Randomized Controlled Trial of eScreen for Problematic Alcohol Use

Objectives: This study compares the efficacy of eScreen and Alkoholhjalpen in a three-armed randomized controlled design, measuring outcomes in terms of changes in problematic alcohol use up to one year after study recruitment. The eScreen brief Internet intervention for problematic alcohol and drug use offers self-screening, in-depth self-reporting, personalized feedback and treatment recommendations as well as an electronic diary. Progress over time is shown in diagrams detailing consumption levels. A more extensive Internet intervention for problematic alcohol use, Alkoholhjalpen,provides CBT- and MI-based psycho-education with a solution-oriented focus, electronic diary and moderated chat-forum.

Method: Participants with problematic alcohol use (AUDIT >7 for men and >5 for women) are randomized into one of three groups: T1, eScreen referral (n=211); T2, Alkoholhjalpen referral (n=211); Control group (n=211). Outcomes on alcohol use as well as health-related symptoms are assessed after 3, 6 and 12 months.

The first hypothesis is that all three groups will reduce their alcohol consumption and alcohol-related problems at follow-ups compared to the baseline level. The second hypothesis is that there will be no differences between participants in the eScreen and the Alkoholhjalpen group in reduction of alcohol consumption and alcohol-related problems at follow-ups. The third hypothesis is that participants in the eScreen and the Alkoholhjalpen group will show a greater reduction in alcohol consumption and alcohol-related problems compared to the control group (no intervention) at follow-ups. For a greater understanding of the study results possible other interventions received by the study participants for their problematic alcohol use during these 12 months of study participation will be investigated.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Problematic AOD Use
• Intervention / Treatment: Behavioral: eScreen; Behavioral: Alkoholhjalpen

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 633
• Phase: Phase 2

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• Sweden
  • Stockholm, Sweden, 17176
    • Karolinska Institutet, department of clinical neuroscience

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 15 years and older (Child, Adult, Older Adult)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Problematic alcohol use. AUDIT>7 for men and AUDIT>5 for women

Exclusion Criteria:

• Drug use DUDIT>0
• Unproblematic alcohol use, AUDIT<8 for men and AUDIT<6 for women

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Treatment
• Allocation: Randomized
• Interventional Model: Factorial Assignment
• Masking: Single

Number of Arms

3

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
No Intervention: Control group
Experimental: Web based self-monitoring	Behavioral: eScreen; The eScreen brief Internet intervention for problematic alcohol and drug use offers self-screening, in-depth self-reporting, personalized feedback and treatment recommendations as well as an electronic diary. Progress over time is shown in diagrams detailing consumption levels.; Other Names: www.escreen.se
Active Comparator: Web based self-help	Behavioral: Alkoholhjalpen; An extensive Internet intervention for problematic alcohol use, Alkoholhjalpen,provides CBT- and MI-based psycho-education with a solution-oriented focus, electronic diary and moderated chat-forum.; Other Names: www.alkoholhjalpen.se

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Change in the total AUDIT-C score	The primary outcome measure for this trial was the change in the total AUDIT score for the first three AUDIT questions, as a measure of alcohol consumption only, referred to as the AUDIT-C.	3, 6 and 12 months

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
AUDIT	Change in total AUDIT score, as a summarized measure of alcohol use (including alcohol consumption and alcohol-related problems).	3, 6 and 12 months

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Karolinska Institutet
• Investigators: Principal Investigator: Anne H Berman, PhD, Karolinska Institutet

Publications and helpful links

General Publications

• Sinadinovic K, Berman AH, Hasson D, Wennberg P. Internet-based assessment and self-monitoring of problematic alcohol and drug use. Addict Behav. 2010 May;35(5):464-70. doi: 10.1016/j.addbeh.2009.12.021. Epub 2010 Jan 4. Erratum In: Addict Behav. 2010 Sep;35(9):853.
• Sinadinovic K, Wennberg P, Berman AH. Population screening of risky alcohol and drug use via Internet and Interactive Voice Response (IVR): a feasibility and psychometric study in a random sample. Drug Alcohol Depend. 2011 Mar 1;114(1):55-60. doi: 10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2010.09.004. Epub 2010 Oct 27.

Helpful Links

• Web based self-monitoring site
• For research group profile search Berman
• Web based self-help site

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start: September 1, 2009
• Primary Completion (Actual): October 1, 2010
• Study Completion (Actual): October 1, 2011

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: October 27, 2011
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: March 5, 2012
• First Posted (Estimated): March 6, 2012

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): March 25, 2025
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: March 14, 2025
• Last Verified: March 1, 2025

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: Screening; Randomized Controlled Trial; Alcohol; Brief intervention; Internet; Personalized feedback
• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Drinking Behavior; Alcohol Drinking
• Other Study ID Numbers: 2008/308-31/5A