NCT01114919

Helping Problem Drinkers on the Internet

• Status: Completed
• Phase: N/A
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 246 (estimated)
• Sponsor: Centre for Addiction and Mental Health · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: 19 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Not accepted

Summary

The main aim of this study is to compare the impact of a minimal and a full Internet-based self-help intervention for problem drinkers in the general population.

Detailed description

Many problem drinkers never access any treatment services. Because of the individual as well as societal costs of heavy alcohol consumption, it is essential to find ways to intervene and provide assistance to problem drinkers. The Internet takes treatment to problem drinkers rather than requiring them to come to treatment, resulting in increased options for help for alcohol abusers. There is a preponderance of internet websites which are designed for self change in areas that include alcohol use. To date, however, there has been minimal scientific evaluation regarding the efficacy and safety of such programs. Our own previous research found that we could reduce alcohol consumption by about three drinks per week at a six-month follow-up using a minimal, personalized feedback Internet-based intervention. Building on this, the current project will attempt to increase the impact of Internet-based interventions as well as produce sustained reductions in drinking by adding an extended online self-help service to this already promising minimal intervention. More specifically, this randomized, double blinded study will compare and evaluate the efficacy of two different degrees of treatment intervention for problem drinkers: a minimal one ("Check your Drinking") and a full one ("Alcohol Help Centre").

Conditions

• Alcohol Dependence

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
BEHAVIORAL	Check Your Drinking (CYD)	Internet based program of lower intensity as compared to the "Alcohol Help Centre. It was designed to assesses drinking patterns, increase self-awareness of individual triggers, and set and achieve goals regarding abstinence.
BEHAVIORAL	Alcohol Help Centre (AHC)	Internet based program of higher intensity as compared to the "Check Your Drinking" intervention. It was designed to assesses drinking patterns, increase self-awareness of individual triggers, and set and achieve goals regarding abstinence.

Timeline

• Start date: 2010-05-01
• Primary completion: 2010-11-01
• First posted: 2010-05-03
• Last updated: 2010-12-02

Locations

1 site across 1 country: Canada