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Aims To test the efficacy of a therapist-guided high-intensity internet intervention compared with an unguided low-intensity internet intervention among individuals with alcohol use disorder. Design A three-group randomized controlled trial with follow-up assessments post-treatment (12 weeks) and 6 months post-randomization (primary end-point). Settings General population sample in Sweden. Participants A total of 166 on-line self-referred adults (49% males) with a score of 14 (females)/16 (males) or more on the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test, a preceding week alcohol consumption of 11 (females)/14 (males) or more standard drinks and an alcohol use disorder according to a diagnostic interview. Interventions and comparators Both the high- (n = 72) and low-intensity internet interventions (n = 71) consisted of modules based on relapse prevention. Controls were on a waiting-list (n = 23), and were only followed until the post-treatment follow-up. Participants were randomized at a 7 : 7 : 2 ratio. Measurements Primary outcome was self-reported alcohol consumption in the preceding week measured as (1) number of standard drinks and (2) number of heavy drinking days at the 6-month follow-up. Findings Alcohol use disorders were largely in the severe category (74.7%), with the majority of participants having had alcohol problems for more than 5 years. Attrition was 13 and 22% at the post-treatment and 6-month follow-up, respectively. At the 6-month follow-up, an intent-to-treat analysis showed no significant differences in alcohol consumption between the high- and low-intensity interventions [standard drinks d = -0.17, 95% confidence interval (CI) = -0.50 to 0.16; heavy drinking days: d = -0.07, 95% CI = -0.40 to 0.26]. Prevalence of negative effects was somewhat low (8-14%) in both intervention groups, as was deterioration (3-5%). Conclusions At 6-month follow-up, there were no significant differences between a therapist-guided high-intensity internet intervention and an unguided low-intensity internet intervention in reducing alcohol consumption among individuals with an alcohol use disorder.

Objective: The objective of this study is to evaluate current evidence for the effectiveness of distance-based interventions to support smoking cessation (SC) or alcohol moderation (AM) among cancer survivors. Secondary, differences in effectiveness are explored regarding multibehaviour interventions versus single-behaviour interventions targeting SC or AM only. Methods: A systematic search of PubMed, PsycINFO, Web of Science, EMBASE, CINAHL, and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials was conducted. Intervention studies with and without control groups and randomized controlled trials were included. Random effects meta-analyses were conducted for the main outcomes: SC and AM rates at the follow-up closest to 6 months. Using subgroup analyses and meta-regression, effectiveness of single-behaviour versus multibehaviour interventions was evaluated. Results: A total of 17 studies with 3796 participants; nine studies on SC only, eight studies on multibehaviour interventions including an SC or AM module, and no studies on AM only were included. All studies had at least some concerns regarding bias. Distance-based SC interventions led to higher cessation rates than control conditions (10 studies, odds ratio [OR] = 1.56; 95% CI, 1.13-2.15, P =.007). Single-behaviour SC interventions reduced smoking rates compared with baseline (risk difference [RD] = 0.29; 95% CI, 0.19-0.39, P

Aims: The COVID-19 containment strategy in Sweden uses public health recommendations relying on personal responsibility for compliance. Universities were one of few public institutions subject to strict closure, meaning that students had to adapt overnight to online teaching. This study investigates the prevalence of self-reported recommendation compliance and associations with self-reported symptoms of contagion, self-experienced effects on mental health and academic self-efficacy among university students in Sweden in May–June 2020. Methods: This was a cross-sectional 23 question online survey in which data were analysed by multinomial regression, taking a Bayesian analysis approach complemented by null hypothesis testing. Results: A total of 4495 students consented to respond. Recommendation compliance ranged between 70% and 96%. Women and older students reported higher compliance than did men and younger students. Mild to moderate COVID-19 symptoms were reported by 30%, severe symptoms by fewer than 2%; 15% reported being uncertain and half of the participants reported no symptoms. Mental health effects were reported by over 80%, and changes in academic self-efficacy were reported by over 85%; in both these areas negative effects predominated. Self-reported symptoms and uncertainty about contagion were associated with non-compliance, negative mental health effects, and impaired academic self-efficacy. Conclusions: Students generally followed public health recommendations during strict closure of universities, but many reported considerable negative consequences related to mental health and academic self-efficacy. Digital interventions should be developed and evaluated to boost coping skills, build resilience and alleviate student suffering during the pandemic and future similar crises.

