Enjeline Hanafi, M.D, of Indonesia received the 2019 College on Problems of Drug Dependence (CPDD) International Committee Award for Best International Research Poster. Dr. Hanafi’s abstract—Evidence of telemedicine from a developing country during COVID-19 pandemic: A virtual relapse prevention program among a clinical sample of substance-use disorder patients—described a pilot project that delivered cognitive behavioral therapy via Zoom to patients diagnosed with substance use disorders. The patients all reported using fewer substances and 75% preferred telemedicine rather than in-person therapy. Dr. Hanafi is a member of the Faculty of Medicine at Universitas Indonesia Cipto Mangunkusumo Hospital in Jakarta.
The semifinalist was Kumari Rina, M.D., All India Institute of Medical Sciences, for her study of the association between COVID-19 infection and substance use disorder in Bhubaneswar, India. Dr. Rina and her colleagues found that alcohol and tobacco use was strongly associated with COVID-19 infection.
The CPDD International Committee reviews posters submitted to the joint NIDA International Forum/CPDD International Research Poster Session by researchers from low-, lower middle-, and upper middle-income countries. The winner receives 3 nights’ lodging at the conference hotel for the CPDD Annual Scientific Meeting in 2022 or 2023. Francesca Filbey, Ph.D., University of Texas at Dallas, chairs the committee.