Innovation adoption in substance abuse treatment: exposure, trialability, and the Clinical Trials Network

J Subst Abuse Treat. 2007 Jun;32(4):321-9. doi: 10.1016/j.jsat.2006.05.021. Epub 2007 Feb 22.

Abstract

Researchers and policymakers are increasingly focusing on factors that facilitate or impede the diffusion of evidence-based treatment techniques into routine clinical practice. One potentially fruitful avenue of research is the influence of involvement in research networks as a predictor of organizational innovation. The Clinical Trials Network (CTN) is examining a number of behavioral and pharmacological treatment techniques in controlled multisite studies. Using data from participating CTN treatment programs and large samples of programs outside the CTN, these analyses examine the influence of exposure to clinical trials on the subsequent adoption of buprenorphine and voucher-based motivational incentives. The analyses show that, controlling for a variety of organizational characteristics, direct exposure to buprenorphine clinical trials in the CTN significantly increased the odds of subsequent adoption. By contrast, the adoption of motivational incentives was entirely explained by organizational characteristics. The findings suggest that adoption of treatment innovations is a function of exposure, organizational resources, nature of innovations, and stage of the diffusion process.

Publication types

  • Multicenter Study
  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

MeSH terms

  • Analgesics, Opioid / therapeutic use*
  • Buprenorphine / therapeutic use*
  • Clinical Trials as Topic
  • Diffusion of Innovation*
  • Evidence-Based Medicine* / organization & administration
  • Health Services Research
  • Humans
  • Logistic Models
  • Multivariate Analysis
  • Substance-Related Disorders / rehabilitation*
  • Token Economy*

Substances

  • Analgesics, Opioid
  • Buprenorphine