The Use of New Communications Technologies to Evaluate and Intervene in Substance Use Disorders

The widespread availability of high-speed, mobile cellular telephones and other advances in communication technology have the potential to change the way in which interventions for substance use disorders (SUD) are delivered and how progress is monitored. This article reviews recent research on the use of new technology to monitor progress and deliver interventions for SUD. Several studies of telephone-based interventions have shown positive effects, but sometimes only in certain subgroups. However, other studies have produced negative results. Studies have supported the use of interactive voice response (IVR) and personal digital assistants (PDAs) to conduct assessments, but there are few data on whether IVR- or PDA-based interventions improve outcomes. Text messaging has received comparatively little research, but appears promising as a means to conduct assessments and deliver automated interventions. Finally, smartphone technology provides the widest range of features and interventions and the greatest flexibility, but few intervention studies using smartphones have been conducted.