Background There is a growing interest in offering therapist-guided internet interventions for alcohol use disorders (AUD) in regular addiction services. Elucidating the therapeutic processes during these interventions may help improve clinical delivery. The aim of this paper was to investigate written messages from client to therapist in a therapist-guided internet intervention for AUD. Methods Data was extracted from the therapist-guided arm (n = 57) of a randomized trial of internet interventions for AUD. Qualitative content analysis was used to identify distinct categories of client behaviors in written messages to therapists. Coding was deductive (applying categories from past literature) as well as inductive (identifying new categories from the data). Subsequently, exploratory correlational and regression analyses were conducted to investigate whether identified client behaviors predicted module completion and drinking outcomes. Also, client questions posed in messages to therapists were categorized separately. Results Eleven distinct behavior categories were identified, of which the two most common were alliance (26.6% of total categorizations) and identifying patterns and problem behaviors (22.8%). Confrontational alliance rupture was the least common category (0.4%). One new behavior category was identified inductively – alcohol-related setback (4.1%). In the exploratory analyses, no categories consistently predicted module completion or drinking outcomes. Client questions were most commonly posed to improve understanding or use of program content or skills. Discussion The behavior categories, although not predictive of module completion or outcomes, may be of use for therapists, treatment developers and health care providers as a tool for understanding therapeutic processes in internet interventions for AUD., Highlights • Interest in internet interventions for alcohol use disorder is growing. • Content analysis was applied to messages from clients to therapists in a therapist-guided intervention. • Eleven distinct behavior categories were identified. • The most common client behavior category was alliance. • Categorizations may be of use for digital health care providers.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to characterize recent alcohol brief intervention (ABI) efficacy and effectiveness trials, summarize outcomes, and show how variability in outcomes and reporting compromises the evidence base.METHOD: A systematic review and narrative synthesis of articles from 10 databases were undertaken (January 2000-November 2017); study selection represented recent, readily available publications. The National Institute of Care Excellence (NICE) Public Health Guideline 24 (Alcohol use disorders: prevention) informed ABI definitions. The review was conducted using Centre for Reviews and Dissemination (CRD) guidance and pre-registered on PROSPERO (CRD42016047185). Seven a priori specified domains were used to classify outcomes: biomarkers, alcohol-related outcomes, economic factors/resource use, health measures, life impact, intervention factors, and psychological/behavioral factors.RESULTS: The search identified 405 trials from 401 eligible papers. In 405 trials, 2,641 separate outcomes were measured in approximately 1,560 different ways. The most common outcomes used were the number of drinks consumed in a week and frequency of heavy episodic drinking. Biomarkers were least frequently used. The most common primary outcome was weekly drinks. By trial type, the most frequent outcome in efficacy and effectiveness trials was frequency of heavy drinking.CONCLUSIONS: Consumption outcomes predominated; however, no single outcome was found in all trials. This comprehensive outcome map and methodological detail on ABI effectiveness and efficacy trials can aid decision making in future trials. There was a diversity of instruments, time points, and outcome descriptions in methods and results sections. Compliance with reporting guidance would support data synthesis and improve trial quality. This review establishes the need for a core outcome set (COS)/minimum data standard and supports the Outcome Reporting in Brief Interventions: Alcohol initiative (ORBITAL) to improve standards in the ABI field through a COS for effectiveness and efficacy randomized trials.

There is great potential for scaling up the delivery of brief interventions for alcohol and illicit drug use, given the increasing coverage of mobile devices and technologies for digital interventions, including apps for smartphones and tablets. However, while the number of digital interventions is increasing rapidly, the involvement of brief-intervention researchers and the development of good practices has just begun. In 2018, the Special Interest Group on digital interventions of the International Network on Brief Interventions for Alcohol & Other Drugs (e-INEBRIA SIG) initiated a conversation regarding possible avenues of future research, which subsequently became a roadmap for digital interventions. This roadmap consists of points considered relevant for future research, ongoing technological developments, and their implementation across a continuum of prevention and care. Moreover, it outlines starting points for the diversification of brief digital interventions, as well as next steps for quality improvement and implementation in public health and clinical practice. The roadmap of the e-INEBRIA SIG on digital interventions is a starting point that indicates relevant next steps and provides orientation for researchers and interested practitioners with regard to the ambiguous literature and the complexity of current digital interventions. ispartof: JOURNAL OF MEDICAL INTERNET RESEARCH vol:22 issue:8 ispartof: location:Canada status: published

Background and aims Most people with alcohol use disorder (AUD) are never treated. Internet-based interventions are effective in reducing alcohol consumption and could help to overcome some of the barriers to people not seeking or receiving treatment. The aim of the current study was to compare internet-delivered and face-to-face treatment among adult users with AUD. Design Randomized controlled non-inferiority trial with a parallel design, comparing internet-delivered cognitive-behavioural therapy (ICBT) (n = 150) with face-to-face CBT (n = 151), at 3- and 6-month follow-ups. Setting A specialized clinic for people with AUD in Stockholm, Sweden. Participants were recruited between 8 December 2015 and 5 January 2018. Participants A total of 301 patients [mean age 50 years, standard deviation (SD) = 12.3] with AUD, of whom 115 (38%) were female and 186 (62%) were male. Intervention and comparator Participants were randomized in blocks of 20 at a ratio of 1 : 1 to five modules of therapist-guided ICBT or to five modules of face-to-face CBT, delivered over a 3-month period. The same treatment material and the same therapists were used in both groups. Measurements The primary outcome was standard drinks of alcohol consumed during the previous week at 6-month follow-up, analysed according to intention-to-treat. The pre-specified non-inferiority limit was five standard drinks of alcohol and d = 0.32 for secondary outcomes. Results The difference in alcohol consumption between the internet and the face-to-face group was non-inferior in the intention-to-treat analysis of data from the 6-month follow-up [internet = 12.33 and face-to-face = 11.43, difference = 0.89, 95% confidence interval (CI) = -1.10 to 2.88]. The secondary outcome, Alcohol Use Disorder Identification Test score, failed to show non-inferiority of internet compared with face-to-face in the intention-to-treat analysis at 6-month follow-up (internet = 12.26 and face-to-face = 11.57, d = 0.11, 95% CI = -0.11 to 0.34). Conclusions Internet-delivered treatment was non-inferior to face-to-face treatment in reducing alcohol consumption among help-seeking patients with alcohol use disorder but failed to show non-inferiority on some secondary outcomes.

