Feasibility of a Smart-phone Based Support System for Hazardous Drinkers

Rationale: Hazardous drinking is an established drinking pattern that carries a risk of harming the drinker's physical and psychological health, and/or having a harmful social effect on the drinker, their families and the community. Interventions to support people who are drinking at hazardous levels are proven to be beneficial and cost-effective at both individual and population levels. However, very few people report having received help to reduce their alcohol consumption, despite support being available. Those who do seek help predominantly talk to their GP first, who then refers them for specialist support. Consequently, there remains a significant gap between the population 'in need' of treatment and those actually engaged in treatment. Mobile-phone based alcohol interventions have the potential to function as a stand-alone intervention to help people address their alcohol problem, and/or act as a conduit to more intensive treatment. 'Step Away' is a smartphone-delivered health intervention designed in the USA to help individuals moderate or abstain completely from drinking alcohol. It is the only alcohol-related mobile app whose development was informed by an empirically-supported intervention grounded in a psychological theory. While the app has shown promise in a North American sample, a well-powered clinical trial of the intervention has yet to be undertaken. In its current form the app is not suitable for adoption in New Zealand as it uses North American drinking norms and safe drinking guidelines, numerous "Americanisms" and the imperial measurement system, and it focuses on US care services. However, a New Zealand version of 'Step Away' could easily be developed, with input from New Zealand stakeholders and end-users.

Aims: To 1) adapt the "Step Away' app for New Zealand, then 2) undertake a feasibility study to determine whether six months access to the app can reduce the frequency of alcohol abuse and increase engagement with substance abuse-related health services in adult, hazardous drinkers in Auckland.

Design: Double-blind, randomised-controlled trial.

Recruitment: Community advertising, including social media.

Sample size: As a feasibility study, no sample size calculation was undertaken. However, 200 people (100 in each arm) will provide sufficient data to ascertain the direction and likely effect size for the various alcohol-related outcomes, the likely recruitment rate, and estimates around participant retention.

Inclusion criteria

• reside in Auckland, New Zealand
• at least 18 years of age
• have access to a smartphone
• report that they currently drink alcohol
• have had at least two episodes of binge drinking (defined as six or more drinks on one occasion) in the past 30 days
• meet the criteria for hazardous drinking (i.e. 8-19 on the AUDIT)
• express motivation to moderate or abstain from drinking.

Exclusion criteria

• Identified during screening as having moderate to severe alcohol dependence (≥20 score on the AUDIT)
• Currently enrolled in an alcohol programme
• Another person in the household is already a participant.