Anonymous Treatment on the Internet for Alcohol Dependence: A Randomised, Controlled Trial

Karolinska Institute

Status: Completed

Conditions: Harmful Alcohol Use; Alcohol Abuse; Alcohol Use Disorder; Alcohol Dependence

Treatments: Behavioral: Alkoholhjälpen counselor support; Behavioral: eChange Alkoholhjälpen; Behavioral: Alkoholhjälpen

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT02377726

2014/1758-31-2

Details and patient eligibility

About

Internet based self help program with or without support of a counselor is tested among anonymous Internet help seekers at an open access website.

Full description

A 5 module Internet based self help program based on motivational interviewing and cognitive behavioral therapy is tested among anonymous Internet help seekers.The design is a three armed randomized controlled study, and outcomes are measured in terms of changes in alcohol consumption, problematic alcohol use, alcohol dependence alcohol use disorder, anxiety, as well as depression and quality of life. 2400 participants are recruited entirely online from an open access website. Consenting participants will be randomized into one of three groups: 1.Internet based self help program with counselor support, 2.Internet based self help program without counselor support or 3. Information about the open access websites resources: information on alcohol and health, where you can find treatment and a online discussion forum. Follow-up will be conducted online after 3, 6, 12 and 24 months in all three groups.

Enrollment: 1,170 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 18+ years old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

AUDIT-score >16 points and/or at least 3 criteria of alcohol dependence (ICD-10)

Exclusion criteria

Inadequate Swedish language skills No Internet access

Trial design

Primary purpose: Treatment

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: Double Blind

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1,170 participants in 3 patient groups

Internet self-help with support

Experimental group

Description:

eChange Alkoholhjälpen is an internet based self help program consisting of 5 modules. Patients will have access to Alkoholhjälpen counselor support through secure comments at every module they complete.

Treatment:

Behavioral: Alkoholhjälpen counselor support

Behavioral: eChange Alkoholhjälpen

Internet self-help

Experimental group

Description:

eChange Alkoholhjälpen is an internet based self help program consisting of 5 modules.

Treatment:

Behavioral: eChange Alkoholhjälpen

Information

Active Comparator group

Description:

Brief information on resources that can be accessed through the open access website Alkoholhjälpen: Information on alcohol and health, where and how to find treatment and an internet discussion forum.

Treatment:

Behavioral: Alkoholhjälpen