IntroductionAdolescence and young adulthood is a period in life when individuals may be especially vulnerable to harmful substance use. Several critical developmental processes are occurring in the brain, and substance use poses both short-term and long-term risks with regard to mental health and social development. From a public health perspective, it is important to prevent or delay substance use to reduce individual risk and societal costs. Given the scarcity of effective interventions targeting substance use among adolescents and young adults, cost-effective and easily disseminated interventions are warranted. The current study will test the effectiveness of a fully automated digital brief intervention aimed at reducing alcohol and other substance use in adolescents and young adults aged 15 to 25 years.Methods and analysisA two-arm, double-blind, randomised controlled trial design is applied to assess the effectiveness of the intervention. Baseline assessment, as well as 3-month and 6-month follow-up, will be carried out. The aim is to include 800 participants with risky substance use based on the screening tool CRAFFT (Car,Relax, Alone, Forget, Friends, Trouble). Recruitment, informed consent, randomisation, intervention and follow-up will be implemented online. The primary outcome is reduction in alcohol use, measured by Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test total score. Secondary outcomes concern binge drinking, frequency of alcohol consumption, amount of alcohol consumed a typical day when alcohol is consumed, average daily drinks per typical week, other substance use, mental health, sexual risk behaviours and perceived peer pressure. Moreover, the study involves analyses of potential moderators including perfectionism, openness to parents, help-seeking and background variables.Ethics and disseminationThe study was approved by the Swedish Ethical Review Authority (no. 2019–03249). The trial is expected to expand the knowledge on digital preventive interventions for substance using adolescents and young adults. Results will be disseminated in research journals, at conferences and via the media.Trial registration number24 September 2019, ISRCTN91048246; Pre-results.

Background Alcohol use disorder (AUD) is highly prevalent and presents a large treatment gap. Self-help internet interventions are an attractive approach to lowering thresholds for seeking help and disseminating evidence-based programs at scale. Internet interventions for AUD however suffer from high attrition and since continuous outcome measurements are uncommon, little is known about trajectories and processes. The current study investigates whether data from a non-mandatory alcohol consumption diary, common in internet interventions for AUD, approximates drinks reported at follow-up, and whether data from the first half of the intervention predict treatment success. Methods N = 607 participants enrolled in a trial of online self-help for AUD, made an entry in the non-mandatory consumption diary (total of 9117 entries), and completed the follow-up assessment. Using multiple regression and a subset of calendar data overlapping with the follow-up, scaling factors were derived to account for missing entries per participant and week. Generalized estimating equations with an inverse time predictor were then used to calculate point-estimates of drinks per week at follow-up, the confidence intervals of which were compared to that from the measurement at follow-up. Next, calendar data form the first half of the intervention were retained and summary functions used to create 18 predictors for random forest machine learning models, the classification accuracies of which were ultimately estimated using nested cross-validation. Results While the raw calendar data substantially underestimated drinks reported at follow-up, the confidence interval of the trajectory-derived point-estimate from the adjusted data overlapped with the confidence interval of drinks reported at follow-up. Machine learning models achieved prediction accuracies of 64% (predicting non-hazardous drinking) and 48% (predicting AUD severity decrease), in both cases with higher sensitivity than specificity. Conclusions Data from a non-mandatory alcohol consumption diary, adjusted for missing entries, approximates follow-up data at a group level, suggesting that such data can be used to reveal trajectories and processes during treatment and possibly be used to impute missing follow-up data. At an individual level, however, calendar data from the first half of the intervention did not have high predictive accuracy, presumable due to a high rate of missing data and unclear missing mechanisms.

Introduction: The interest in non-pharmacological interventions for insomnia disorder has increased. The aim was to assess the immediate treatment effects of auricular acupuncture (AA) and cognitiv ...

OBJECTIVE: Outcomes used in alcohol brief intervention trials vary considerably. Achieving consensus about key outcomes can enhance evidence synthesis and improve healthcare guidelines. This international, e-Delphi study sought to prioritize outcomes for alcohol brief intervention trials as part of a larger program of work develop an alcohol brief intervention core outcome set.METHOD: In total, 150 registrants from 19 countries, representing researchers, policymakers, and patients, participated in a two-round e-Delphi study. In Round 1, participants (n = 137) rated 86 outcomes, derived from a review of the literature and a patient and public involvement panel, by importance. In Round 2, participants (n = 114) received feedback on importance ratings for each outcome, and a reminder of their personal rating, before rating the outcomes for importance a second time. Seven additional outcomes suggested in Round 1 were added to the Round 2 questionnaire. We defined consensus a priori as 70% agreement across all stakeholder groups.RESULTS: Seven consumption outcomes met inclusion criteria: typical frequency, typical quantity, frequency of heavy drinking, alcohol-related problems, weekly drinks, at-risk drinking, and combined consumption measures. Others meeting the threshold were alcohol-related injury, quality of life, readiness to change, and intervention fidelity.CONCLUSIONS: This is the first international e-Delphi study to identify and prioritize outcomes for use in alcohol brief intervention trials. The use and reporting of outcomes in future alcohol brief intervention trials should improve evidence synthesis in systematic reviews and meta-analyses. Further work is required to refine these outcomes into a core outcome set that includes guidance for measurement of outcomes.

