A mobile phone intervention to reduce binge drinking among disadvantaged men: study protocol for a randomised...

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Behavioral Science
• Digital Health

Background:

• Socially disadvantaged men face higher risks of alcohol-related problems.
• Heavy single-session drinking is prevalent among these men.
• Traditional health interventions reach this group infrequently, necessitating alternative delivery methods.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the effectiveness of text message interventions in reducing binge drinking frequency among disadvantaged men.
• To explore the cost-effectiveness of text message-based alcohol interventions.
• To identify key intervention components that contribute to effectiveness.

Main Methods:

• Recruitment of 798 disadvantaged men (aged 25-44) with high alcohol consumption from the community via primary care registers and outreach.
• Randomization to an intervention group receiving targeted text messages or a control group receiving neutral messages.
• Primary outcome: proportion of men consuming >8 units on at least three occasions in 30 days; secondary outcomes include total alcohol consumption and heavy drinking frequency.

Main Results:

• The study will assess the effectiveness of a brief intervention delivered via text messages.
• Process measures will identify effective intervention components.
• An economic evaluation will compare intervention costs with benefits.

Conclusions:

• Text message interventions show promise for reducing binge drinking in disadvantaged men.
• Further analysis will determine the cost-effectiveness of this digital health approach.
• This study contributes to understanding scalable interventions for alcohol-related harm.