The Efficacy of A Smartphone-based Support System to Reinforce Alcohol Abstinence in Treatment-seeking Patients

March 5, 2015 updated by: Ming-Chyi Huang

Background: Interactive and mobile technology to manage alcohol use problem potentially provide continuing care by offering emotional and instrumental support anywhere and in time, but the effectiveness for maintaining abstinence has not been examined. the investigators will evaluate in this study whether the smartphone-based support system would improve outcomes for people in recovery for alcohol dependence. To enable continuous self-monitoring and self-management, the phone support system prompts subjects to take Breath Alcohol Concentration (BrAC) tests using a phone application and a Bluetooth sensor unit. The system also offers instantaneous feedback, self-management strategies, and anonymous mutual social support from other subjects.

Methods: This three-year project will be conducted in three stages, including pilot study, efficacy evaluation (12 week), and post-intervention follow-up (12 week) stage. Participants will be given a smartphone (if the subject does not have one), breathalyzer and training session. In the pilot study stage,10 subjects will be enrolled to validate the system. In the efficacy evaluation stage, the investigators will conduct a 12-week by enrolling 100 post-detoxification alcohol dependent patients who are randomized to (1) standard treatment (ST) group or (2) standard treatment plus phone-based support group (technology intervention, TI group). Participants will be assessed by Time-Line Follow-Back (TLFB) to record the frequency and quantity of alcohol consumption, visual analogue for craving, Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) and Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI), Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS), and Quality of life Scale (WHOQOL-BREF) and compared for outcome measures. After the 12-week trial, the investigators will take back the support system and follow the all subjects in both groups for another 12 weeks, i.e. post-intervention stage, to further understand the sustaining benefit from intervention. In addition, the investigators will identify the clinical variables or system factors that are associated with outcome measures.

Expected results: In this study, the investigators expect that in treatment-seeking alcohol dependent patients, a smartphone-supported self-management program, adding on to conventional treatment, will be beneficial in improving the drinking outcomes such as a higher abstinence rate, a lower relapse rate, and a lower drinking frequency and quantity.

Study Overview

Status

Unknown

Conditions

Intervention / Treatment

Study Type

Interventional

Enrollment (Anticipated)

100

Phase

  • Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Locations

  • Taiwan
      • Taipei, Taiwan, 110
        • Recruiting
        • Ming-Chyi
        • Contact:
          • Ming-Chyi Huang, M.D., Ph.D
          • Phone Number: 1219 886-2-27263141
          • Email: mch@tpech.gov.tw
        • Contact:
        • Principal Investigator:
          • Ming-Chyi Huang, M.D., Ph.D.
        • Sub-Investigator:
          • Chuan-Wen Yu, Ph.D
        • Sub-Investigator:
          • Hao-Hua Chu, Ph.D

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Ages Eligible for Study

20 years to 65 years (Adult, Older Adult)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Genders Eligible for Study

All

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  1. Age between 20 and 50 years;
  2. Use an Android phone as his/her primary phone, or be willing to use an Android phone provided by National Taiwan University as his/her primary phone during the study;
  3. Fulfilling the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual version IV (DSM-IV) criteria of alcohol dependence assessed by the Structured Clinical Interview;
  4. Complete abstinence for at least 10 days and free of any withdrawal symptoms; and
  5. Drug screening test results negative opiates, amphetamines, and ketamine.

Exclusion Criteria:

  1. A current DSM-IV diagnosis of dependence or abuse on other substances except nicotine or the use of one to two low-potency benzodiazepine tablets for sleep impairment;
  2. A current mental or psychiatric impairment or disease that required psychotropic medication or inpatient treatment on a psychiatric ward;
  3. A history of opioid or psychostimulant abuse;
  4. A history of psychosis, including schizophrenia, bipolar I or bipolar II disorder, and major depressive disorder with psychotic features;
  5. Current use of any antipsychotics;
  6. Homelessness;
  7. Pregnancy, nursing, or refusal to use a reliable method of birth control in women;
  8. Cognitive deficit and not thus being able to comprehend the informed consent and study procedure

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Treatment
  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
  • Masking: None (Open Label)

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm
Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Intervention group
This group of subjects receives mobile support system and conventional treatment
Behavioral: SmartPhone Support System
No Intervention: Control group
This group of patients receive conventional treatment only

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Time to first lapse
Time Frame: 12 weeks
12 weeks
Time to first relapse
Time Frame: 12 weeks
12 weeks
Cumulative abstinence days
Time Frame: 12 weeks
12 weeks
Number of drinks per drinking days
Time Frame: 12 weeks
each visit during the 12 weeks: week 1, 2, 4, 8, 12
12 weeks
VAS craving measurement
Time Frame: 12 weeks
each visit during the 12 weeks: week 1, 2, 4, 8, 12
12 weeks
complete abstinence rate
Time Frame: 12 weeks
12 weeks
Drop-out rate
Time Frame: 12 weeks
each visit during the 12 weeks: week 1, 2, 4, 8, 12
12 weeks

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Ming-Chyi Huang

Investigators

  • Principal Investigator: Ming-Chyi Huang, MD, PhD, Taipei City Psychiatric Center
  • Study Chair: Hao-Hua Chu, PhD, Department of Computer Science and Information Engineering, National Taiwan University
  • Study Director: Chuang-Wen You, PhD, Intel-NTU Connected Context Computing Center, National Taiwan University

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start

September 1, 2013

Primary Completion (Anticipated)

July 1, 2017

Study Completion (Anticipated)

July 1, 2017

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

February 26, 2015

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

March 5, 2015

First Posted (Estimate)

March 11, 2015

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Estimate)

March 11, 2015

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

March 5, 2015

Last Verified

March 1, 2015

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

  • MOST 103-2628-B-532 -001 -MY3

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

Clinical Trials on Alcohol Dependence

Clinical Trials on SmartPhone Support System

Search Similar Trials

Sponsors and Collaborators

Medical Conditions

Drug Interventions

CROs by country

CROs in Singapore

Conditions

Rare Diseases

Drug Interventions

Dietary Supplements

Sponsor/Collaborators

Locations

3
Subscribe