Background Swedish national guidelines recommend that all health care settings systematically screen patients for alcohol use and illicit substance use. When hazardous use is identified, it should immediately be addressed, preferably through brief interventions (BI). It is well known that the prevalence of alcohol use and illicit substance use among psychiatric patients is high, but it is not known to what extent screening and BI are routinely carried out in such clinics. Methods Two online surveys investigating the use of screening and BI for alcohol and illicit substances were constructed; one for psychiatric outpatient clinic directors and one for staff at these clinics. The main analyses were calculated as simple frequencies. In secondary analyses, we investigated the associations between substance abuse training, type of clinic and screening/BI delivery. For these analyses, the Chi square test was used. Results Most clinic directors reported that they have guidelines to screen for alcohol (93.1%) and illicit substance use (78.9%) at initial assessment. Fifty percent reported having guidelines for delivering BI when identifying hazardous alcohol use (35.9% for hazardous illicit substance use). Among staff, 66.6% reported always screening for alcohol use and 57.8% reported always screening for illicit substance use at initial assessment. Further, 36.7% reported that they usually deliver BI when identifying hazardous alcohol use (35.7% for hazardous illicit substance use). Secondary analyses indicated that staff with substance abuse training were significantly more likely to screen for alcohol use than staff without such training. Further, staff at psychosis clinics were significantly less likely to screen for both alcohol and substance use than staff at both general and specialist psychiatric clinics. Conclusions Most clinic directors reported having clear guidelines for staff to screen for alcohol use and illicit substance use, but fewer staff members than expected indicated that these guidelines were adhered to. Providing training about substance use disorders for staff may increase use of screening for alcohol use, and psychosis clinics may need to improve their screening routines. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s13722-019-0140-x) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Aims: The Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT) is a well-established and widely used screening instrument. It has been shown that AUDIT has good criterion validity in relation to alcohol abuse and dependence according to DSM-IV, but it has not yet been validated following the introduction of the DSM-5 diagnostic system. The aim of this study was to evaluate concurrent validity for the AUDIT in relation to self-reported DSM-5 severity levels for Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD) in a Swedish general population sample. Methods: A postal questionnaire, containing the AUDIT and the 13-item brief DSM-5 AUD diagnostic assessment screener, was sent to a random sample of 1,500 persons drawn from the Swedish population, aged between 17 and 80 years and having a public residence address in Sweden. To evaluate the concurrent validity of AUDIT in relation to DSM-5 severity criteria for AUD, a Receiver Operating Characteristics (ROC) curve analysis was conducted. Results: Area under the curve (AUROC) showed excellent differentiation between AUD or not, mild (.93), moderate (.92) and severe (.99). Higher individual AUDIT scores were associated with more severe levels of AUD according to the DSM-5 screener. The optimal cutoff scores approximate earlier research on the DSM-IV and were identified as 5, 7 and 13 points, respectively, for mild, moderate and severe AUD. Conclusions: Our findings indicate that AUDIT is a valid screener for detecting concurrent AUD at three severity levels in the Swedish general population.

Aims: This study describes changes in alcohol habits in age and gender strata among the Swedish general population during the 21-year period following the Swedish EU membership in 1995.Methods: The Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT) was distributed as a postal questionnaire to randomly selected cross-sectional samples every fourth year, starting in 1997.Results: Six samples were included in this study. A comparison between 2014 and 2018 showed a tendency to decreasing average total AUDIT scores, particularly among men and in the youngest age group (Cohen’s d = 0.28).Conclusion: The results should be understood in the context of declining response rates in this type of survey.

Mobile interventions based on text messages, automated telephone programs (interactive voice response (IVR)), and smartphone apps offer a new approach targeting hazardous alcohol use in university students. This review covers seven recent studies involving college or university students that evaluated intervention efficacy in comparison to controls: four using text messages, one using IVR, and two smartphone apps. Only the study evaluating IVR reported positive results for the primary outcome. Two of the text message studies reported positive results on secondary outcomes, while the other two reported no differences in comparison to control groups. For smartphone apps, one study reported positive results on secondary outcomes, while the other showed no differences in comparison to controls for a web-based app and negative results for a native app. Further development of mobile interventions is needed for this at-risk population, both in terms of intervention content and use of robust research designs.

Background Face-to-face brief interventions for problem drinking are effective, but they have found limited implementation in routine care and the community. Internet-based interventions could overcome this treatment gap. We investigated effectiveness and moderators of treatment outcomes in internet-based interventions for adult problem drinking (iAIs). Methods and findings Systematic searches were performed in medical and psychological databases to 31 December 2016. A one-stage individual patient data meta-analysis (IPDMA) was conducted with a linear mixed model complete-case approach, using baseline and first follow-up data. The primary outcome measure was mean weekly alcohol consumption in standard units (SUs, 10 grams of ethanol). Secondary outcome was treatment response (TR), defined as less than 14/21 SUs for women/men weekly. Putative participant, intervention, and study moderators were included. Robustness was verified in three sensitivity analyses: a two-stage IPDMA, a one-stage IPDMA using multiple imputation, and a missing-not-at-random (MNAR) analysis. We obtained baseline data for 14,198 adult participants (19 randomised controlled trials [RCTs], mean age 40.7 [SD = 13.2], 47.6% women). Their baseline mean weekly alcohol consumption was 38.1 SUs (SD = 26.9). Most were regular problem drinkers (80.1%, SUs 44.7, SD = 26.4) and 19.9% (SUs 11.9, SD = 4.1) were binge-only drinkers. About one third were heavy drinkers, meaning that women/men consumed, respectively, more than 35/50 SUs of alcohol at baseline (34.2%, SUs 65.9, SD = 27.1). Post-intervention data were available for 8,095 participants. Compared with controls, iAI participants showed a greater mean weekly decrease at follow-up of 5.02 SUs (95% CI −7.57 to −2.48, p < 0.001) and a higher rate of TR (odds ratio [OR] 2.20, 95% CI 1.63–2.95, p < 0.001, number needed to treat [NNT] = 4.15, 95% CI 3.06–6.62). Persons above age 55 showed higher TR than their younger counterparts (OR = 1.66, 95% CI 1.21–2.27, p = 0.002). Drinking profiles were not significantly associated with treatment outcomes. Human-supported interventions were superior to fully automated ones on both outcome measures (comparative reduction: −6.78 SUs, 95% CI −12.11 to −1.45, p = 0.013; TR: OR = 2.23, 95% CI 1.22–4.08, p = 0.009). Participants treated in iAIs based on personalised normative feedback (PNF) alone were significantly less likely to sustain low-risk drinking at follow-up than those in iAIs based on integrated therapeutic principles (OR = 0.52, 95% CI 0.29–0.93, p = 0.029). The use of waitlist control in RCTs was associated with significantly better treatment outcomes than the use of other types of control (comparative reduction: −9.27 SUs, 95% CI −13.97 to −4.57, p < 0.001; TR: OR = 3.74, 95% CI 2.13–6.53, p < 0.001). The overall quality of the RCTs was high; a major limitation included high study dropout (43%). Sensitivity analyses confirmed the robustness of our primary analyses. Conclusion To our knowledge, this is the first IPDMA on internet-based interventions that has shown them to be effective in curbing various patterns of adult problem drinking in both community and healthcare settings. Waitlist control may be conducive to inflation of treatment outcomes., In this meta-analysis using individual patient data from 19 randomised controlled trials, Heleen Riper and colleagues investigate which internet-based interventions for decreasing problem drinking work best and how participant and intervention characteristics moderate the effectiveness of these interventions., Author summary Why was this study done? Global estimations continue to show increasing morbidity, mortality, and social harm caused by all types of problem drinking. Face-to-face brief interventions for problem drinking are effective but rarely used. Internet-based interventions could overcome this treatment gap. We investigated effectiveness and moderators of treatment outcomes in internet-based interventions for adult problem drinking. What did the researchers do and find? We conducted a one-stage individual patient data meta-analysis (IPDMA). This is, to our knowledge, the first study to identify moderators at the participant, intervention, and study design levels that are associated with treatment outcomes in internet-based interventions for adult problem drinking. Our IPDMA included 14,198 adults at baseline from 19 randomised controlled trials who exhibited various profiles of problem drinking. We obtained posttreatment data for 8,095 participants. Our results show that internet-based alcohol interventions in both community and healthcare populations are effective in reducing mean weekly alcohol consumption and in achieving adherence to low-risk drinking limits. We did not find differences in impact related to drinking profiles, meaning that people exceeding risk limits to a smaller or a larger degree benefited from the interventions, as did binge-only drinkers. Human-guided interventions showed a stronger impact on treatment outcome than fully automated ones, but waitlist design controls may inflate outcomes. What do these findings mean? The health gains of internet-based alcohol interventions could be substantial, because such programmes can reach high numbers of problem drinkers by virtue of their swift entry procedures and their easy scalability. Future research should seek to identify categories of people for whom such interventions work best, to analyse how the interventions work and to determine what delivery contexts are most favourable. It should explore which patient populations could benefit most from referral to unguided forms and which would be more amenable to guidance by GPs or other professionals.

