Accepted for/Published in: JMIR Public Health and Surveillance
Date Submitted: Feb 28, 2020
Date Accepted: Jan 13, 2021
POP4Teens: Results of a randomized controlled trial to evaluate the effectiveness of a web-based program to prevent adolescent prescription opioid misuse
ABSTRACT
Background:
Prescription opioid use is not uncommon among adolescents in the United States. Despite recent declines from unprecedented peaks in adolescent prescription opioid (PO) use, there is seemingly paradoxical evidence that prescription opioid-related consequences (e.g., opioid use disorder and overdoses) are increasing. These trends and their possible consequences emphasize the importance of prevention efforts targeting PO misuse. To our knowledge, we have developed the first interactive, web-based program focused specifically on prevention of PO misuse among adolescents.
Objective:
Evaluate the effectiveness of a web-based program designed to prevent adolescent prescription opioid (PO) misuse, Pop4Teens (P4T) compared to an active control website, Just Think Twice (JTT) on impacting PO-related attitudes, knowledge, risk perception and intentions to use.
Methods:
We conducted an online, randomized controlled trial in 2018. A total of 406 adolescents (aged 12-17) were randomly assigned to P4T or JTT. The outcome variables were attitudes, knowledge, and risk perceptions associated with PO misuse, intentions to use POs, and program feedback. Data were collected at baseline, 1-, 3-, and 6-months.
Results:
Both programs produced significant and sustained improvements on intentions to use POs, increased perceived risk, impacted expectancies consistent with prevention, and improved PO refusal skills. P4T produced significantly greater increases in PO-related knowledge compared to JTT and was reportedly easier to use and more liked. Baseline scores for youth reporting past-year medical use of POs, friends who engage in non-medical use of prescription opioids, and/or poor mental health underscored their at-risk status compared to youth who were not in those groups.
Conclusions:
P4T positively impacted all study variables consistent with preventing PO misuse among teens. P4Ts online nature simplifies dissemination and implementation of this novel tool designed to help meet the challenges of the evolving national opioid crisis. Clinical Trial: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT02737696; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02737696?term=marsch&rank=6
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