
• Date Published: December 2021
• Grant Number(s): 2002-IJ-CX-K009
• Agencies: NIJ-Sponsored
• Publication Type: Research (Applied/Empirical)
• Award: Connecticut Correctional Health Research Program

Annotation

This investigation involves focus groups designed to collect patient opinions about a specific psychotherapy, called START NOW, as well as general beliefs about various elements of psychotherapy for treating opioid use disorder (OUD).

Abstract

Clinical trials provide consistent evidence for buprenorphine’s efficacy in treating opioid use disorder (OUD). While the Drug Addiction Treatment Act of 2000 requires physicians to combine medication-assisted treatment (MAT) with behavioral intervention, there is no clear evidence for what form or elements of psychotherapy are most effective when coupled with MAT to treat OUD. The authors’ analysis reveals trends about patient preferences and strategies for improving OUD treatment. (Published abstract provided)