Background/Aims: Not enough is known about the psychometric properties of screening instruments for problematic alcohol consumption among adolescents. The aim of the current study was to evaluate and compare the performance of the screening instruments: Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT), AUDIT-C, CRAFFT, and the alcohol domain of Alcohol, Smoking and Substance Involvement Screening Test-Youth (ASSIST-Y) among adolescents and to suggest optimal cut-offs indicating problematic use. Methods: Data was collected from a general population sample (n = 1,421) and a treatment-seeking sample (n = 59) using electronic versions of the instruments. Results: The internal consistencies for the instruments were fair (alpha’s AUDIT 0.74, AUDIT-C 0.75, CRAFFT 0.67, ASSIST-Y 0.62), and test-retest reliabilities were good to excellent (intraclass correlation coefficients AUDIT 0.86, AUDIT-C 0.93, CRAFFT 0.77, ASSIST-Y 0.63). The CRAFFT and ASSIST-Y demonstrated reasonable construct validities while factor solutions for AUDIT and AUDIT-C could not be determined. The optimal cut-off score was 2 for both CRAFFT and ASSIST-Y (61 and 73% sensitivities and 79 and 65% specificities, respectively), while sensitivity scores were poor for AUDIT and AUDIT-C. Conclusion: Based on the current sample, ASSIST-Y and the CRAFFT performed better than AUDIT and AUDIT-C. Health-care clinics working with adolescents should carefully consider their choice of screening instruments.

Background: Evidence-based practice for healthy lifestyle promotion in primary health care is supported internationally by national policies and guidelines but implementation in routine primary health care has been slow. Referral to digital interventions could lead to a larger proportion of patients accessing structured interventions for healthy lifestyle promotion, but such referral might have unknown implications for clinicians with patients accessing such interventions. This qualitative study aimed to explore the perceptions of clinicians in primary care on healthy lifestyle promotion with or without digital screening and intervention. Methods: Focus group interviews were conducted at 10 primary care clinics in Sweden with clinicians from different health professions. Transcribed interviews were analyzed using content analysis, with inspiration from a phenomenological-hermeneutic method involving naive understanding, structural analysis and comprehensive understanding. Results: Two major themes captured clinicians perceptions on healthy lifestyle promotion: 1) the need for structured professional practice and 2) deficient professional practice as a hinder for implementation. Sub-themes in theme 1 were striving towards professionalism, which for participants meant working in a standardized fashion, with replicable routines regardless of clinic, as well as being able to monitor statistics on individual patient and group levels; and embracing the future with critical optimism, meaning expecting to develop professionally but also being concerned about the consequences of integrating digital tools into primary care, particularly regarding the importance of personal interaction between patient and provider. For theme 2, sub-themes were being in an unmanageable situation, meaning not being able to do what is perceived as best for the patient due to lack of time and resources; and following ones perception, meaning working from a gut feeling, which for our participants also meant deviating from clinical routines. Conclusions: In efforts to increase evidence-based practice and lighten the burden of clinicians in primary care, decision-and policy-makers planning the introduction of digital tools for healthy lifestyle promotion will need to explicitly define their role as complements to face-to-face encounters. Our overriding hope is that this study will contribute to maintaining meaningfulness in the patient-clinician encounter, when digital tools are added to facilitate patient behavior change of unhealthy lifestyle behaviors. Funding Agencies|Stockholm County Council (PPG project for patient-focused research and development in Primary Care, Psychiatry and Geriatrics) [20140487]; Swedish Research Council [K2012-61X-22132-01-6, K2012-61P-22131-01-6]; Karolinska Institutet; Stockholm County Council

