Effect of physical activity on drinking refusal self-efficacy among patients with alcohol use disorder (AUD) attending de-addiction clinic in a tertiary health care centre, Puducherry- A Randomised Controlled Trial

This study is a randomized controlled trial to assess the effect of physical activity on drinking refusal self-efficacy among patients with alcohol use disorder (AUD) attending de-addiction clinic in a tertiary health care centre ,  Puducherry. Patients who meet the inclusion criteria will be enrolled from the de-addiction clinic by consecutive sampling method, the group will then be randomised based on the SNOSE method. Informed consent will be obtained and the data collection of each participant will be done. pretest of both the groups will be done using the using the Drinking Refusal Self-Efficacy Questionnaire-Revised (DRSEQ-R) and Severity of Alcohol Dependence Questionnaire (SADQ).Participants in the control group will get routine treatment as usual which includes: Detoxification, Psychotherapy and stress reduction.   Participants in the intervention group will be assigned to physical activity  along with routine treatment as usual.   Education on the effects and advantages of exercise on patients with AUD will be given.  A 15-minute recorded video containing stretching to be done before exercise and how to brisk walk will be shown along with a reliable family member of the participant.  Stretching exercises will include Back extension, neck forward, neck left and right, elbow pullover, shoulder over, shoulder across, shoulder back, bridge stretch, forearm & wrist, hamstring stretch, Calf stretch, quad & flexor stretch which will take 5-10 minutes. Physical activity will include brisk walking which will begin with 90 minutes in the first week gradually increasing to 150 minutes in the final week. The first week will include 3 sessions in a week. The second week will include 4 sessions and the third week will include 5 sessions. Each session will be for 30 minutes. Supervised return demonstration of stretching and brisk walking will be encouraged by each of the participants to assess their level of understanding. Leaflets containing stretching exercises and brisk walking will be distributed to reinforce knowledge.Text messages will be sent 3 days a week to ensure the participant performs the physical activity as advised. An exercise checklist will be distributed to the participant along with a reliable family member for recording the days when the exercise is done by the participant.. Adherence to the regimen will be assessed by self-reporting in the exercise checklist, which will be done by the participant along with a reliable family member along with the participant and asked to bring during follow-up.  Alcohol Timeline Follow Back calendar (TLFB) will be distributed to both groups to record the amount of alcohol consumed daily.  Recording of the TLFB calendar will be done by the participant along with a reliable member of the family.  The alcohol TLFB calendar will be asked to bring during follow-up i.e. after 21 days.  Post-test assessment to assess the drinking refusal self-efficacy for both the groups will be done using DRSEQ-R after 21 days at the de-addiction clinic, JIPMER.