CClinicalTrials.gg
CompletedNCT05794984Updated Feb 5, 2024

Telemedicine and Social Media for People Who Inject Drugs (PWID) in Greece

An observational study in Drug Abuse, Intravenous, Internet and Social Media, sponsored by State University of New York at Buffalo. Completed at 1 site in Greece. Open to participants aged 18 Years and older. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2024-02-05.

Sponsored by State University of New York at Buffalo · Observational

Study type
Observational
Model
Other
Time perspective
Cross-sectional
Enrollment
219
Ages
18 Years and older
Sex
All
01

Study summary

The current study seeks to address questions regarding internet and social media usage as well as telemedicine concept and knowledge, by conducting targeted focus group discussions (FGDs) and administering cross-sectional questionnaires among PWID in Greece. Further parameters, such as perceptions for high-quality healthcare access, confidentiality, privacy, and security, will also be explored.

Read the detailed description

The study's aim is to access the feasibility, acceptability and accessibility of social media and telemedicine as methods to obtain healthcare, in order to improve linkage-to-care among Greek substance users. Underserved populations, such as people who inject drugs (PWID) have limited access to healthcare and a potential solution to expanding healthcare access points is telemedicine. For the past decade, the investigators have studied the efficacy of a facilitated telemedicine model for hepatitis C virus (HCV) treatment integrated into opioid treatment programs (OTPs) for PWIDs. The investigators have achieved high rates of HCV resolution and high patient-satisfaction through facilitated telemedicine. The investigators now seek to explore whether this same intervention might be feasible and acceptable in Greece. The first step is to capture and explore the current knowledge, experiences, believes, perceptions and attitudes of PWID in Greece regarding internet and social media usage and telemedicine concept, through targeted Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) and administration of cross-sectional questionnaire. The perceptions for high-quality healthcare, confidentiality, privacy and security matters will also be explored as well as further relevant attributes.

02

Conditions studied

  • Drug Abuse, Intravenous
  • Internet
  • Social Media
  • Telemedicine
03

In context

Substance-Related Disorders

2,124 studies on the registry are indexed under Substance-Related Disorders; 393 are open to participants now.

This study's enrollment of 219 is below the median of 250 across 296 observational studies indexed under Substance-Related Disorders.

Browse Substance-Related Disorders studies →

Lead sponsor

State University of New York at Buffalo is the lead sponsor of 287 studies on the registry; 65 are open to participants now.

Of its 19 completed or terminated interventional studies of FDA-regulated products, 15 (79%) have results posted.

Counted across the registry records on this site, refreshed daily.

04

Who can participate

Ages eligible
18 Years and older
Sexes eligible
All
Sampling method
Non-probability sample

Study population

PWID are a medically and socially vulnerable population with high incidence of overdose, mental illness and infections such as HIV and hepatitis C

Eligibility criteria

Inclusion Criteria for the FDGs:

  • >18 years old
  • PWID
  • Willing and able to provide informed consent and participate
  • Fluent in Greek spoken language
  • Internet access

Inclusion Criteria for the cross-sectional questionnaire:

  • >18 years old
  • PWID
  • Willing and able to provide informed consent and participate
  • Fluent in Greek spoken language

Exclusion Criteria for FGD and cross-sectional questionnaire:

  • \<18 years old
  • Unable/unwilling to consent
  • Legally incompetent
05

Study design

Observational model
Other
Time perspective
Cross-sectional
Enrollment
219 participants (actual)
Patient registry
No

Groups and cohorts

  • Targeted Focus Group Discussions and Cross-sectional questionnaire

    57 people for targeted Focus Group Discussions 162 people for Cross-sectional questionnaire

    Other: Focus group discussions and survey questionnaire

Interventions

  • OtherFocus group discussions and survey questionnaire

    Questions regarding internet and social media usage, as well as telemedicine concept and knowledge. Assessment of the feasibility, acceptability and accessibility of social media and telemedicine as methods to obtain healthcare. Perceptions for high-quality healthcare access, confidentiality, privacy, and security, will also be explored.

06

What researchers measure

Primary outcomes

  1. There are not specific predetermined endpoints to be defined.

    This is a mixed methods study designed to assess the feasibility, acceptability, and accessibility of telemedicine and social media to improve healthcare access among Greek PWUD. It is not an interventional trial. The results of this study will be used to generate endpoints and sample sizes for a larger trial.

    Time frame: For the FGDs approximately up to 3-4 months is needed to enroll all study subjects. For the cross-sectional questionnaire approximately up to 6-8 months is needed to enroll all study subjects. Endpoints will be generated according to study's results.