Women from ethnic minority groups, including immigrants and refugees are reported to have low breast cancer (BC) screening rates. Active, culturally-sensitive outreach is vital for increasing participation of these women in BC screening programs. Women at high BC risk and who belong to an ethnic minority group are of special concern. Such women could benefit from ongoing trials aimed at optimizing screening strategies for early BC detection among those at increased BC risk. Considering the marked disparities in BC survival in Europe and its enormous and dynamic ethnic diversity, these issues are extremely timely for Europe. We systematically reviewed the literature concerning European surveillance studies that had imaging in the protocol and that targeted women at high BC risk. The aim of the present review was thereby to assess the likelihood that women at high BC risk from minority ethnic groups were adequately included in these surveillance programs. Twenty-seven research groups in Europe reported on their imaging surveillance programs for women at increased BC risk. The benefit of strategies such as inclusion of magnetic resonance imaging and/or more intensive screening was clearly documented for the participating women at increased BC risk. However, none of the reports indicated that sufficient outreach was performed to ensure that women at increased BC risk from minority ethnic groups were adequately included in these surveillance programs. On the basis of this systematic review, we conclude that the specific screening needs of ethnic minority women at increased BC risk have not yet been met in Europe. Active, culturally-sensitive outreach is needed to identify minority women at increased BC risk and to facilitate their inclusion in on-going surveillance programs. It is anticipated that these efforts would be most effective if coordinated with the development of European-wide, population-based approaches to BC screening.

BACKGROUND: The evidence base to assess the efficacy and effectiveness of alcohol brief interventions (ABI) is weakened by variation in the outcomes measured and by inconsistent reporting. The 'Outcome Reporting in Brief Intervention Trials: Alcohol' (ORBITAL) project aims to develop a core outcome set (COS) and reporting guidance for its use in future trials of ABI in a range of settings.METHODS/DESIGN: An international Special Interest Group was convened through INEBRIA (International Network on Brief Interventions for Alcohol and Other Drugs) to inform the development of a COS for trials of ABI. ORBITAL will incorporate a systematic review to map outcomes used in efficacy and effectiveness trials of ABI and their measurement properties, using the COnsensus-based Standards for the selection of health Measurement INstruments (COSMIN) criteria. This will support a multi-round Delphi study to prioritise outcomes. Delphi panellists will be drawn from a range of settings and stakeholder groups, and the Delphi study will also be used to determine if a single COS is relevant for all settings. A consensus meeting with key stakeholder representation will determine the final COS and associated guidance for its use in trials of ABI.DISCUSSION: ORBITAL will develop a COS for alcohol screening and brief intervention trials, with outcomes stratified into domains and guidance on outcome measurement instruments. The standardisation of ABI outcomes and their measurement will support the ongoing development of ABI studies and a systematic synthesis of emerging research findings. We will track the extent to which the COS delivers on this promise through an exploration of the use of the guidance in the decade following COS publication.

Background A large proportion of individuals with alcohol problems do not seek psychological treatment, but access to such treatment could potentially be increased by delivering it over the Internet. Cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) is widely recognized as one of the psychological treatments for alcohol problems for which evidence is most robust. This study evaluated a new, therapist-guided internet-based CBT program (entitled ePlus) for individuals with alcohol use disorders. Methods Participants in the study (n = 13) were recruited through an alcohol self-help web site (www.alkoholhjalpen.se) and, after initial internet screening, were diagnostically assessed by telephone. Eligible participants were offered access to the therapist-guided 12-week program. The main outcomes were treatment usage data (module completion, treatment satisfaction) as well as glasses of alcohol consumed the preceding week, measured with the self-rated Timeline Followback (TLFB). Participant data were collected at screening (T0), immediately pre-treatment (T1), post-treatment (T2) and 3 months post-treatment (T3). Results Most participants were active throughout the treatment and found it highly acceptable. Significant reductions in alcohol consumption with a large within-group effect size were found at the three-month follow-up. Secondary outcome measures of craving and self-efficacy, as well as depression and quality of life, also showed significant improvements with moderate to large within-group effect sizes. Conclusions Therapist-guided internet-based CBT may be a feasible and effective alternative for people with alcohol use disorders. In view of the high acceptability and the large within-group effect sizes found in this small pilot, a randomized controlled trial investigating treatment efficacy is warranted. Trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT02384278, February 26, 2015). Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12888-017-1355-6) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

PURPOSE: This paper reports expert opinion on e-health intervention characteristics that enable effective communication of characteristics across the diverse field of e-health interventions. The paper presents a visualization tool to support communication of the defining characteristics.METHODS: An initial list of e-health intervention characteristics was developed through an iterative process of item generation and discussion among the 12 authors. The list was distributed to 123 experts in the field, who were emailed an invitation to assess and rank the items. Participants were asked to evaluate these characteristics in three separate ways.RESULTS: A total of 50 responses were received for a response rate of 40.7%. Six respondents who reported having little or no expertise in e-health research were removed from the dataset. Our results suggest that 10 specific intervention characteristics were consistently supported as of central importance by the panel of 44 e-intervention experts. The weight and perceived relevance of individual items differed between experts; oftentimes, this difference is a result of the individual theoretical perspective and/or behavioral target of interest.CONCLUSIONS: The first iteration of the visualization of salient characteristics represents an ambitious effort to develop a tool that will support communication of the defining characteristics for e-health interventions aimed to assist e-health developers and researchers to communicate the key characteristics of their interventions in a standardized manner that facilitates dialog.

