New York, Dec 31 (NationPress) A smartphone application can assist individuals facing opioid use disorder in minimizing their opioid consumption and prolonging their treatment duration, as indicated by recent research.

The investigation conducted by the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio (UT Health San Antonio) in the US revealed that participants who opted to utilize the smartphone application – which integrates contingency management behavioral therapy and peer recovery support – along with medication, decreased their days of opioid use by 35 percent in comparison to those receiving medication alone.

Furthermore, users of the application remained in treatment for nearly 19 percent longer than those who were treated solely with medication, as stated in the study published in JAMA Network Open.

“These findings indicate that enhancing medication for opioid use disorder with app-based contingency management could offer clinical advantages for underserved populations,” remarked Elise Marino, director of research operations at UT Health San Antonio’s Be Well Institute on Substance Use and Related Disorders.

The ‘WEconnect Health CM’ smartphone app provides evidence-based contingency management (CM) within a recovery-focused framework.

The study included a cohort of 600 individuals aged 18 years or older who were either uninsured or underinsured.

Those who chose to receive Medication for opioid use disorder (MOUD) alongside app-based CM reported an average duration of 8.4 days of opioid use at the treatment's conclusion, compared to 12 days for those receiving only MOUD.

Retention analysis indicated that patients opting for MOUD plus app-based CM remained in treatment for an average of 290.2 days, contrasted with 236.1 days for those choosing only MOUD.

“These findings are encouraging and emphasize the potential significance of a patient’s choice to employ app-based CM,” stated the researchers.

“Widening the accessibility of app-based contingency management could help alleviate the substantial societal, economic, and personal toll of opioid use,” added Marino.