Patterns of use and withdrawal syndrome in dual cannabis and tobacco users (DuCATA_GAM-CAT): protocol for a mixed methods study
File(s)
Published version
Author(s)
Type
Journal Article
Abstract
Background:
Approximately 1 in 6 cannabis users develop a cannabis use disorder (CUD) and the odds increase to 1 in 2 for daily users.
Objective:
The Dual use of Cannabis and Tobacco Monitoreing through a Gamified Web app (DuCATA_GAM-CaT) project aims to identify cannabis-tobacco patterns of use and withdrawal symptoms among individuals with CUD who are attending substance abuse programs.
Methods:
The project uses a mixed methods approach consisting of 3 studies. First, a participatory qualitative study involves focus groups comprising individuals with CUD, clinicians, project researchers, and an expert gamification company to co-design a gamified web app. Second, a longitudinal prospective study to follow up individuals over 6 weeks with CUD attending substance abuse programs . Participants report their cannabis-tobacco usage patterns, type and frequency of tobacco use, nicotine dependence, withdrawal symptoms, psychoemotional factors, and motivation to quit both substances. Predictive analysis techniques are used to analyze clinical, demographic, psychological, and environmental data to predict the probability of achieving abstinence. Third, homogeneous focus groups to explore participants’ experiences during their CUD treatment.
Results:
By June 2024, the project had completed the first study, defining eligible cannabis user profiles, developed the initial web app prototype, and initiated recruitment across 10 centers, with 74 participants enrolled, aiming to reach 150 participants in total.
Conclusions:
All participants are required to provide informed consent, and their information is kept confidential and anonymized following confidentiality rules. The research team is committed to disseminating the results obtained to professional and patient groups, as well as informing public health agents, to positively influence political and social decision makers and design programmers. Additionally, we aim to prioritize the publication of the results in high-impact journals specialized in drug abuse, public health, and health care services research.
Approximately 1 in 6 cannabis users develop a cannabis use disorder (CUD) and the odds increase to 1 in 2 for daily users.
Objective:
The Dual use of Cannabis and Tobacco Monitoreing through a Gamified Web app (DuCATA_GAM-CaT) project aims to identify cannabis-tobacco patterns of use and withdrawal symptoms among individuals with CUD who are attending substance abuse programs.
Methods:
The project uses a mixed methods approach consisting of 3 studies. First, a participatory qualitative study involves focus groups comprising individuals with CUD, clinicians, project researchers, and an expert gamification company to co-design a gamified web app. Second, a longitudinal prospective study to follow up individuals over 6 weeks with CUD attending substance abuse programs . Participants report their cannabis-tobacco usage patterns, type and frequency of tobacco use, nicotine dependence, withdrawal symptoms, psychoemotional factors, and motivation to quit both substances. Predictive analysis techniques are used to analyze clinical, demographic, psychological, and environmental data to predict the probability of achieving abstinence. Third, homogeneous focus groups to explore participants’ experiences during their CUD treatment.
Results:
By June 2024, the project had completed the first study, defining eligible cannabis user profiles, developed the initial web app prototype, and initiated recruitment across 10 centers, with 74 participants enrolled, aiming to reach 150 participants in total.
Conclusions:
All participants are required to provide informed consent, and their information is kept confidential and anonymized following confidentiality rules. The research team is committed to disseminating the results obtained to professional and patient groups, as well as informing public health agents, to positively influence political and social decision makers and design programmers. Additionally, we aim to prioritize the publication of the results in high-impact journals specialized in drug abuse, public health, and health care services research.
Date Issued
2024-01-01
Date Acceptance
2024-07-09
Citation
JMIR Research Protocols, 2024, 13
ISSN
1929-0748
Publisher
JMIR Publications
Journal / Book Title
JMIR Research Protocols
Volume
13
Copyright Statement
©Judith Saura, Ariadna Feliu, Marta Enríquez-Mestre, Marcela Fu, Montse Ballbè, Yolanda Castellano, Margarida Pla, Nathalia Rosa, Petia Radeva, Elena Maestre-González, Carmen Cabezas, Joan Colom, Josep M Suelves, Silvia Mondon, Pablo Barrio, Magalí Andreu, Antònia Raich, Jordi Bernabeu, Jordi Vilaplana, Xavier Roca Tutusaus, Joseph Guydish, Esteve Fernández, Cristina Martínez. Originally published in JMIR Research Protocols (https://www.researchprotocols.org), 19.09.2024. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work, first published in JMIR Research Protocols, is properly cited. The complete bibliographic information, a link to the original publication on https://www.researchprotocols.org, as well as this copyright and license information must be included.
License URL
Subjects
addiction
ALCOHOL-USE
cannabis
cannabis use disorder
CIGARETTES
clinicians
DEPENDENCE
focus groups
Health Care Sciences & Services
Life Sciences & Biomedicine
MARIJUANA
mixed method
mobile phone
participatory
pattern use
predictive analysis
protocol
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
qualitative study
researchers
Science & Technology
SMOKING-CESSATION
substance abuse
tobacco
TOBACCO
withdrawal symptoms
withdrawal syndrome
Publication Status
Published
Article Number
e58335
Date Publish Online
2024-09-19