Alaska health researchers gone over the efficiency of utilizing contingency management to curb alcohol dependency in Alaska Native and American Indian communities throughout the Department of Behavioral Health’s Medications for Addiction Treatment Conference on Tuesday.
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Southcentral Structure Senior Citizen Scientist Dr. Jennifer Shaw talked about a current research study the structure carried out that used incentives to decrease substance use amongst Alaska Native and American Indian grownups. The research study’s goal was to identify whether culturally- customized contingency management–behavioral treatment based on operant conditioning concepts–interventions in which incentives were provided for biologically- confirmed alcohol abstaining would result in increased abstaining amongst individuals.
Lots Of American Indian and Alaska Native communities are disproportionately impacted by issues with alcohol use.
” The goal was to examine if contingency management lowers alcohol use amongst Alaska Native and American Indian grownups who certify for clinical diagnosis of alcohol dependence in 3 communities,” Shaw stated.
The research study was carried out at 3 American Indian and Alaska Native health care companies situated in Alaska, the Pacific Northwest, and the Northern Plains from 2014 to 2019. Research study individuals were arbitrarily put in either a contingency management group or a control group. Contingency management group members got 12 weeks’ worth of incentives for sending a urine sample suggesting alcohol abstaining. Control group members got 12 weeks’ worth of incentives for sending a urine sample without the requirement of alcohol abstaining.
” They would draw tokens out of a pail and 50% [of the tokens] had strengthening messages on them,” Shaw stated. “Some [tokens] were for little rewards and some were for big rewards. And 2% were for jumbo rewards like a camping tent or fishing rod.”
Research study results revealed that of the 158 taking part grownups with alcohol dependence, individuals who got incentives for alcohol abstaining were most likely to send alcohol abstinent urine samples compared to those who did not receive incentives for abstaining.
Washington State University Assistant Research Study Teacher Dr. Kait Hirchak likewise worked on the research study.
” Balanced throughout time, individuals in the contingency management group were 70% most likely to send an alcohol abstinent test,” Hirchak stated. “We’re actually thrilled to have this proof. We got a lot of interest around this in carrying out contingency management from people around the nation. We have actually partnered with Kaufman & & Associates along with an [Addiction Technology Transfer Center] out of California to establish training products for contingency management training programs.”
Shaw stated contingency management intervention is exceptionally cost effective, particularly compared to other methods.
” If an individual draws [tokens] for every benefit, the cost per individual is well under $500,” Shaw stated.