Exploring user experiences of a text message-delivered intervention among individuals on opioid use disorder treatment in Kenya: A qualitative study

Author summary Opioid use disorder causes significant burden of disease among the substance use disorders. The recommended treatment comprises combination of pharmacotherapy and psychosocial treatment commonly cognitive behavioral therapy. Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is a form of psychosocial intervention used in individuals with substance use disorders but there is limited use in low-and- middle income countries (LMIC) such as Kenya. Digital interventions through computers or phones have been used to deliver psychosocial treatment such as CBT and have shown effectiveness in improving outcomes among the individuals with opioid use disorder and other substance use disorders but use of these interventions is limited in Kenya and other LMICs. This paper reports the feedback and experiences of individuals who received CBT delivered via text-message. These findings show that the intervention was acceptable to participants who reported to have gained skills that helped them change substance use patterns. Participants also described challenges experienced and gave recommendations on how the intervention could be improved to benefit more people. The findings show that text-message can be used in psychosocial treatment delivery among individuals with opioid use disorder and can be used to guide implementation of similar interventions in similar settings within Kenya and other LMICs.