Television-supported self-help for problem drinkers: a randomized pragmatic trial.
OBJECTIVE
To test the effectiveness of a television-supported self-help intervention for problem drinking.


METHODS
Dutch television viewers (N=181) drinking in excess of the guidelines for low-risk alcohol use were randomly assigned either to the Drinking Less TV self-help course (consisting of five televised sessions supplemented by a self-help manual and a self-help website) or to a waitlisted control group. To ensure trial integrity, intervention delivery was mimicked beforehand by sending intervention participants weekly DVDs in advance of the actual telecasts in 2006. Pre-post assessments were carried out on both groups, as well as a 3-month follow-up assessment on the intervention group to study effect maintenance. The primary outcome measure was low-risk drinking.


RESULTS
The intervention group was more successful than the waitlist group in achieving low-risk drinking at post-intervention (OR=9.4); the effects were maintained in the intervention group at 3-month follow-up.


CONCLUSIONS
The low-threshold television-based course Drinking Less appears effective in reducing problem drinking.
Kramer
Jeannet
J
Trimbos Institute (Netherlands Institute of Mental Health and Addiction), Utrecht, Netherlands. jkramer@trimbos.nl
Riper
Heleen
H
Lemmers
Lex
L
Conijn
Barbara
B
van Straten
Annemieke
A
Smit
Filip
F
D000437:Alcoholism / Q000517:prevention & control*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006293:Health Promotion; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care; D012648:Self Care / Q000379:methods*; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013690:Television; D016896:Treatment Outcome