title: Comparison of WEB and Interactive Voice Response (IVR) Methods for Delivering Brief Alcohol Interventions to Hazardous-Drinking University Students: A Randomized Controlled Trial.
abstract: This study evaluated automated techniques including personalized normative feedback and protective behavioral strategies, for brief interventions intended to reduce peak alcohol concentrations in university students. After completing baseline assessment, a total of 1,678 hazardous-drinking consumers were randomized to a single or a repeated Internet (WEB) or Interactive Voice Response (IVR) intervention, or to a control group (Single WEB: 323; Single IVR: 329; Repeated WEB: 318; Repeated IVR: 334;
  
  
  METHODS
  374). At follow-up, six weeks after baseline, questionnaires were returned by 1,422 participants (Single WEB: 277; Single IVR: 286; Repeated WEB: 259; Repeated IVR: 279;
  
  
  METHODS
  321). It was found that peak estimated BAC was reduced in the total group (b -0.14, 95% confidence interval (CI) -0.023; -0.005), in the total (b -0.17, 95% CI -0.027; -0.007) and single (b -0.021, 95% CI -0.032; -0.011) WEB group, and in the total (b -0.011, 95% CI -0.021; -0.015) and repeated (b -0.012, 95% CI -0.023; -0.000) IVR groups, compared to controls. The reduction in peak estimated BAC was greater in the single WEB group compared to the single IVR group (b -0.011, 95% CI -0.022; -0.000). This study concluded that both WEB and IVR interventions have a small but significant effect in reducing heavy episodic drinking, which may be due to the relatively large sample size. Repeated intervention may be needed if delivered by IVR.
authors.affiliation: Malmö University, Malmö, Sweden.
authors.forename: Claes
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Andersson
mesh_terms: D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000523:psychology; D040421:Cell Phone; D003376:Counseling / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D020407:Internet; D008297:Male; D010349:Patient Compliance; D011614:Psychotherapy, Brief / Q000379:methods; D018401:Sample Size; D013334:Students / Q000523:psychology*; D013813:Therapy, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods*; D014495:Universities; D055815:Young Adult