Use of Mobile Phones and Smartphones by Addiction Clinic Patients

Background. Studying the user experience of the target audience for whom digital services are being developed is important both for assessing the potential use of information and communication technologies and for engaging patients in using specialized mobile applications. Purpose of the study. To examine the influence of socio-demographic characteristics of patients undergoing inpatient treatment at an addiction clinic on their use of mobile phones and smartphones. Materials and methods. A cross-sectional study of a non-deterministic sample of SUD patients (n = 1168) hospitalized at the Moscow Scientific and Practical Center for Addictions of the Moscow Department of Health. Research Results. High penetration of mobile phones and smartphones was observed in the studied population, with a tendency among patients to retain their phone numbers even when switching devices. Conclusions. The penetration rate of mobile phones in the population of narcological patients is close to 97%, which justifies the recommendation to develop and use specialized mobile applications as a tool for remote work with patients outside the inpatient narcological care setting. Addiction doctors should consider the potential use of modern communication technologies in their practice.