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| Name | Class |
|---|---|
| Hellenic Scientific Society for the Study of AIDS, Sexually Transmitted and Emerging Diseases | OTHER |
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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.
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.
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| Label | Type | Description | Intervention Names |
|---|---|---|---|
| Targeted Focus Group Discussions and Cross-sectional questionnaire | 57 people for targeted Focus Group Discussions 162 people for Cross-sectional questionnaire |
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| Name | Type | Description | Arm Group Labels | Other Names |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Focus group discussions and survey questionnaire | Other | 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. |
| Measure | Description | Time Frame |
|---|---|---|
| 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. | 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. |
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Inclusion Criteria for the FDGs:
Inclusion Criteria for the cross-sectional questionnaire:
Exclusion Criteria for FGD and cross-sectional questionnaire:
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PWID are a medically and socially vulnerable population with high incidence of overdose, mental illness and infections such as HIV and hepatitis C
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| Name | Affiliation | Role |
|---|---|---|
| Andrew Talal, MD | University at Buffalo | Principal Investigator |
| Facility | Status | City | State | ZIP | Country | Contacts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Prometheus | Athens | Greece |
| PubMed Identifier | Type | Citation | Retractions |
|---|---|---|---|
| 30329042 | Background | 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. | |
| 30325701 | Background |
| Label | URL |
|---|---|
| Extensions of Respondent-Driven Sampling: Analyzing Continuous Variables and Controlling for Differential Recruitment | View source |
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| ID | Term |
|---|---|
| D015819 | Substance Abuse, Intravenous |
| ID | Term |
|---|---|
| D019966 | Substance-Related Disorders |
| D064419 | Chemically-Induced Disorders |
| D001523 | Mental Disorders |
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| 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. |
| 34813962 | Background | 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. |
| 35925809 | Background | 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. |
| 26032121 | Background | 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. |
| 28407106 | Background | 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. |
| 40211324 | Derived | Papalamprakopoulou Z, Roussos S, Ntagianta E, Triantafyllou V, Kalamitsis G, Dharia A, Sypsa V, Hatzakis A, Talal AH. Considerations for equitable distribution of digital healthcare for people who use drugs. BMC Health Serv Res. 2025 Apr 10;25(1):531. doi: 10.1186/s12913-025-12619-7. |
| 40045378 | Derived | Papalamprakopoulou Z, Ntagianta E, Triantafyllou V, Kalamitsis G, Dharia A, Dickerson SS, Hatzakis A, Talal AH. Breaking the vicious cycle of delayed healthcare seeking for people who use drugs. Harm Reduct J. 2025 Mar 5;22(1):27. doi: 10.1186/s12954-025-01166-3. |
| 39425182 | Derived | Papalamprakopoulou Z, Ntagianta E, Triantafyllou V, Kalamitsis G, Dharia A, Dickerson SS, Hatzakis A, Talal AH. Telehealth to increase healthcare access; perspectives of people who use drugs. BMC Med Inform Decis Mak. 2024 Oct 19;24(1):306. doi: 10.1186/s12911-024-02718-6. |