2023-08-18 12:11:22
by Ruggiero Corcella
Published in BMJ, the results of a clinical trial of the University of Lausanne on over 1,700 students: the program, similar to a game, encouraged heavy drinkers to consume up to 10% less alcohol on average
Technically it can be classified as a digital therapy (or DTx, in English), i.e. a technology capable of offering therapeutic interventions guided by high quality software programs, based on scientific evidence obtained through methodologically rigorous and confirmatory clinical trials, to prevent, manage or treat a broad spectrum of physical, mental and behavioral conditions.
The app was developed to tackle binge drinking among young people over three years by researchers at Lausanne University Hospital and the University of Lausanne (in collaboration with colleagues in the UK, Canada and the United States), led to a 10% drop in average alcohol consumption levels in a group of college students participating in a clinical trial, the results of which were published in the British medical journal.
The numbers of the alcoholic high
The term binge (binge in English) drinking indicates a voluntary consumption of alcohol equal to six or more glasses on a single occasion, often with the specific intention of voluntarily and rapidly reaching a state of drunkenness. A behavior that can expose you to many risks and is increasingly common among young people together with an increase in overall alcohol consumption. According to the latest data from the Higher Institute of Health in Italy there are almost 8 million consumers at risk and 3 and a half million binge drinkers (mostly males of all ages, of which 83,000 are minors) and 750,000 already have an undetected alcohol-related injury.
Over 1,700 university students involved
In general, excessive alcohol consumption is the biggest risk factor for health among 15-49 year olds. The harmful use of alcohol is particularly prevalent among adult learners, prompting the authors to design a smartphone app to encourage healthier drinking in this group. The authors tested the app on 1,770 college students who tested positive for the harmful use of alcohol when assessed by a questionnaire.
The students, based at four university locations in Switzerland, reported consuming an average of 8.6 standard alcoholic beverages per week and drinking heavily for three and a half days per month. Heavy drinking is defined as at least five standard alcoholic drinks for men and at least four for women. A standard alcoholic drink in Switzerland contains 10-12 grams of ethanol. The UK and US equivalents are 8 and 14 grams respectively.
Study design and results
Students were randomly assigned to an intervention group in which they were asked to download the app (Smaart) and 83.5% who did so received a gift card as an incentive, or to a group of comparison in which all participants also received a gift certificate as a reward for completing the initial questionnaire, but received no support to reduce their alcohol consumption.
Additional gift vouchers were given to all students who completed the three-, six- and 12-month follow-up questionnaires (up to a total value of 50 Swiss francs, equal to 52 euros). During the 12-month monitoring period, students in the intervention group reported significantly reduced alcohol consumption compared with those in the comparison group: 10% less standard drinks per week and 11% less of days of excessive drinking per month.
What’s in the app
The students in the intervention group were able to use the app during the entire monitoring period to record their daily consumption and evaluate its impact on their health through six functions: personalized feedback (percentage of the Swiss population of the same age drinking less; calorie content of drinks consumed and the equivalent if you eat hamburger instead); estimated blood alcohol content and associated risks; self-monitoring tool (graph showing daily consumption in relation to recommended consumption limits); goal setting tool (set consumption limits for one, two, seven or 30 days and receive virtual badges if you meet them); designated driver tool (you take a picture of yourself and friends and allow the app to randomly pick a picture to be the designated sober driver driving a vehicle); information sheets on the health effects of alcohol.
Students who downloaded the app used it up to 403 times in 12 months, an average of 21.2 times each.
The limitations of the research The authors acknowledge some limitations to their research, notably that its reliance on self-report may have led to an underreporting of daily consumption. The randomization method also meant that students in the comparison group could access the app using the phone of a friend in the intervention group or have their experiences shared with them. However, the study authors conclude: Compared with the no-intervention group, providing access to the app for 12 months was effective in reducing the mean drinking volume of college students who reported harmful alcohol use .
The benefits of the app
The surgery also required fewer resources than face-to-face surgeries without the need to hire and train specialized healthcare professionals or a dedicated space on campus to perform surgeries, they point out. And in light of their findings they have made a free version of the app available for Apple and Android smartphones.
In an editorial commentary on the study, Sadie Boniface and Emma Davies, of the Institute of Alcohol Studies and Oxford Brookes University, respectively, say the reduction in alcohol consumption observed in the intervention group is equivalent to about half of a standard Swiss drink. every week. The nature of this intervention lends itself to being reproduced on a large scale at limited cost, they write, but they add: These types of interventions are not a magical solution in the context of international goals, such as the Action Plan of theWHO plans to reduce the harmful use of alcohol by 20% by 2030.
The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence in the UK recommends that doctors consider smartphone and digital health interventions as an option to reduce alcohol intake on top of existing services.
August 18, 2023 (change August 18, 2023 | 12:11 am)
© Time.News
#Binge #drinking #app #excessive #alcohol #control #time.news