07

Study locations

1 site
  • Prometheus
    Athens, Greece
08

References and documents

Publications

  • Talal AH, Andrews P, Mcleod A, Chen Y, Sylvester C, Markatou M, Brown LS. Integrated, Co-located, Telemedicine-based Treatment Approaches for Hepatitis C Virus Management in Opioid Use Disorder Patients on Methadone. Clin Infect Dis. 2019 Jul 2;69(2):323-331. doi: 10.1093/cid/ciy899. PubMed 30329042 ↗
  • Talal AH, McLeod A, Andrews P, Nieves-McGrath H, Chen Y, Reynolds A, Sylvester C, Dickerson SS, Markatou M, Brown LS. Patient Reaction to Telemedicine for Clinical Management of Hepatitis C Virus Integrated into an Opioid Treatment Program. Telemed J E Health. 2019 Sep;25(9):791-801. doi: 10.1089/tmj.2018.0161. Epub 2018 Oct 16. PubMed 30325701 ↗
  • Talal AH, Markatou M, Sofikitou EM, Brown LS, Perumalswami P, Dinani A, Tobin JN. Patient-centered HCV care via telemedicine for individuals on medication for opioid use disorder: Telemedicine for Evaluation, Adherence and Medication for Hepatitis C (TEAM-C). Contemp Clin Trials. 2022 Jan;112:106632. doi: 10.1016/j.cct.2021.106632. Epub 2021 Nov 20. PubMed 34813962 ↗
  • Talal AH, Sofikitou EM, Wang K, Dickerson S, Jaanimagi U, Markatou M. High Satisfaction with Patient-Centered Telemedicine for Hepatitis C Virus Delivered to Substance Users: A Mixed-Methods Study. Telemed J E Health. 2023 Mar;29(3):395-407. doi: 10.1089/tmj.2022.0189. Epub 2022 Aug 4. PubMed 35925809 ↗
  • Hatzakis A, Sypsa V, Paraskevis D, Nikolopoulos G, Tsiara C, Micha K, Panopoulos A, Malliori M, Psichogiou M, Pharris A, Wiessing L, van de Laar M, Donoghoe M, Heckathorn DD, Friedman SR, Des Jarlais DC. Design and baseline findings of a large-scale rapid response to an HIV outbreak in people who inject drugs in Athens, Greece: the ARISTOTLE programme. Addiction. 2015 Sep;110(9):1453-67. doi: 10.1111/add.12999. Epub 2015 Jul 14. PubMed 26032121 ↗
  • Sypsa V, Psichogiou M, Paraskevis D, Nikolopoulos G, Tsiara C, Paraskeva D, Micha K, Malliori M, Pharris A, Wiessing L, Donoghoe M, Friedman S, Jarlais DD, Daikos G, Hatzakis A. Rapid Decline in HIV Incidence Among Persons Who Inject Drugs During a Fast-Track Combination Prevention Program After an HIV Outbreak in Athens. J Infect Dis. 2017 May 15;215(10):1496-1505. doi: 10.1093/infdis/jix100. PubMed 28407106 ↗
09

Updates

Tracking since Sep 25, 2026
No changes since tracking began. The registry record was last updated on Feb 5, 2024, before this site started recording changes on Sep 25, 2026. Its history is on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗
10

Registry details

Key details

Study ID
NCT05794984
Lead sponsor
State University of New York at Buffalo
Collaborators
Hellenic Scientific Society for the Study of AIDS, Sexually Transmitted and Emerging Diseases
Responsible party
Andrew Talal (Principal Investigator, State University of New York at Buffalo) — Principal investigator
First posted
Apr 3, 2023
Start date
May 2, 2023
Primary completion
Sep 18, 2023
Completion
Sep 18, 2023
Last update
Feb 5, 2024

Study contacts

Andrew Talal, MD
principal investigator · University at Buffalo

Oversight

Data monitoring committee
No
FDA-regulated drug
No
FDA-regulated device
No
View the source record on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

Not currently enrolling

This study is completed, as verified in Feb 2024. You cannot join it, but the record below documents what was studied.

Follow this study

Get an email when the registry record changes — status, dates, results — or when someone posts here.

Sign in to follow

Discussion

Questions and observations about this study, from anyone following it. Not medical advice, and not a channel to the study team — their contact details are on the registry record.

Sign in to join the discussion. Reading takes no account; posting does. You choose a display name, and a pseudonym is the default.

Nothing here yet. If you are running this trial, taking part in it, or weighing whether to, this is the place to say so.

Start the discussion