Accepted for/Published in: Journal of Medical Internet Research
Date Submitted: Jun 8, 2022
Date Accepted: Jul 14, 2023
Effectiveness of a Web-Based Intervention for Preventing Substance Use in Young Adults in Taiwan: A Quasi-Experimental Study
ABSTRACT
Background:
Substance use has been one of the most alarming public health problems worldwide, particularly among younger generations.
Objective:
This study evaluated the effectiveness of an online substance use prevention intervention targeted at adults aged 20–29 years.
Methods:
The intervention materials comprised five sets of infographics and one animation, all of which focused on mixed themes: (a) the concept of substance use and its harmful effect on health; (b) the misinformation regarding new psychoactive substances; (c) regulations for illicit drugs, particularly marijuana; (d) the brain disease model of addiction; (e) critical thinking skills that help improve health literacy; and (f) decision making skills and communication skills that help the refusal of illegal drugs. Eligible participants were randomly assigned to the experimental or control group and completed online baseline and follow-up questionnaires assessing their knowledge, behavioral intention, self-efficacy, and life skills concerning substance use prevention. Generalized estimating equations were employed to examine the intervention effectiveness.
Results:
A total of 1,065 participants (539 control and 526 experimental) completed the intervention and questionnaires in 2019. The average ages of the experimental and control groups were 25.68 and 25.66 years, respectively. The results of the generalized estimating equation (GEE) analyses indicated that the intervention significantly improved participants’ knowledge, behavioral intention, and self-efficacy (all p < .05), but not participants’ life skills (p = .66), regarding substance use prevention. Participants in the experimental group responded to a satisfaction survey with positive feedback on the intervention.
Conclusions:
The online intervention was effective in improving participants’ knowledge, behavioral intention, and self-efficacy concerning substance use prevention. The findings support continued efforts to utilize the convenience of online interventions to prevent substance use in young adults.
Citation
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