Postel MG, de Haan HA, ter Huurne ED, Becker ES, de Jong CAJ. Journal of Medical Internet Research. 2010. 12(4). PMCID: PMC3056532
Summary: This randomized control trial evaluated the effectiveness of the Alcohol de Baas intervention for reducing alcohol consumption, changing problem drinking behavior, and improving health status. 156 participants were randomized to receive the intervention or to a wait-list control group. Participants were recruited through the intervention’s website and national television coverage. Participants were over 18 years of age and were problem drinkers who had not received treatment in the past six months, and did not currently have a psychiatric disorder. Participants completed online assessments at baseline and a three-month follow-up that measured type and severity of substance dependence, health status, initial treatment motivation, and quality of life. Participants who did not complete all parts of the intervention or the three-month follow-up were sent a link to a questionnaire to assess reasons for drop-out. Participants who received the intervention significantly reduced their alcohol consumption, improved their health status, and were less likely to be problem drinkers at the three-month follow-up compared to the control group. Participants who completed the intervention had a higher readiness for treatment at baseline than participants who dropped out of the intervention and were more likely to have received treatment prior to the intervention. Fifty-four participants, 42 in the intervention group and 12 in the control group, dropped out of the study. Participants dropped out for unrelated personal reasons, because they were satisfied with the results that they had achieved, or because they were uncomfortable with the intervention.
Take Away: Alcohol de Baas may have short-term effectiveness for reducing alcohol consumption and improving health status in problem drinkers. Results point to increased focus on methods for improving engagement with technology-delivered interventions.
Follow-Up of Previous Study
A 9-month follow-up of a 3-month web-based alcohol treatment program using intensive asynchronous therapeutic support.
Postel MG, ter Huurne ED, de Haan HA, van der Palen J, de Jong CAJ. The American Journal of Drug and Alcohol Abuse. 2015. 41(4): 309-316. doi: 10.3109/00952990.2015.1044606
Summary: This follow-up study contacted participants from the randomized control trial of Alcohol de Baas at three, six, and nine months after the end of the intervention to evaluate long-term changes in alcohol consumption and health status. 144 participants had completed the baseline assessment, researchers included collected data from both the treatment group and the control group, who received the intervention after the treatment group finished the intervention. By nine months, participant retention was 40%. Weekly alcohol consumption initially fell at three months from 39.9 units per week to 11.4, then rose at six (15.1 units) and nine (19.5 units) months. Despite increases in consumption at six and nine months, weekly consumption at these time points was less than baseline. There were also significant improvements in depression, anxiety, and stress scores and general health scores at three months that were maintained at nine months.
Take Away: These results suggest that Alcohol de Baas can have long term effects on alcohol consumption and health status.
