title: Multicentre individual randomised controlled trial of screening and brief alcohol intervention to prevent risky drinking in young people aged 14-15 in a high school setting (SIPS JR-HIGH): study protocol.
abstract: Drinking has adverse impacts on health, well-being, education and social outcomes for adolescents. Adolescents in England are among the heaviest drinkers in Europe. Recently, the proportion of adolescents who drink alcohol has fallen, although consumption among those who do drink has actually increased. This trial seeks to investigate how effective and efficient an alcohol brief intervention is with 11-15 years olds to encourage lower alcohol consumption.
  
  
  
  This is an individually randomised two-armed trial incorporating a control arm of usual school-based practice and a leaflet on a healthy lifestyle (excl. alcohol), and an intervention arm that combines usual practice with a 30 min brief intervention delivered by school learning mentors and a leaflet on alcohol. At least 30 schools will be recruited from four regions in England (North East, North West, London, Kent and Medway) to follow-up 235 per arm. The primary outcome is total alcohol consumed in the last 28 days, using the 28 day Timeline Follow Back questionnaire measured at the 12-month follow-up. The analysis of the intervention will consider effectiveness and cost-effectiveness. A qualitative study will explore, via 1:1 in-depth interviews with (n=80) parents, young people and school staff, intervention experience, intervention fidelity and acceptability issues, using thematic narrative synthesis to report qualitative data.
  
  
  
  Ethical approval was granted by Teesside University. Dissemination plans include academic publications, conference presentations, disseminating to local and national education departments and the wider public health community, including via Fuse, and engaging with school staff and young people to comment on whether and how the project can be improved.
  
  
  
  ISRCTN45691494; Pre-results.
authors.affiliation: Health and Social Care Institute, Alcohol and Public Health Team, Teesside University, Middlesbrough, UK.
authors.forename: Emma L
authors.initials: EL
authors.lastname: Giles
authors.affiliation: Centre for Health Services Research, George Allen Wing, University of Kent, Canterbury, UK.
authors.forename: Simon
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Coulton
authors.affiliation: Addictions Department, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK.
authors.forename: Paolo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Deluca
authors.affiliation: Addictions Department, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK.
authors.forename: Colin
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Drummond
authors.affiliation: Institute of Health and Society, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK.
authors.forename: Denise
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Howel
authors.affiliation: Institute of Health and Society, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK.
authors.forename: Eileen
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Kaner
authors.affiliation: Institute of Health and Society, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK.|Newcastle Clinical Trials Unit, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK.
authors.forename: Elaine
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: McColl
authors.affiliation: Institute of Health and Society, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK.
authors.forename: Ruth
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: McGovern
authors.affiliation: Institute of Health and Society, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK.
authors.forename: Stephanie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Scott
authors.affiliation: Institute of Health and Society, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK.
authors.forename: Elaine
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Stamp
authors.affiliation: Centre for Public Health, Liverpool John Moores University, Liverpool, UK.
authors.forename: Harry
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Sumnall
authors.affiliation: Young People's Drug and Alcohol Department, North Tyneside Council, Tyne and Wear, UK.
authors.forename: Les
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Tate
authors.affiliation: School of Education, Communication and Language Sciences, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK.
authors.forename: Liz
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Todd
authors.affiliation: Health Economics Group, Institute of Health and Society, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK.
authors.forename: Luke
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Vale
authors.affiliation: Health Economics Group, Institute of Health and Society, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK.
authors.forename: Viviana
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Albani
authors.affiliation: Addictions Department, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK.
authors.forename: Sadie
authors.identifier: 0000-0003-3492-6402
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Boniface
authors.affiliation: Health and Social Care Institute, Alcohol and Public Health Team, Teesside University, Middlesbrough, UK.
authors.forename: Jennifer
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ferguson
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Education, Health and Community, Liverpool John Moores University, Liverpool, UK.
authors.forename: Jo
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Frankham
authors.affiliation: Northumberland, Tyne and Wear NHS Foundation Trust, St. Nicholas Hospital, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK.
authors.forename: Eilish
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Gilvarry
authors.affiliation: Centre for Health Services Research, George Allen Wing, University of Kent, Canterbury, UK.
authors.forename: Nadine
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Hendrie
authors.affiliation: Newcastle Clinical Trials Unit, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK.
authors.forename: Nicola
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Howe
authors.affiliation: Health and Social Care Institute, Alcohol and Public Health Team, Teesside University, Middlesbrough, UK.
authors.forename: Grant J
authors.initials: GJ
authors.lastname: McGeechan
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Education, Health and Community, Liverpool John Moores University, Liverpool, UK.
authors.forename: Grant
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Stanley
authors.affiliation: Health and Social Care Institute, Alcohol and Public Health Team, Teesside University, Middlesbrough, UK.
authors.forename: Dorothy
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Newbury-Birch
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000294:Adolescent Behavior; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000517:prevention & control*; D000435:Alcoholic Intoxication / Q000517:prevention & control; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000517:prevention & control; D003376:Counseling; D004739:England; D005260:Female; D006293:Health Promotion / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D008131:London; D008297:Male; D008403:Mass Screening; D008611:Mentors; D012107:Research Design; D012309:Risk-Taking; D012572:School Health Services; D012574:Schools; D013334:Students; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
keywords: Alcohol; Brief Intervention; Randomised Controlled Trial; School Setting