Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
Randomized Controlled Trial
. 2015 Oct;136(4):e783-93.
doi: 10.1542/peds.2015-1260. Epub 2015 Sep 7.

Alcohol Interventions Among Underage Drinkers in the ED: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Rebecca M Cunningham  1 , Stephen T Chermack  2 , Peter F Ehrlich  3 , Patrick M Carter  4 , Brenda M Booth  5 , Frederic C Blow  6 , Kristen L Barry  7 , Maureen A Walton  8
Affiliations
Randomized Controlled Trial

Alcohol Interventions Among Underage Drinkers in the ED: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Rebecca M Cunningham et al. Pediatrics. 2015 Oct.

Abstract

Objectives: This study examined the efficacy of emergency department (ED)-based brief interventions (BIs), delivered by a computer or therapist, with and without a post-ED session, on alcohol consumption and consequences over 12 months.

Methods: Patients (ages 14-20 years) screening positive for risky drinking were randomized to: BI (n = 277), therapist BI (n = 278), or control (n = 281). After the 3-month follow-up, participants were randomized to receive a post-ED BI session or control. Incorporating motivational interviewing, the BIs addressed alcohol consumption and consequences, including driving under the influence (DUI), and alcohol-related injury, as well as other concomitant drug use. The computer BI was an offline, Facebook-styled program.

Results: Among 4389 patients screened, 1054 patients reported risky drinking and 836 were enrolled in the randomized controlled trial. Regression models examined the main effects of the intervention conditions (versus control) and the interaction effects (ED condition × post-ED condition) on primary outcomes. The therapist and computer BIs significantly reduced consumption at 3 months, consequences at 3 and 12 months, and prescription drug use at 12 months; the computer BI reduced the frequency of DUI at 12 months; and the therapist BI reduced the frequency of alcohol-related injury at 12 months. The post-ED session reduced alcohol consequences at 6 months, benefiting those who had not received a BI in the ED.

Conclusions: A single-session BI, delivered by a computer or therapist in the ED, shows promise for underage drinkers. Findings for the fully automated stand-alone computer BI are particularly appealing given the ease of future implementation.

Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT01051141.

PubMed Disclaimer

Figures

FIGURE 1
FIGURE 1
Project U-Connect flow sheet. CBI = computer BI; M = months; RA = research assistant; TBI = therapist BI.
FIGURE 1
FIGURE 1
Project U-Connect flow sheet. CBI = computer BI; M = months; RA = research assistant; TBI = therapist BI.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

    1. Patrick ME, Schulenberg JE. Prevalence and predictors of adolescent alcohol use and binge drinking in the United States. Alcohol Res. 2013;35(2):193–200 - PMC - PubMed
    1. Johnston LD, O’Malley PM, Miech RA, Bachman JG, Schulenberg J. Monitoring the Future National Results on Adolescent Drug Use: Overview of Key Findings, 2014. Ann Arbor, MI: Institute for Social Research, the University of Michigan; 2015
    1. Grant BF. Prevalence and correlates of alcohol use and DSM-IV alcohol dependence in the United States: results of the National Longitudinal Alcohol Epidemiologic Survey. J Stud Alcohol. 1997;58(5):464–473 - PubMed
    1. Wells JE, Horwood LJ, Fergusson DM. Drinking patterns in mid-adolescence and psychosocial outcomes in late adolescence and early adulthood. Addiction. 2004;99(12):1529–1541 - PubMed
    1. Lewinsohn PM, Rohde P, Seeley JR. Alcohol consumption in high school adolescents: frequency of use and dimensional structure of associated problems. Addiction. 1996;91(3):375–390 - PubMed

Publication types

Associated data