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Review
. 2022 Mar 15:28:100523.
doi: 10.1016/j.invent.2022.100523. eCollection 2022 Apr.

Effectiveness of guided and unguided online alcohol help: A real-life study

Ans Vangrunderbeek  1 , Ann Raveel  1 , Catharina Matheï  1 , Herwig Claeys  2 , Bert Aertgeerts  1 , Geertruida Bekkering  1
Affiliations
Review

Effectiveness of guided and unguided online alcohol help: A real-life study

Ans Vangrunderbeek et al. Internet Interv. .

Abstract

Aims: Online interventions reduce the treatment gap between the number of people with alcohol misuse and people who actually receive help. This study investigated the effectiveness and predictors of success of a Belgian online help programme.

Methods: A real-life retrospective open cohort study evaluating the guided and unguided internet intervention on the Belgian online platform alcoholhulp.be. The intervention consisted of a 12-week programme based upon cognitive behaviour therapy, motivational interviewing and acceptance and commitment therapy. Inclusion criteria are age above 18 years, recording of alcohol consumption in the daily journal for at least 2 weeks, and minimum 2 chat sessions in the guided group.Outcomes were weekly alcohol consumption after 6 and 12 weeks and treatment response (drinking less than 10 or 20 standard units (SU) per week). Additional analysis was done on predictors of success.

Results: A total of 460 participants in the guided group and 968 in the self-help group met the inclusion criteria. Average baseline alcohol consumption in the two groups was 40 SU per week. Alcohol consumption decreased by 31 SU (Cohen's d 1.17, p < 0.001) after 12 weeks in the guided group and 23 SU (Cohen's d 0.83, p < 0.001) in the self-help group. The treatment response below 20 SU per week was 88% for the guided group and 73% for the self-help group. Significantly better results were obtained in the guided group compared to the self-help group (p < 0.005). Participants with a higher baseline alcohol consumption had a higher decrease in alcohol consumption in both groups. The personal goal to quit, the absence of drug use, a lower baseline alcohol consumption and a higher number of completed assignments predict a higher chance of treatment response. Attrition at 6 weeks was 26% in the guided group and 63% in the self-help group and increased to 59% and 82% respectively at 12 weeks.

Conclusions: Both guided and unguided internet interventions are effective in reducing alcohol consumption and achieving the guideline for participants motivated to use the platform on a regular base, with better results in guided intervention.

Keywords: Alcohol drinking; Alcoholism; Cognitive behaviour therapy; Internet based intervention; Observational study; eHealth.

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Conflict of interest statement

Herwig Claeys is employed as project manager at alcoholhulp.be. Bert Aertgeerts and Catharina Matheï are Principal Investigators of the PINO research project, sponsored by the ABInbev foundation. All other authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Participant flow for the guided and self-help module. (*) Participants could be excluded for multiple reasons therefore, the numbers do not add up.
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Evolution of the average alcohol consumption per week for the guided and self-help group for the different scenarios. Note. CC = complete cases; BL = back to baseline; g = guided, sh = self-help.
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
Treatment response for both groups and scenarios. Note. BL = Back to baseline value; CC = complete cases; wks = weeks.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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