Improving Outcomes for Emergency Department Patients With Alcohol Problems (Project GOAL)

VA Office of Research and Development

Status: Completed

Conditions: Drinking, Alcohol

Treatments: Behavioral: Brief Advice; Behavioral: Alcohol Peer Mentor Intervention

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other U.S. Federal agency

Identifiers

NCT03536546

IIR 16-235

Details and patient eligibility

About

The investigators will conduct a study to examine the impact of an alcohol peer-mentor intervention starting in the emergency department (ED) combined with 6 peer booster sessions to reduce hazardous drinking and facilitate primary/specialty care use compared to enhanced usual care. Approximately 450 Veterans with hazardous drinking behaviors will be randomized to one of these two conditions. Follow-up assessments will occur at 3-, 6-, and 12-month post-randomization.

Full description

The objective of the study is to conduct a randomized controlled trial to determine the efficacy of an alcohol peer-mentor intervention starting in the ED, combined with a continuing 6-session program of post-ED strengths-based peer mentorship to facilitate reduction in hazardous drinking, and linkage and engagement in primary and/or specialty alcohol treatment services and mental health care, if needed. Project Methods: The study will screen Veterans Affairs (VA) ED patients for hazardous drinking. Those screening positive and who enroll in the study will be randomized to one of two conditions: 1) Alcohol Peer-Mentor (APM) intervention (n=225), or 2) Brief Advice (BA) comparison condition (n=225). Stratified random assignment to conditions will be by sex and presence of AUD (yes/no) defined as a score of 14 for men and 10 for women on the AUDIT. Randomization will proceed in blocks of 10. All participants will also receive written community resource information. Participants randomized to the APM condition will receive peer support to reduce hazardous drinking, and those who meet alcohol use disorder criteria will be coached by the peer and will assist in a warm handoff linkage to addiction treatment.

Enrollment: 206 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 18+ years old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

Screening:

• Presenting for care in the Ann Arbor Veterans Health Administration (VHA) ED
• Medically stable
• Able to provide informed consent

Enrollment:

• Have an AUDIT-C score of 4 or more for men and 3 or more for women in the prior 3 months, indicating that they meet criteria for hazardous use (NIAAA 2005; World Health Organization)
• Have a telephone and/or the ability to provide information about individuals who can help contact the participant

Exclusion criteria

Screening:

• Do not understand English
• Patients in or having received substance abuse treatment in the past 3-months, per medical record
• Patients in or having received peer services in the past 3-months, per medical record
• Pregnant women
• Patients deemed unable to provide informed consent
• Profound psychotic symptoms and/or cognitive deficits that would prevent patients from understanding the content of the intervention and/or assessments

Enrollment:

• Patients currently active in or having received alcohol or other substance abuse treatment in the past 3-months, per self-report screening.
• Patients currently active in or having received peer services in the past 3-months, per self-report screening.

Trial design

Primary purpose: Treatment

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: None (Open label)

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206 participants in 2 patient groups

Alcohol Peer-Mentor Intervention

Experimental group

Description:

A Veteran Peer research assistant will have contact with a study participant once in person in the emergency department at enrollment, and up to 6 times after enrollment over the course of 2 months. Participants will receive brief advice from a peer. Brief advice content will be based on strengths-based discussions with participants regarding their drinking and personal goals and preferences. Participants will also receive a resource pamphlet on alcohol and other health issues. Follow-up contact will be made by phone. The content of the follow-up peer intervention will be based on the manual developed by the study team to address strengths-based intervention topics.

Treatment:

Behavioral: Alcohol Peer Mentor Intervention

Brief Advice

Active Comparator group

Description:

Participants will receive brief substance use advice from a non-peer research staff member in the emergency department. Brief advice content will mirror standard care practices currently provided in VHA when a patient endorses hazardous drinking behaviors. Participants will also receive a resource pamphlet on alcohol and other health issues.

Treatment:

Behavioral: Brief Advice