Development of an SMS-based alcohol intervention program for same sex attracted women using an intervention mapping...

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Digital Health Interventions
• Substance Use Research

Background:

• Same-sex attracted women (SSAW) with problem drinking often avoid seeking support due to a lack of tailored programs.
• Existing alcohol interventions may not adequately address the specific needs and cultural contexts of SSAW.
• This highlights a critical gap in accessible and appropriate mental health services for SSAW.

Purpose of the Study:

• To co-develop a culturally tailored, short message service (SMS) based alcohol intervention program for SSAW.
• To address the underutilization of support services by SSAW experiencing problem drinking.
• To create an accessible and anonymous intervention option.

Main Methods:

• Employed the Intervention Mapping framework for systematic program development.
• Conducted literature reviews and focus group discussions with SSAW.
• Utilized codesign principles to select and refine SMS messages.

Main Results:

• Identified key objectives: reduced alcohol consumption, improved wellbeing, and increased help-seeking.
• Determined crucial change factors: motivation, self-regulatory ability, and social support.
• Developed 'The Step One Program,' a 4-week SMS intervention with 37 tailored messages.

Conclusions:

• 'The Step One Program' is the first published SMS alcohol intervention specifically for SSAW.
• SSAW identified increased anonymity, accessibility, and culturally specific resources as key benefits.
• The program offers a promising, scalable solution for addressing alcohol-related issues in this population.