Project RAP: Reaching Adolescents for Prevention

National Institutes of Health (NIH)

Status and phase: Unknown; Phase 2

Conditions: Alcohol Related Morbidity; Alcohol Dependence

Treatments: Behavioral: Assessment and list of resources; Behavioral: Brief Motivational Intervention; Behavioral: Referral to Community Resources

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: NIH

Identifiers

NCT00183157

NIAAABER13759

NIH 5P60 AA13759

Details and patient eligibility

About

The purpose of the study is to determine if a brief motivational interview in the context of an emergency health care visit will reduce high-risk drinking and drug-taking and associated health consequences among adolescents ages 14-21 years old.

Full description

Many studies have shown that a brief motivational interview in the context of a routine or emergency health care visit may assist adults to reduce high-risk drinking and drug-taking. Center researchers are conducting a 1,400-person, randomized clinical trial involving teen patients at the Boston Medical Center Pediatric Emergency Department in order to determine if a similar approach will be effective with youth. All patients aged 14 to 21 get a brief alcohol and drug screen, and those whose scores indicate they drink or use marijuana are invited to participate in the study. One-third of the enrollees will receive an assessment, a brief motivational interview performed by a trained peer counselor, direct referrals to community-based resources for adolescents, and a 10-day follow-up phone call. One-third will receive only the assessment and a list of community resources; and the final third will receive only the list of resources. All participants will be followed over time and re-screened to measure the impact of the initial brief intervention on their drinking and drug-taking. The key hypothesis is that individuals who receive the brief motivational interview in the emergency department setting will have lower rates of alcohol and illicit drug use and fewer health consequences over time.

Enrollment: 1,400 estimated patients

Sex: All

Ages: 14 to 21 years old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Pediatric emergency department patients
• Aged 14-21
• An Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT) score above selected cut-point for age or with history of alcohol-related consequences

Exclusion criteria

• Not resident in area or able to provide contact information for 12 month follow-up
• Medically unstable
• Not oriented to person, time and place

Trial design

Primary purpose: Prevention

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: None (Open label)

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1,400 participants in 3 patient groups

1

Active Comparator group

Description:

Patients will receive an assessment, a brief motivational interview performed by a trained peer counselor, direct referrals to community-based resources for adolescents, and a 10-day follow-up phone call.

Treatment:

Behavioral: Brief Motivational Intervention

2

Active Comparator group

Description:

Patients will receive an assessment and a list of community resources

Treatment:

Behavioral: Assessment and list of resources

3

Active Comparator group

Description:

Patients will receive only the list of resources.

Treatment:

Behavioral: Referral to Community Resources