Aim: To evaluate risky consumption of alcohol and drugs among Swedish men and women who are employed at ski resorts. Methods: A cross-sectional sample of 611 employees in 48 small and medium-sized enterprises responded to a questionnaire covering alcohol and drug use, social aspects around work and working conditions. Consumption of alcohol and drugs in the study sample was compared to population data. Data were analysed using Mann–Whitney U-tests and logistic regression analyses. Results: Compared to the general population, the study group of ski resort employees had higher scores on the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT) in all age groups except 35+ for men. Regarding the Drug Use Disorders Identification Test (DUDIT) scores, only men in the 18–24 age group had higher scores compared to the general population. The prevalence of risky alcohol and drug use was higher among seasonally employed individuals; 82.9%, compared to 58.0% among other employees for alcohol; 8.3% compared to 2.8% for drugs. The regression analysis indicated that social aspects such as living together with colleagues and having co-workers/friends who are frequently inebriated were the most significant explanatory variables for explaining risk consumption of alcohol ( OR 16.82 and OR 4.33). Risky use of drugs was associated with being younger ( OR 0.15) and male ( OR 0.86), as well as with having co-workers/friends who are frequently inebriated ( OR 4.25). Conclusions: The study showed a high prevalence of risky alcohol consumption among ski resort employees compared to the general population, with higher risky drug consumption found only among younger men. Social aspects such as living with colleagues and having co-workers or friends who are often inebriated, were identified as important explanatory factors. Preventive measures should be introduced, targeting norms and work culture surrounding alcohol and drug use among ski resort employees.

The aim of the study was to objectively examine how sleep patterns were affected in a short- and long-term perspective after auricular acupuncture (AA) and cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBT-i). Sixty participants with insomnia disorders (men/women 9/51; mean age of 60.5 years, (SD 9.4)), were randomized to group treatment with AA or CBT-i. Actigraphy recordings were made at baseline, post-treatment and 6-month follow-up. The CBT-i group reduced their time in bed, their actual sleeping time, their sleep latency and their actual time awake. The AA group slept longer, increased their time in bed and decreased their sleep latency post-treatment. The between-groups results differed in wake-up time, rising, time in bed, actual sleep time and actual wake time. The differences were not maintained six months later. In accordance with previous findings the results support the notion that the objective sleep time does not necessarily affect the subjective perception of insomnia.

Objective The purpose of this article is to explore learners’ perceptions of using virtual patients in a behavioral medicine Massive Open Online Course (MOOCs) and thereby describe innovative ways of disseminating knowledge in health-related areas. Methods A 5-week MOOC on behavioral medicine was hosted on the edX platform. The authors developed two branched virtual patients consisting of video recordings of a live standardized patient, with multiple clinical decision points and narration unfolding depending on learners’ choices. Students interacted with the virtual patients to treat stress and sleep problems. Answers to the exit survey and participant comments from the discussion forum were analyzed qualitatively and quantitatively. Results In total, 19,236 participants enrolled in the MOOC, out of which 740 received the final certificate. The virtual patients were completed by 2317 and 1640 participants respectively. Among survey respondents (n = 442), 83.1% agreed that the virtual patient exercise was helpful. The qualitative analysis resulted in themes covering what it was like to work with the virtual patient, with subthemes on learner-centered education, emotions/eustress, game comparisons, what the participants learned, what surprised them, how confident participants felt about applying interventions in practice, suggestions for improvement, and previous experiences of virtual patients. Conclusions Students were enthusiastic about interacting with the virtual patients as a means to apply new knowledge about behavioral medicine interventions. The most common suggestion was to incorporate more interactive cases with various levels of complexity. Further research should include patient outcomes and focus on interprofessional aspects of learning with virtual patients in a MOOC.

Sinadinovic, K., Wennberg, P., & Berman, A. (2014). Short-term changes in substance use among problematic alcohol and drug users from a general population sample. The International Journal Of Alcohol And Drug Research, 3 (4), 277-287. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.7895/ijadr.v3i4.186 Aims: To investigate 12-month changes among individuals with baseline problematic use of alcohol or illicit drugs, by gender, age, initial level of substance use, and administration method (Internet or Interactive Voice Response, IVR). Design: 1,861 individuals from a random population sample were screened for problematic alcohol and illicit drug use. Individuals screening positive were followed up after 12 months. Setting: The Swedish general population. Participants: 423 individuals with baseline problematic alcohol (women: AUDIT ≥ 6, men: AUDIT ≥ 8) or drug use (both genders: DUDIT ≥ 1). Measures: AUDIT, DUDIT, AUDIT-C and DUDIT-C scores. Findings: AUDIT scores decreased from 10.43 to 8.62; among 239 participants with baseline problematic alcohol use, 34.3% no longer had problematic use at follow-up. Total DUDIT scores decreased from 4.92 to 2.33; among 51 participants with baseline problematic drug use, 60.8% reported no illicit drug use at follow-up. AUDIT and DUDIT scores decreased more for individuals who at baseline had harmful problematic use, compared to those who had hazardous baseline use. Within-group effect sizes for AUDIT and DUDIT scores varied between 0.29 and 0.69 (Cohen’s d ). Conclusions: Data on short-term change in problematic substance use in a random general population sample could constitute a reference point for comparisons for uncontrolled treatment studies.

Background/Aims: Most problematic alcohol users never seek professional help to reduce their use, and Web-based interventions might fulfill users' unmet needs for professional support. Methods: This randomized controlled trial compared two open Web-based interventions, one extended self-help program and one brief screening and feedback intervention, with an assessment-only control group. Participants were 633 Internet help seekers with at least hazardous alcohol use (Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test, AUDIT ≥6 for women and ≥8 for men). Results: All groups reduced their alcohol use at 3-month follow-up (p < 0.001), remaining stable at the 6- and 12-month follow-ups (n.s.) according to AUDIT-C and AUDIT scores (intention-to-treat, ITT, analysis). Per protocol (PP) analysis, including only participants who accessed the interventions and also reported accessing additional outside interventions during the trial, showed that about 75% of extended self-help participants moved from probable dependence, harmful or hazardous use to lower alcohol use levels at 3- and 6- and 12-month follow-ups, compared to about 40-60% of brief intervention users and controls who accessed extra help (p < 0.05). Conclusion: ITT analysis suggested parity over time for all interventions, including assessment only, in reducing problematic alcohol use. In contrast, PP analysis suggested that cognitive-behavioral extended self-help in combination with other interventions was more effective in changing alcohol use than brief intervention or assessment only.

