TY - JOUR
T1 - Service Users' Views and Experiences of Alcohol Relapse Prevention Treatment and Adherence
T2 - New Role for Pharmacists?
AU - Dhital, Ranjita
AU - Coleman, Rachel
AU - Day, Ed
AU - Drummond, Colin
AU - Lingford-Hughes, Anne
AU - Marsden, John
AU - Phillips, Tom
AU - Sinclair, Julia
AU - Strang, John
AU - Weinman, John
AU - Whittlesea, Cate
AU - Widyaratna, Kideshini
AU - Donoghue, Kim
N1 - © The Author(s) 2022. Medical Council on Alcohol and Oxford University Press. All rights reserved.
PY - 2022/9/10
Y1 - 2022/9/10
N2 - AIMS: To understand service users' views and experiences of alcohol relapse prevention medication, views of a telephone behavioural modification intervention delivered by pharmacists and the use of Contingency Management (CM) to support acamprosate adherence following assisted alcohol withdrawal.METHODS: Four focus groups were conducted within four alcohol treatment and recovery groups across England (UK), with service users with lived experience of alcohol dependence (26 participants). Semi-structured topic guide was used to explore participants' views and experiences of alcohol relapse prevention medication, a telephone behavioural modification medication intervention delivered by pharmacists, and the use of CM to support acamprosate adherence. These were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim and thematically analysed inductively and deductively.RESULTS: Four themes were identified: concerns about support and availability of alcohol relapse prevention medication; lack of knowledge and understanding about acamprosate treatment; positive perceptions of acamprosate adherence telephone support from pharmacists; and negative perceptions of CM to support acamprosate adherence. There were misunderstandings about acamprosate's mode of action and strong negative beliefs about CM. However, most were positive about pharmacists' new role to support acamprosate adherence.CONCLUSION: This study highlighted challenges service users face to commence alcohol relapse prevention medication. It appears service users could benefit from a pharmacist-led telephone intervention to improve understanding about acamprosate medication, particularly, if delivered in an engaging and motivating way.
AB - AIMS: To understand service users' views and experiences of alcohol relapse prevention medication, views of a telephone behavioural modification intervention delivered by pharmacists and the use of Contingency Management (CM) to support acamprosate adherence following assisted alcohol withdrawal.METHODS: Four focus groups were conducted within four alcohol treatment and recovery groups across England (UK), with service users with lived experience of alcohol dependence (26 participants). Semi-structured topic guide was used to explore participants' views and experiences of alcohol relapse prevention medication, a telephone behavioural modification medication intervention delivered by pharmacists, and the use of CM to support acamprosate adherence. These were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim and thematically analysed inductively and deductively.RESULTS: Four themes were identified: concerns about support and availability of alcohol relapse prevention medication; lack of knowledge and understanding about acamprosate treatment; positive perceptions of acamprosate adherence telephone support from pharmacists; and negative perceptions of CM to support acamprosate adherence. There were misunderstandings about acamprosate's mode of action and strong negative beliefs about CM. However, most were positive about pharmacists' new role to support acamprosate adherence.CONCLUSION: This study highlighted challenges service users face to commence alcohol relapse prevention medication. It appears service users could benefit from a pharmacist-led telephone intervention to improve understanding about acamprosate medication, particularly, if delivered in an engaging and motivating way.
KW - Acamprosate
KW - Alcoholism/drug therapy
KW - Attitude of Health Personnel
KW - Community Pharmacy Services
KW - Humans
KW - Medication Adherence
KW - Pharmacists
KW - Professional Role
KW - Secondary Prevention
KW - Substance Withdrawal Syndrome
U2 - 10.1093/alcalc/agac011
DO - 10.1093/alcalc/agac011
M3 - Article
C2 - 35292814
SN - 0735-0414
VL - 57
SP - 602
EP - 608
JO - Alcohol and alcoholism (Oxford, Oxfordshire)
JF - Alcohol and alcoholism (Oxford, Oxfordshire)
IS - 5
ER -
