Rapid Self-Testing to Prevent Fentanyl Overdose Among Young People Who Use Drugs
Condition: Accidental Overdose of Opiate
MeSH terms: Drug Overdose; Opiate Overdose
Study type: Interventional

Summary: 
      The research team will enroll 100 young adults who use cocaine, heroin, inject drugs, or
      purchase prescription medications on the illicit market in a pilot study to be known as the
      Rhode Island Young Adult Prescription and Illicit Drug Study (RAPIDS). Participants will be
      trained to use a take-home home rapid drug test to test for the presence or absence of
      fentanyl in their drug supply. Half of the enrolled participants will be asked to test their
      urine for presence or absence of fentanyl, and the other half will be asked to test their
      drug residue for presence or absence of fentanyl. All participants will receive up to 15
      take-home rapid drug tests for fentanyl. A follow-up survey will examine and compare
      utilization of the tests between the two groups. The study will be guided by the
      information-motivation-behavioral skills (IMB) model of engagement in health behaviors. The
      IMB model hypothesizes that if a person possesses the information, motivation, and behavioral
      skills to act, there is an increased likelihood that she/he will fulfill and maintain the
      desired behaviors (behaviors that will reduce accidental overdose).
    

Detailed description: 
      The research team will administer a brief survey to ascertain behavioral, psychosocial, and
      clinical factors that may be related to non-prescription fentanyl (NPF) exposure among young
      people who use illicit drugs. The researchers will also characterize knowledge of and
      perceptions towards drugs contaminated with NPF, as well as the potential diversion of
      prescription fentanyl formulations (e.g., transdermal patches). After the
      interviewer-administered survey has been completed, participants will provide urine samples
      to determine recent exposure to NPF and other illicit drugs.

      The research team will assess the acceptability and feasibility of "take home rapid drug
      tests" to test for fentanyl exposure among 100 participants from the target population. After
      the enrollment and baseline survey, participants will be provided with rapid drug tests that
      detect the presence or absence of fentanyl in their drug supply. Half the participants will
      be asked to test their urine to see if they have been exposed to a fentanyl-contaminated
      drug. The other half will be asked to test the residue of the drug that they intend to use.
      Study participants will then be asked to return in 2 weeks for a brief follow-up survey that
      will assess whether they used the self-tests, whether the technology was acceptable and easy
      to use, and whether and how a positive test result altered their drug-using and overdose
      prevention behaviors.
    

Intervention name(s): Take home rapid drug test
Intervention type(s): Behavioral
Intervention description(s): The Rapid Response fentanyl test strips will be offered as take-home rapid drug tests to all participants to assess the willingness to use take-home rapid drug tests and the feasibility of using such an intervention at home. Arm 1 will be offered one method of using the take-home rapid drug test (urine testing). Arm 2 will be offered a second method of using the take-home rapid drug test (testing drug residue).
Other intervention name(s): Rapid Response fentanyl test strips
Intervention MeSH terms: Fentanyl
Allocation: Non-Randomized
Intervention model: Parallel Assignment
Intervention model description: Participants will be assigned to either ARM1 or ARM2 depending on when they enrolled in the study.
Masking: Single (Participant)
Primary purpose: Screening
Keywords: overdose prevention; opioid overdose; risk behavior; harm reduction