Beyond Opioids: A Quasi-experimental Study of Nurse-conducted Brief Intervention for Reducing Co-occurring Substance Use among Opioid-dependent Patients in North India
Renu Bhoria, Jaison Joseph, Rajeshwari Devi, Sunila Rathee, Sidharth AryaAbstract
Background:
Nurse-delivered brief interventions (BIs) may offer a feasible strategy for reducing co-occurring substance use in resource-constrained addiction treatment settings.
Materials and Methods:
A quasi-experimental study was conducted among treatment-seeking opioid-dependent patients. Participants were assessed using the World Health Organization Alcohol, Smoking and Substance Involvement Screening Test (ASSIST). The intervention group received nurse-conducted ASSIST-linked BI, while the control group received routine care. Follow-up assessment was conducted after 15 days.
Results:
Among 100 opioid-dependent patients, tobacco was the most common co-occurring substance use (91%), followed by cannabis (31%) and alcohol (5%). The intervention resulted in a significant reduction in tobacco-related ASSIST scores compared with the control group (
Conclusions:
Nurse-conducted BI has the potential to reduce tobacco-related risk among opioid-dependent patients in this setting.