Abstract
Aims:Despite theprevalenceonceagain increasing, fewof those with cannabis usedisorder seek specialist addiction treatment. This project aimed to develop and evaluate a smart phone application prior to its evaluation in a randomised controlled trial. Methods: The methodology included 3 phases. The first was an internet survey of cannabis users, the second phase was an intensively engaged reference group as the app was developed. At the completion of this stage a third group of current cannabis users (n=10), in addition to the reference group, beta tested the app for usability. Results: The survey of 142 cannabis users (59%male)were aged 12–50 years, with the 25–34 year olds making up 36% of the sample. Themajoritywere iPhone users (52%)with 82% having internet connectivity. The majority of these non-treatment seekers (55.6%) found the idea of an app that assists people to monitor and reduce their cannabis use very appealing. The reference group provided feed-back on the evolution of the app and the phases of assessing their cannabis use; developing a plan of change; tracking their cannabis use; and tips on coping strategies. The end-user group (60% female) with a mean age of 27 years had never sought treatment for their cannabis use. The majority (71%) enjoyed using the app somewhat or very much and found it very helpful (57%) for evaluating their cannabis use. Conclusions: The three phase development and testing project demonstrated that cannabis users have access to the required technology and are interested in using an app that would assist them to manage their cannabis use. The next phase of the project will be a small pilot test of the patterns of app use and the impact on cannabis use and related problems to inform the design of a randomised controlled trial. A smart phoneapp is apromisingplatform for the delivery of a public health intervention to reduce cannabis use. Financial support: The Australian Government Department of Health & Ageing.
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