UnityPhilly app to help bystanders find and reverse opioid overdoses
UnityPhilly Response App for Overdose Reversal: Assessing Citywide Effectiveness and Sustainability
Drexel University · NCT06466005
This project will test whether the UnityPhilly smartphone app helps trained community members and people affected by opioid use in Philadelphia respond to and reverse opioid overdoses.
Quick facts
| Study type | Observational |
|---|---|
| Enrollment | 450 (estimated) |
| Ages | 18 Years and up |
| Sex | All |
| Sponsor | Drexel University (other) |
| Locations | 1 site (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) |
| Trial ID | NCT06466005 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
What this trial studies
This observational behavioral project will enroll 450 participants from three Philadelphia neighborhoods across five self-identified groups (active non-medical opioid users, prescription opioid users, people in recovery, caregivers/family members, and concerned community members). All participants receive the UnityPhilly app, naloxone, and training on how to use the app and respond to an opioid overdose; there is no control group. The team will redevelop the app for better usability, then follow participants for 12 months to track app signal rates relative to EMS calls and successful naloxone reversals relative to responder arrivals. Outcomes will be measured annually to see whether signals and successful reversals increase over time.
Who should consider this trial
Good fit: Ideal candidates are adults (18+) who live or work in one of the three targeted Philadelphia neighborhoods and own a smartphone with a data plan, including people who use opioids, those in recovery, caregivers, or concerned community members.
Not a fit: People who do not live or work in the specified neighborhoods, lack a smartphone with data, or are under 18 are unlikely to benefit from this program.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the app could increase bystander naloxone responses and reduce fatal opioid overdoses in participating neighborhoods.
How similar studies have performed: A prior R34 pilot of the UnityPhilly app has been conducted, but evidence for large-scale effectiveness of citizen-responder overdose apps remains limited.
Eligibility criteria
Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria: * owning a smartphone with a data package; * living or working in one of three identified Philadelphia neighborhoods; * aged 18 or older. Exclusion Criteria: * persons aged under 18 years of age
Where this trial is running
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- Drexel University — Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States (RECRUITING)
Study contacts
- Principal investigator: Stephen Lankenau, PhD — Drexel University
- Study coordinator: Stephen Lankenau, PhD
- Email: sel59@drexel.edu
- Phone: 323-326-6438
How to participate
- Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
- Visit the official trial page on ClinicalTrials.gov for the most current contact information and recruitment status.
- Contact the listed study coordinator or principal investigator to request pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.
Conditions: Opioid Overdose, overdose prevention, Philadelphia, UnityPhilly