Efficacy of a web and text messaging based intervention to reduce problem drinking in young people
| ISRCTN | ISRCTN59944705 |
|---|---|
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1186/ISRCTN59944705 |
| Secondary identifying numbers | 100014_149209/1 |
- Submission date
- 24/06/2014
- Registration date
- 10/07/2014
- Last edited
- 04/08/2017
- Recruitment status
- No longer recruiting
- Overall study status
- Completed
- Condition category
- Mental and Behavioural Disorders
Plain English summary of protocol
Background and study aims
Binge drinking is drinking a significant number of alcoholic beverages with the intention of having enough to become intoxicated, or drunk, over a short period of time. It can lead to antisocial behavior and violence, and also to a number of health problems; this not only affects the individual, it also results in increased costs to healthcare services. There have been studies involving the use of tailored feedback generated by a computer programme that have been successful in reducing binge drinking among university and college students in the United States. It works by providing the student with information on their own drinking habits compared with what is considered the social norm in order to change their perception of what they would consider normal drinking behavior. It is hoped that a similar approach will reduce alcohol use in young people with a lower level of education as well, but little research has been done on this as yet. It is thought, however, that shorter and more frequent feedback messages may be needed for individuals with a poorer educational background and that they might benefit from getting support for a longer time period in order to change their drinking behavior long-term. Text messaging (SMS) is a proactive and low cost way of sending short messages at any time and place and it is a way of delivering tailored information to young people at times when they are most likely to drink alcohol. The main aim of this study is to assess how successful a combined web and test messaging based programme (the intervention) is reducing problem drinking in young people with different educational backgrounds.
Who can participate?
Young people over the age of 15 who have a mobile phone.
What does the study involve?
Participants are randomly allocated to one of two groups. Group 1 receive the intervention and have their alcohol use monitored. Group 2 just have their alcohol use monitored. Group 1 get a individually tailored web-based feedback on the number of drinks they have each week compared to a reference group that represents what would be the social norm for their age and gender. The number of times they have indulged in risky drinking (5 drinks on any one occasion for males, 4 times for females) is recorded. They are told how much they spend on alcohol and how many calories their drinks contain. They also get individually tailored mobile phone messages over a 3 month period that encourage the participant to keep their drinking to a safe limit and resist alcohol altogether. The drinking habits of the participants are then followed up 6 months later.
What are the possible benefits and risks of participating?
We expect that the intervention will reduce binge drinking. There are considered to be no risks.
Where is the study run from?
Swiss Research Institute for Public Health and Addiction (Switzerland)
When is the study starting and how long is it expected to run for?
September 2014 to August 2016
Who is funding the study?
Swiss National Science Foundation (Switzerland)
Who is the main contact?
Dr. Severin Haug
severin.haug@isgf.uzh.ch
Contact information
Scientific
Konradstrasse 32
Zurich
8031
Switzerland
| Phone | +41 (0) 44 448 11 74 |
|---|---|
| severin.haug@isgf.uzh.ch |
Study information
| Study design | Single center, two-arm, cluster randomized, single blind controlled trial |
|---|---|
| Primary study design | Interventional |
| Secondary study design | Randomised controlled trial |
| Study setting(s) | Other |
| Study type | Prevention |
| Participant information sheet | Not available in web format, please use the contact details below to request a participant information sheet. |
| Scientific title | Efficacy of a web and text messaging based intervention to reduce problem drinking in young people: a cluster-randomized controlled trial |
| Study objectives | The main objective of the planned study is to test the efficacy of a combined web and text messaging based intervention to reduce problem drinking in young people. Our main hypothesis is that the intervention will be more effective than assessment only in reducing indicators of problem drinking assessed at six month follow-up. |
| Ethics approval(s) | Ethics committee of the Philosophical Faculty of the University of Zurich, Switzerland, 24/06/2014 |
| Health condition(s) or problem(s) studied | Alcohol consumption, Problem drinking |
| Intervention | Intervention Group: Web-based feedback including individually tailored graphical and textual information concerning: 1. The number of drinks consumed per week in relation to the age and gender-specific reference group 2. Financial costs of drinking 3. Calories consumed with alcoholic drinks 4. Number of RSOD occasions in relation to the age and gender-specific reference group The participants in the intervention group will receive a single web-based feedback immediately after the baseline assessment. Individually tailored mobile phone text messages to stimulate 1. Positive outcome expectations to drink within low-risk limits 2. Self-efficacy to resist alcohol 3. Planning processes to translate intentions to resist alcohol into action Participants will receive up to two weekly text messages over a time period of 3 months. Control Group: No intervention |
| Intervention type | Other |
| Primary outcome measure | Frequency of risky single occasion drinking (RSOD) occasions in the last 30 days (How often did you have (male: 5 female: 4) or more drinks on one occasion in the last 30 days?). |
| Secondary outcome measures | 1. Quantity of alcohol consumption, assessed by a 7 day drinking calendar for which participants are asked to think about a typical week in the past month and, for each day, to record the number of standard drinks they typically consume on that day. 2. Peak blood alcohol concentration assessed by asking participants to report the number of standard drinks consumed and the duration of their heaviest drinking episode in the previous 30 days. This information will be used along with the sex and weight to calculate an estimated peak blood alcohol concentration based on the Widmark Formula. 3. Normative misperceptions of alcohol consumption. |
| Overall study start date | 01/09/2014 |
| Completion date | 31/08/2016 |
Eligibility
| Participant type(s) | Patient |
|---|---|
| Age group | Adult |
| Sex | Both |
| Target number of participants | n=467 per study group (intervention and control) resulting in a total of n=934 study participants |
| Key inclusion criteria | 1. Age > 15 years 2. Possession of a mobile phone |
| Key exclusion criteria | None |
| Date of first enrolment | 01/09/2014 |
| Date of final enrolment | 31/08/2016 |
Locations
Countries of recruitment
- Switzerland
Study participating centre
8031
Switzerland
Sponsor information
Research organisation
c/o Severin Haug
Konradstrasse 32
Zurich
8031
Switzerland
| Website | http://www.isgf.ch |
|---|---|
"ROR" |
https://ror.org/02crff812 |
Funders
Funder type
Research organisation
No information available
Results and Publications
| Intention to publish date | |
|---|---|
| Individual participant data (IPD) Intention to share | No |
| IPD sharing plan summary | Not provided at time of registration |
| Publication and dissemination plan | Not provided at time of registration |
| IPD sharing plan |
Study outputs
| Output type | Details | Date created | Date added | Peer reviewed? | Patient-facing? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Protocol article | protocol | 07/08/2014 | Yes | No | |
| Results article | results | 01/02/2017 | Yes | No |
Editorial Notes
04/08/2017: Publication reference added.
