#0141 A randomized controlled trial of the web-based drinking diary program for problem drinking in multi workplace settings
An Internet-Based Program to Reduce Unhealthy Alcohol Use
There is a growing concern of alcohol misuse globally, which poses health risks and causes significant social problems. Although brief intervention (BI) centers exist to help people learn more about the dangers of alcohol misuse and receive support for changing their habits, these centers are not always effective. One reason is people’s reluctance to attending such programs. Besides, such centers may not always be able to accommodate most people seeking help.
To provide the necessary care, interventional sites at the workplace have been proposed. Such a solution is also likely to benefit organizations since it would improve employee health and wellbeing. Unfortunately, occupational healthcare workers at the organizations lack the training required to provide such care. Recently, electronic brief interventions (BI) conducted over the internet by trained healthcare professionals have been proposed as anonymous and cheaper alternatives to in-person interventions in the workplace.
In this study, researchers from Japan evaluated the effectiveness of a web-based BI program they developed for use at the workplace to reduce alcohol consumption. The intervention tool called “Sensible and Natural Alcoholism Prevention Program for You: Diary On Computer (SNAPPY-DOC)” allows users to self-monitor their alcohol consumption patterns and set drinking goals to correct their habits. Additionally, the tool helps people change their behavior by providing them with informational videos regarding the dangers of drinking and customized messages that encourage them to reduce their alcohol consumption.
One hundred workers across six different organizations participated in the study. The participants had Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT) scores of 8 or higher, suggesting excessive alcohol consumption. They were then randomly split into two groups. One group had access to the intervention program while the other was a control group. Both groups recorded their alcohol consumption during the study period. The intervention tool was used for 4 weeks, and the effects were evaluated on the 8th and 12th week after the study began.
The web-intervention program led to reduced alcohol intake by the participants in the intervention group and their AUDIT scores also decreased. On average, by the 12th week, those with access to the program had reduced their weekly alcohol consumption from 329 grams to 246 grams.
The study underscores the effectiveness of the program in altering drinking habits non-intrusively over a 12-week follow-up period. Further studies could help establish its long-term effectiveness in addressing the problem of alcohol misuse.
Link to original journal article:
https://academic.oup.com/joh/article/64/1/e12312/7249388
Title of the paper:
A randomized controlled trial of the web-based drinking diary program for problem drinking in multi workplace settings
Authors:
Takashi Sunami, Ryuhei So, Hironobu Ishii, Eiji Sadashima, Takefumi Ueno, Takefumi Yuzuriha, Akira Monji
