An acceptability and feasibility study of the We Can Do This online therapeutic program in primary care and residential rehabilitation settings

We Can Do This is a web-based therapeutic program developed for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people who are seeking to reduce or stop use of methamphetamine. We Can Do This is an output of a larger study funded by the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) entitled ‘Novel Interventions to Address Methamphetamine Use in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Communities’ (NIMAC). Quantitative and qualitative findings from early phases of the NIMAC project in combination with extensive end-user testing have informed the development of We Can Do This.

We Can Do This comprises seven modules incorporating evidence-based therapeutic approaches including cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT), motivational interviewing (MI), Acceptance- Commitment Therapy (ACT) and narrative approaches presented in a culturally-relevant format. In late 2019, a randomised control trial (RCT) of We Can Do This will commence to test the effectiveness of the program in reducing methamphetamine use and increasing help-seeking behaviour. For the purpose of the trial, We Can Do This will be tested as a self-directed tool, with the option of self-referral for clinical support.

As a separate activity to the RCT and based on interest from clinicians during developmental phases, this proposed mixed methods study will examine the acceptability and feasibility of the program from the perspectives of both clinicians and clients in two contexts. First, in primary care; and second, in residential rehabilitation services. Semi-structured interviews with clinicians and clients who use the tool combined with usage metadata will enable an assessment of the program’s acceptability and feasibility for clinician-led use within health care services. Used in this way, We Can Do This may increase the capacity of health services to meet the needs of Aboriginal clients for culturally appropriate, evidence-based treatment approaches, in addition to its original intent as a self-administered tool for people in the community seeking to reduce their methamphetamine use.