Personalized Digital Interventions Showed no Impact on Risky Drinking in Young Adults: A Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial. (9th August 2017)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Davies, Emma L; Lonsdale, Adam J; Hennelly, Sarah E; Winstock, Adam R; Foxcroft, David R
• Is Part Of: Alcohol and alcoholism. Volume 52:Number 6(2017)
• Page Start: 671
• Page End: 676
• Publication Date: 2017-08-09
• Subjects: Alcoholism -- Periodicals; 616.861005
• DOI: 10.1093/alcalc/agx051
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0735-0414

Abstract

Abstract: Aim: To assess the effectiveness of two personalized digital interventions (OneTooMany and Drinks Meter) compared to controls. Method: Randomized controlled trial (AEARCTR-0, 001, 082). Volunteers for the study, aged 18–30, were randomly allocated to one of two interventions or one of two control groups and were followed up 4 weeks later. Primary outcomes were AUDIT-C, drinking harms and pre-loading. Drinks Meter provided participants with brief screening and advice for alcohol in addition to normative feedback, information on calories consumed and money spent. OneTooMany presented a series of socially embarrassing scenarios that may occur when drinking, and participants were scored according to if/how recently they had been experienced. Results: The study failed to recruit and obtain sufficient follow-up data to reach a prior estimated power for detecting a difference between groups and there was no indication in the analysable sample of 402 subjects of a difference on the primary outcome measures (Drinks Meter; AUDIT-C IRR = 0.98 (0.89–1.09); Pre-loading IRR = 1.01 (0.95–1.07); Harms IRR = 0.97 (0.79–1.20); OneTooMany; AUDIT-C IRR = 0.96 (0.86–1.07); Pre-loading IRR = 0.99 (0.93–1.06); Harms IRR = 1.16 (0.94–1.43). Conclusion: Further research is needed on the efficacy of such instruments and their ingredients. However, recruitment and follow-up are a challenge.