Abstract
ObjectiveMobile Health approaches show promise as a delivery mode for alcohol screening and brief intervention. The ‘YourCall’ trial evaluated the effect of a low-intensity mobile phone text message brief intervention compared with usual care on hazardous drinking and alcohol-related harms among injured adults. This paper extends our previously published primary outcome analysis which revealed a significant reduction in hazardous drinking associated with the intervention at 3 months, with the effect maintained across 12 months follow-up. The objective of the current study was to evaluate the effect of the intervention on alcohol-related harms and troubles and help-seeking behaviours (secondary outcomes) at 12-months follow-up.ResultsA parallel two-group, single-blind, randomised controlled trial was conducted in 598 injured inpatients aged 16–69 years identified as having medium-risk hazardous drinking. Logistic regression models applied to 12-month follow-up data showed no significant differences between intervention and control groups in self-reported alcohol-related harms and troubles and help-seeking behaviours. Although this text message intervention led to a significant reduction in hazardous alcohol consumption (previously published primary outcome), changes in self-reported alcohol-related harms and troubles and help seeking behaviours at 12-months follow up (secondary outcomes) were small and non-significant.Trial registrationACTRN12612001220853. Retrospectively registered 19 November 2012.
Highlights
Alcohol-related harms are a significant global issue, causing large health, social and economic burdens to people, communities, and society [1–3]
A randomised controlled trial (RCT) evaluating the Sharpe et al BMC Res Notes (2019) 12:267 intervention found a significant effect in the primary outcome, i.e., a reduction in hazardous drinking in the intervention group compared with control group [13]
The characteristics of the two groups were similar at baseline, including mean Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT)-C scores
Summary
As previously described [13], 598 of the 1564 potentially eligible participants who were screened met the trial inclusion criteria (Fig. 1). Among participants responding to the ‘alcohol harms’ questions in the 12-month survey (Table 2), over half (124 [55%] of the control group and 106 [53%] of the intervention group) reported alcohol-related harmful effects in one or more of the following domains: work, studies, or employment; housework or chores around the house; marriage/intimate relationships; relationships with other family members including children; friendships or social life; finances; physical health.
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