Medication for Opioid Use Disorder Service Provision and Telephone Counseling: A Concurrent Mixed-Methods Approach

Martin, Rosemarie; Kang, Augustine W.; DeBritz, Audrey A.; Walton, Mary R.; Hoadley, Ariel; DelaCuesta, Courtney; Hurley, Linda

doi:10.3390/ijerph18116163

Open AccessArticle

Medication for Opioid Use Disorder Service Provision and Telephone Counseling: A Concurrent Mixed-Methods Approach

by

Rosemarie Martin

^1,*,†,

Augustine W. Kang

^1,†

,

Audrey A. DeBritz

¹,

Mary R. Walton

²,

Ariel Hoadley

³

,

Courtney DelaCuesta

¹ and

Linda Hurley

²

¹

Center for Alcohol and Addiction Studies, School of Public Health, Brown University, Providence, RI 02903, USA

²

CODAC Behavioral Healthcare Inc., Cranston, RI 02910, USA

³

College of Public Health, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA 19122, USA

^*

Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.

^†

Denotes equal authorship.

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2021, 18(11), 6163; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18116163

Submission received: 11 May 2021 / Revised: 3 June 2021 / Accepted: 4 June 2021 / Published: 7 June 2021

(This article belongs to the Section Health Care Sciences & Services)

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Abstract

Using quantitative and qualitative evidence, this study triangulates counselors’ perspectives on the use of telemedicine in the context of Opioid Use Disorder (OUD) treatment. A concurrent mixed-methods design examined counselors’ experiences with telephone counseling during the COVID-19 pandemic. N = 42 counselors who provided OUD counseling services completed a close-ended, quantitative survey examining their experiences in addressing clients’ anxiety, depression, anger, substance use, therapeutic relationship, and substance use recovery using telephone counseling. The survey also assessed comfort, convenience, and satisfaction with telephone counseling. Counselors also completed open-ended responses examining satisfaction, convenience, relationship with patients, substance use, and general feedback with telephone counseling. The synthesis of quantitative and qualitative evidence indicated that a majority of counselors had positive experiences with using telephone counseling to provide services to clients undergoing OUD treatment. Convenience, greater access to clients, and flexibility were among the reasons cited for their positive experience. However, counselors also expressed that the telephone counseling was impersonal, and that some clients may have difficulties accessing appropriate technology for telehealth adoption. Findings suggest that further research with counselors is needed to identify the key elements of an effective integration of telephone counseling with traditional in-person treatment approaches in the post-pandemic era.

Keywords: telehealth services; medication for opioid use disorder; needs assessment; counselors

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MDPI and ACS Style

Martin, R.; Kang, A.W.; DeBritz, A.A.; Walton, M.R.; Hoadley, A.; DelaCuesta, C.; Hurley, L. Medication for Opioid Use Disorder Service Provision and Telephone Counseling: A Concurrent Mixed-Methods Approach. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2021, 18, 6163. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18116163

AMA Style

Martin R, Kang AW, DeBritz AA, Walton MR, Hoadley A, DelaCuesta C, Hurley L. Medication for Opioid Use Disorder Service Provision and Telephone Counseling: A Concurrent Mixed-Methods Approach. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. 2021; 18(11):6163. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18116163

Chicago/Turabian Style

Martin, Rosemarie, Augustine W. Kang, Audrey A. DeBritz, Mary R. Walton, Ariel Hoadley, Courtney DelaCuesta, and Linda Hurley. 2021. "Medication for Opioid Use Disorder Service Provision and Telephone Counseling: A Concurrent Mixed-Methods Approach" International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 18, no. 11: 6163. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18116163

APA Style

Martin, R., Kang, A. W., DeBritz, A. A., Walton, M. R., Hoadley, A., DelaCuesta, C., & Hurley, L. (2021). Medication for Opioid Use Disorder Service Provision and Telephone Counseling: A Concurrent Mixed-Methods Approach. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 18(11), 6163. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18116163

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Medication for Opioid Use Disorder Service Provision and Telephone Counseling: A Concurrent Mixed-Methods Approach

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