A cluster randomised controlled trial of alcohol screening and brief interventions in probation services

ISRCTN	ISRCTN19160244
DOI	https://doi.org/10.1186/ISRCTN19160244
Protocol serial number	N/A
Sponsor	Kings College London, Institute of Psychiatry (UK)
Funder	This trial is funded by the UK Department of Health as part of the government's Alcohol Harm Reduction Strategy for England (2004) (UK)

Submission date: 10/03/2008
Registration date: 25/04/2008
Last edited: 17/08/2018

Recruitment status: No longer recruiting
Overall study status: Completed
Condition category: Mental and Behavioural Disorders

Prospectively registered

Protocol

Statistical analysis plan

Results

Individual participant data

Plain English summary of protocol

Not provided at time of registration

Contact information

Prof Colin Drummond
Scientific

Section of Alcohol Research
National Addiction Centre, PO48
Division of Psychological Medicine and Psychiatry
Institute of Psychiatry
King's College London
4 Windsor Walk
London
SE5 8BB
United Kingdom

Email	colin.drummond@iop.kcl.ac.uk

Study information

Primary study design	Interventional
Study design	Cluster randomised controlled trial.
Secondary study design	Randomised controlled trial
Study type	Participant information sheet
Scientific title	A cluster randomised controlled trial of alcohol screening and brief interventions in probation services
Study acronym	SIPS-CJS
Study objectives	1. To conduct a pragmatic multicentre cluster randomised controlled trial of screening and brief interventions for hazardous and harmful drinkers in a probation setting in three English regions 2. To compare the effectiveness and cost effectiveness of a Client Information Leaflet (CIL) with simple structured advice conducted by offender managers (Tier 1) and referral to an alcohol health worker for brief lifestyle counselling (Tier 2) in clients with hazardous and harmful alcohol consumption identified by universal screening 3. To assess the relative impact of the three intervention strategies on alcohol screening and brief intervention activity in a probation setting 4. To identify the attitudinal, practical, skill, resource, and reinforcing factors that predict successful implementation of screening and brief intervention in probation 5. To identify the optimal method of alcohol screening in probation 6. To assess the relative impact of the three intervention strategies on uptake of alcohol services, including an alcohol helpline
Ethics approval(s)	Northern & Yorkshire Research Ethics Committee (ref: 08/H0903/2 21/02/2008)
Health condition(s) or problem(s) studied	Hazardous alcohol use
Intervention	1. Control condition: Offender managers will be trained to carry out screening and give all clients screened positive for hazardous or harmful alcohol use a Client Information Leaflet (CIL). Training will be carried out by experienced trainers for criminal justice staff in seminars and individual training as appropriate to the probation setting. Trainers will be specialist staff from local alcohol agencies or an alcohol health worker. 2. Simple structured advice condition: Offender managers allocated to this condition will be trained to carry out screening and deliver up to 5 min structured brief advice for hazardous and harmful drinkers presenting to their setting, using the Drink-Less brief intervention materials (level 1). Clients in this condition will also receive a CIL as above. Training will be carried out by experienced trainers for criminal justice staff in seminars and individual training as appropriate to the criminal justice setting. Trainers will be specialist staff from local alcohol agencies or an alcohol health worker. Each probation site will have an allocated coordinator who will champion screening and brief intervention and provide ongoing support and supervision for other staff. 3. Alcohol Health Worker (AHW) condition: All clients that screened positive by offender managers for hazardous/harmful drinking will be given a CIL and a 5 min structured brief advice as above, and referred to an AHW for a longer intervention. The AHW will be experienced in carrying out alcohol assessment and brief interventions. The AHW will carry out a brief lifestyle counselling intervention lasting for 15-20 minutes. The AHW will also be responsible for training and supporting probation staff in implementing screening and referral over the course of the project.
Intervention type	Other
Primary outcome measure(s)	Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test at 6 and 12 months
Key secondary outcome measure(s)	The following will be assessed at 6 and 12 months: 1. Health related quality of life, EuroQol (EQ-5D) 2. Alcohol problems questionnaire 3. Service utilisation 4. Staff attitudinal measures
Completion date	31/03/2009

Eligibility

Participant type(s)	Patient
Age group	Adult
Lower age limit	18 Years
Sex	All
Target sample size at registration	435
Key inclusion criteria	1. Probation client scoring positive on either the Fast Alcohol Screen Test (FAST) or the Single Alcohol Screening Questionnaire (M-SASQ) 2. Alert and orientated 3. Aged 18 or over 4. Resident in England 5. Able to speak, read and write in English sufficiently well to complete study questionnaires 6. Not intoxicated 7. Not suffering with a serious mental health problem
Key exclusion criteria	1. Already in contact with specialist alcohol services 2. Already included in the study or other alcohol research studies 3. Those requesting tertiary specialist help with alcohol problems All excluded clients will be given information on where to obtain help for alcohol problems, and will receive a health information leaflet with the Drinkline number and website address.
Date of first enrolment	01/04/2008
Date of final enrolment	31/03/2009

Locations

Countries of recruitment

United Kingdom
England

Study participating centre

Section of Alcohol Research

London
SE5 8BB
United Kingdom

Results and Publications

Individual participant data (IPD) Intention to share	No
IPD sharing plan summary	Not provided at time of registration
IPD sharing plan

Study outputs

Output type	Details	Date created	Date added	Peer reviewed?	Patient-facing?
Results article	results	09/10/2012		Yes	No
Protocol article	protocol	18/11/2009		Yes	No
Participant information sheet	Participant information sheet	11/11/2025	11/11/2025	No	Yes
Study website	Study website	11/11/2025	11/11/2025	No	Yes

Editorial Notes

17/08/2018: Publication reference added