Effectiveness of a Stand-alone Telephone-Delivered Intervention for Reducing Problem Alcohol Use: A Randomized...

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Clinical Psychology
• Addiction Medicine

Background:

• Alcohol use disorders represent a significant global health burden, yet treatment-seeking rates remain low.
• Telephone-delivered interventions offer a scalable solution to overcome barriers to accessing traditional alcohol use disorder treatments.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the effectiveness of the Ready2Change telephone-delivered intervention for problem alcohol use.
• To assess the intervention's impact on alcohol problem severity over a 3-month period in a general population sample.

Main Methods:

• A double-blind, randomized clinical trial involving 344 Australian adults with elevated Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT) scores.
• Participants were randomized to either a 4-6 session telephone-delivered cognitive and behavioral intervention or an active control group receiving telephone check-ins and pamphlets.
• Primary outcome was change in AUDIT total score; secondary outcomes included drinking patterns measured by the Timeline Followback (TLFB) instrument.

Main Results:

• Both the intervention and active control groups showed significant reductions in AUDIT total scores from baseline to 3 months.
• No significant difference in the primary outcome (AUDIT total score change) was found between the intervention and control groups.
• The intervention group demonstrated a significant reduction in the hazardous use domain of the AUDIT and in overall AUDIT score when at least two sessions were completed.

Conclusions:

• The Ready2Change intervention, as a stand-alone treatment, did not demonstrate superior effectiveness over an active control for overall alcohol problem severity.
• The intervention showed promise in reducing hazardous alcohol use and overall problem severity, particularly with higher engagement (≥2 sessions).
• This scalable, accessible telephone-based model holds potential for broader application in alcohol treatment services.