Accepted for/Published in: JMIR Research Protocols
Date Submitted: May 13, 2020
Open Peer Review Period: May 19, 2020 - Jun 20, 2020
Date Accepted: Aug 11, 2020
(closed for review but you can still tweet)
Evaluating the efficacy of Drinks:Ration app and personalised text and push messaging to reduce alcohol consumption in a veteran population: Protocol for a Randomised Controlled Trial
ABSTRACT
Background:
Alcohol misuse is higher in the United Kingdom (UK) Armed Forces (AF) than the general population. Previous research has shown that interventions delivered via smartphone are efficacious in promoting self-monitoring of alcohol use, have utility in reducing alcohol consumption and have a broad reach.
Objective:
The ultimate objective of this Randomised Controlled Trial (RCT) is to assess the efficacy of a 28-day brief alcohol intervention delivered via a smartphone app (Drinks:Ration) in reducing alcohol consumption at 3 months among veterans who drink at a hazardous or harmful level and are receiving, or have received, support for mental health symptoms in a clinical setting.
Methods:
In a two-arm Randomised Controlled Trial (RCT), a smartphone app which includes interactive digital features designed to enhance participant motivation and personalised messaging is compared to a smartphone app which only provides information on alcohol consumption. The trial will be conducted in a treatment-seeking veteran population recruited from Combat Stress; a UK veteran’s mental health charity. Recruitment, consent and data collection is performed automatically through the Drinks:Ration platform. The primary outcome is change in alcohol consumption between baseline (day 0) and 3-month follow-up (day 84) as measured using the Time-Line Follow back for Alcohol Consumption; secondary outcome measures include 1) change in baseline to follow-up Alcohol Use Disorder Identification Test score, and 2) change in baseline to follow-up World Health Organisation Quality of Life-BREF score to assess Quality of Adjusted Life Years. Process evaluation measures include 1) app usage, and 2) usability ratings as measured by the mHealth App Usability Questionnaire.
Results:
The study will begin recruitment in September 2020 and is expected to require 12 months to complete. Study results should be published in 2022.
Conclusions:
This study will test if a smartphone app has the efficacy to reduce alcohol consumption in a treatment-seeking veteran population using personalised messaging and interactive digital features. This innovative approach, if successful, may provide a means to deliver a low cost health promotion programme that has the potential to reach large groups, in particular those geographically dispersed such as military personnel.
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Copyright
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