Alcohol Expert System Intervention for Problematic Alcohol Use

Not Applicable

Completed

• Conditions: Alcohol-related Disorders; Alcohol Drinking
• Interventions: Behavioral: Expert System Intervention

• Registration Number: NCT00400010
• Lead Sponsor: University of Luebeck

Brief Summary

In a randomized controlled trial, patients recruited in a general hospital and fulfilling criteria for alcohol dependence, alcohol abuse or at-risk drinking will be randomly allocated to two conditions:(1) Transtheoretical Model (TTM)-based expert system group, patients receive an individualized feedback on drinking norms, health-related risks and core constructs of the TTM, augmented by a TTM-based manual, (2) Control group,receiving a booklet on health behavior.

Outcome assessment will be conducted after 12 months. The hypothesis is that individualized feedback leads to greater reduction in alcohol consumption and elevated readiness to change at follow-up.

Detailed Description

Background: A promising approach in secondary prevention of problem drinking is to provide brief interventions in medical settings. However, brief interventions have not become implemented in general practices (GPs) due to insufficient role security and therapeutic commitment of physicians. Computerized expert systems can provide very cost-effective means of intervention and have been effective in the field of smoking cessation. However, in the alcohol field, research on this issue is scarce.

Objectives: Comparing an expert system based on the Transtheoretical Model of behavior change for patients with at-risk drinking, alcohol abuse or alcohol dependence to a control condition. Methods: About 2,500 screenings among consecutive general hospital patients aged 18 to 64 will be conducted. Subjects fulfilling inclusion criteria (severe alcohol dependence excluded) will be randomly assigned to one of two conditions with 150 patients each: (1) In the TTM-based expert system group, patients receive an individualized feedback on drinking norms, health-related risks and core constructs of the TTM, augmented by a TTM-based manual. (2) In the control group, participants receive a booklet on health behavior. Outcome assessment will be conducted after 12 months. Outcome variables are alcohol consumption, stages of change progress and utilization of formal help. Expected impact: Findings are expected to provide evidence for a computerized TTM based expert system to be used in primary care. This would be the first international results confirming such an approach in the alcohol field. If a TTM-based expert system would be effective, this could significantly save resources and enhance secondary prevention. Therefore, data are of great public health interest. Relationship to the objective of the collaboration: As in the other studies, empirical data on new proactive approaches to reach underserved populations in the addiction field will be provided. The project will add knowledge on the economical use of interventions.

Study Timeline

• Study Start: 2004-10
• Primary Completion: 2005-11
• Study Completion: 2006-11
• Study First Submitted: 2006-11-14
• Study First Submitted QC: 2006-11-14
• Study First Posted: 2006-11-16
• Status Verified: 2014-04
• Last Update Submitted: 2014-04-01
• Last Update Posted: 2014-04-02

Recruitment & Eligibility

• Status: COMPLETED
• Sex: All
• Target Recruitment: 347

Inclusion Criteria

• Alcohol Abuse
• Alcohol Dependence
• At-risk drinking

Exclusion Criteria

• Current treatment for alcohol problems
• Terminal illness

Study & Design

• Study Type: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Design: PARALLEL

Arm && Interventions

Group	Intervention	Description
Expert System Intervention	Expert System Intervention	Computerized Expert System Intervention based on the Transtheoretical Model of Change: 1. Normative feedback and feedback on motivational variables during the first week of hospital stay 2. Ipsative feedback on drinking behavior and motivation to change after three months

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Average alcohol consumption (QF) gr/alc. per day	12 months	Main outcome is reduction in daily average alcohol consumption, operationalized by a Quantity-/Frequency measure

Secondary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Readiness to change drinking behavior	12 months	Readiness to change questionnaire

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

University of Luebeck, Dpt. of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy; 🇩🇪 Luebeck, Germany