RecruitingACTRN12623000438651

Tu Whakaruruhau: The New Zealand Methamphetamine Treatment Evaluation Study

The evaluation of treatment outcomes for methamphetamine dependence in Aotearoa New Zealand

Sponsor

University of Auckland

Enrollment

320 participants

Start Date

Oct 26, 2023

Study Type

Observational

Conditions

Substance Dependence

Summary

Methamphetamine (MA) is the second most commonly used illicit drug in Aotearoa New Zealand (NZ). Regular/heavy users are likely to develop a dependence syndrome and experience a range of physical and psychological adverse effects; many will return to using following attempts at abstinence. Given these adverse effects, some people who use MA are likely to want or need to access treatment to help them reduce the harms associated with their use, and to ultimately quit. However, the availability of effective treatment options, and the evidence about what works for problematic MA use, is limited. The aim of this research is to improve our understanding of what treatment approaches reduce MA use and related physical and psychosocial harms, and to identify the predictors of positive treatment outcomes in NZ.

Eligibility

Sex: Both males and femalesMin Age: 18 Yearss

Plain Language Summary

Simplified for easier understanding

Methamphetamine (also known as meth or ice) is a highly addictive drug that causes serious harm to physical and mental health. Many people who use it regularly want to stop or cut down, but effective treatment options in New Zealand are limited. This study wants to understand which types of treatment actually help people reduce their use and improve their wellbeing. Researchers in the Northland, Auckland, and Waikato regions of New Zealand will follow two groups of people: those who are currently in treatment for methamphetamine use, and those who are struggling with use but not currently in any formal treatment. Both groups will be interviewed and followed over time to track changes in drug use, health, and life circumstances. You may be eligible if you are 18 or older, live in one of the listed regions, and methamphetamine is your main drug of concern. People in the not-in-treatment group need to score 4 or more on a standard substance use scale. The goal of the study is simply to learn what helps — it is observational, meaning there is no new drug or therapy being tested.

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Interventions

Participants will be adults who meet DSM-5 criteria for stimulant use disorder. One group (the exposure group - in-treatment-group (ITG)) will be engaged in treatment at the time of the baseline inte

Participants will be adults who meet DSM-5 criteria for stimulant use disorder. One group (the exposure group - in-treatment-group (ITG)) will be engaged in treatment at the time of the baseline interview (Residential rehabilitation, or outpatient counselling, or detoxification) and the comparator group will not be engaged in treatment (NITG) at the baseline interview. All participants will complete a battery of questionnaires taking approximately one to one and a half hours at each assessment and will be followed up over two years (baseline, 3-, 12-, and 24 -month interviews). The questionnaires will cover substance use, co-morbid psychiatric diagnosis, general heath and wellness, criminal involvement, Blood borne virus risk behaviours, health service utilisation, treatment characteristics and treatment exposure.