AA on Drug Abusers by Nursing Students

The Hong Kong Polytechnic University

Status: Enrolling

Conditions: Drug Abuse

Treatments: Other: AA group; Other: Control group

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT05877742

AA-drug abusers

Details and patient eligibility

About

Drug abuse is a serious public health issue. Despite the serious consequences of drug abuse, there are around 2000 new cases reported by drug abusers each year. There is growing evidence of the use of auricular acupressure (AA), a traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) treatment modality, in reducing withdrawal symptoms among drug abusers. This study aims to investigate the feasibility and effectiveness of training nursing students to deliver brief education on AA on drug abusers.

Full description

A 2-arm feasibility cluster RCT will be conducted in the 80 drug abusers from 7 substance abuse clinics in Hong Kong Hospital Authority following the CONSORT statement. The intervention group will receive AA intervention individually from trained nursing students. The control group will individually receive a 5-minute seminar delivered by a research assistant.

Enrollment: 80 estimated patients

Sex: All

Ages: 18+ years old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Aged 18 or above
• Have reported to abuse drugs within the past 30 days
• Can communicate in Cantonese and read Chinese

Exclusion criteria

• Unstable mental conditions that are not suitable for the intervention
• Receiving acupuncture or acupressure treatment currently or in the previous 30 days

Trial design

Primary purpose: Treatment

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: Single Blind

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80 participants in 2 patient groups, including a placebo group

AA group

Experimental group

Description:

AA for drug abusers.

Treatment:

Other: AA group

Control group

Placebo Comparator group

Description:

Routine seminar for drug abusers.

Treatment:

Other: Control group