Stop&Go – Promoting healthy lifestyles during inpatient detoxification treatment: rationale, intervention design, methodology

Abstract

Exercise could help in the treatment of substance addictions. However, there is a lack of programs promoting a healthy and physically active lifestyle for patients requiring inpatient detoxification treatment. We present the protocol of an intervention program with such characteristics, namely Stop&Go. Stop&Go includes two different phases. Phase I is aimed at understanding the variables related with adherence to healthy lifestyle interventions. Patients with substance use disorders will be invited to participate in focus groups (Study1) and to respond to questionnaires assessing variables related to exercise and healthy habits (Study2). Phase II will use the knowledge obtained in Phase I to develop and evaluate an intervention to promote healthy and physically active lifestyles for patients admitted to an inpatient detoxification center. The intervention will also be based on Self-determination theory postulates. Patients will participate in four practically-oriented training sessions, focused on (1) physical activity and exercise, (2) nutrition and oral hygiene, (3) sleep habits and self-care, and (4) smoking cessation. In addition, the entire inpatient detoxification center will be adapted to encourage autonomous physical activity/exercise and to reinforce the ideas presented in the psychoeducational sessions. It is expected that, compared to a control group, patients engaged in the Stop&Go intervention will show: (a) higher scores in exercise-related variables (e.g., autonomous motivation), (b) better mental health status, and (c) greater knowledge regarding healthy and physically active lifestyles.