Effectiveness of the brief intervention for methamphetamine users in Poland

The use of methamphetamine in Europe is steadily growing. In 2021, amphetamine and methamphetamine clients accounted for at least 15% of the first-time treatment entrants in Bulgaria, Czechia, Estonia, Latvia, Poland, Slovakia and Finland. Wastewater analysis showed that in Czechia and Germany, the use of methamphetamine increased significantly between the years 2021 and 2022.
Between the years 2020 and 2023, the EU co-funded project IMPRESA was conducted in five European countries with the aim of developing and piloting the implementation of methamphetamine preventive and harm reduction interventions. In Poland, a brief intervention for methamphetamine users was adopted, implemented and evaluated according to the RE-AIM model in 2022. 
The main aim of the brief intervention was to increase motivation [MR1] to reduce or at least change methamphetamine use patterns for less destructive and to improve well-being.
Method: 130 participants took part in the intervention. However, only n=53 participated in baseline and post-test measurements. Measurements: The question on the use of psychoactive substances (except alcohol) met the standards developed for population surveys by the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA). We used the Change Readiness Questionnaire to investigate the motivation to change. In order to evaluate well-being, we used the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) for depressive symptoms, the Generalised Anxiety Disorder Scale (GAD-7) for anxiety symptoms and The Satisfaction With Life Scale (SWLS) for life satisfaction. We also used the Generalised Self-efficacy Scale (GSES)  for control. [PBiISSzoo2] 
Results: Among those who participated in the pretest and post-test, a significant reduction in methamphetamine consumption was registered, as well as a significant increase in motivation to change methamphetamine use and a significant decrease in depressive and anxiety symptoms. There was no change in well-being registered. 
Conclusions: The pilot implementation of brief intervention has shown its effectiveness, but there is also some space for improvement. The recommendation for the further implementation includes introducing longer sessions (up to 90 minutes instead of 60 minutes when necessary), implementing Contingency Management techniques to assert higher retention in post-test evaluation, and implementing a follow-up measurement.