Overconsumption of alcohol, from hazardous to excessive, heavy, and harmful levels, is common among university students. Consenting Swedish students were assigned to one of two smartphone apps offering feedback on estimated blood alcohol concentration (eBAC; Promillekoll/PartyPlanner) or assessment only (n = 2166; 1:1:1 ratio). App participants with excessive drinking according to public health criteria (>9/>14 drinks/week for women/men, respectively) at a 7 week follow-up were additionally assigned to the skills-based TeleCoach app or waitlist (n = 186; 1:1 ratio). All participants were followed at 14 and 20 weeks. At 7 weeks, Promillekoll users showed higher risk of excessive drinking (odds ratio (OR) = 1.83; p ≤ 0.01; n = 1558). Students in eBAC app groups with only hazardous use showed fewer binge drinking occasions at 14 weeks and lower eBAC levels up to 20 weeks compared to controls (n = 1157). Also, more highly motivated participants at baseline in both eBAC app groups drank less compared to controls at 7 and 20 weeks. Hidden Markov model analysis revealed a frequent-heavy drinking group (n = 146; 4.6 days/week, SD = 1.4), where those with access to TeleCoach had fewer drinking days compared to assessment-only controls (p < 0.001). eBAC apps showed positive effects up to 20 weeks, particularly for motivated students, and a skills-based app can reduce consumption for those with frequent-heavy drinking patterns.

High rates of substance use disorders (SUD) among psychiatric patients are well documented. This study explores the usefulness of the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT) and the Drug Use Disorders Identification Test (DUDIT) in identifying SUD in emergency psychiatric patients. Of 287 patients admitted consecutively, 256 participants (89%) were included, and 61-64% completed the questionnaires and the Mini-International Neuropsychiatric Interview (MINI), used as the reference standard. Both AUDIT and DUDIT were valid (area under the curve above 0.92) and reliable (Cronbach's alpha above 0.89) in psychotic and nonpsychotic men and women. The suitable cutoff scores for AUDIT were higher among the psychotic than nonpsychotic patients, with 12 versus 10 in men and 8 versus 5 in women. The suitable cutoff scores for DUDIT were 1 in both psychotic and nonpsychotic women, and 5 versus 1 in psychotic and nonpsychotic men, respectively. This study shows that AUDIT and DUDIT may provide precise information about emergency psychiatric patients' problematic alcohol and drug use.

Although international research is increasing in volume and importance, there remains a dearth of knowledge on similarities and differences in “national human research ethics” (NHREs), that is, national ethical guidelines (NEGs), Institutional Review Boards (IRBs), and research stakeholder’ ethical attitudes and behaviors (EABs). We begin to address this situation by reporting upon our experiences in conducting a multinational study into the mental health of children who had a parent/carer in prison. The study was conducted in 4 countries: Germany, Great Britain, Romania, and Sweden. Data on NHREs were gathered via a questionnaire survey, two ethics-related seminars, and ongoing contact between members of the research consortium. There was correspondence but even more so divergence between countries in the availability of NEGs and IRBs and in researcher’ EABs. Differences in NHREs have implications particularly in terms of harmonization but also for ethical philosophy and practice and for research integrity.

CITATION: Watson, R., et al. 2016. Proceedings of the 13th annual conference of INEBRIA. Addiction Science & Clinical Practice, 11:13, doi:10.1186/s13722-016-0062-9.

Objective. The most effective nonpharmacological treatment for insomnia disorder is cognitive behavioural therapy-insomnia (CBT-i). However CBT-i may not suit everyone. Auricular acupuncture (AA) is a complementary treatment. Studies show that it may alleviate insomnia symptoms. The aim of this randomised controlled study was to compare treatment effects of AA with CBT-i and evaluate symptoms of insomnia severity, anxiety, and depression.Method. Fifty-nine participants, mean age 60.5 years (SD 9.4), with insomnia disorder were randomised to group treatment with AA or CBT-i. Self-report questionnaires, the Insomnia Severity Index (ISI), Dysfunctional Beliefs and Attitudes about Sleep scale (DBAS-16), Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS), and Hospital Anxiety and Depression scale (HAD), were collected at baseline, after treatment, and at 6-month follow-up. A series of linear mixed models were performed to examine treatment effect over time between and within the groups.Results. Significant between-group improvements were seen in favour of CBT-i in ISI after treatment and at the 6-month follow-up and in DBAS-16 after treatment. Both groups showed significant within-group postintervention improvements in ISI, and these changes were maintained six months later. The CBT-i group also showed a significant reduction in DBAS-16 after treatment and six months later.Conclusions. Compared to CBT-i, AA, as offered in this study, cannot be considered an effective stand-alone treatment for insomnia disorder. The trial is registered with ClinicalTrials.govNCT01765959.

Over the last decades interest in using auricular acupuncture for substance dependence care has increased. The specific auricular acupuncture protocol used follows the National Acupuncture Detoxifi ...

Low breast cancer screening rates are often found among ethnic minority groups and those born outside the host country. This is of particular concern for high-risk groups, who should benefit from ongoing trials aimed at optimizing screening strategies for breast, as well as ovarian cancer. Both of these issues are germane for Jewish women in Europe. We systematically review the literature concerning breast cancer early detection practices (BCEDP) among Jewish women, and examine European surveillance studies of high-risk for breast and/or ovarian cancer that had imaging in the surveillance protocol, in order to assess the likelihood of adequately including women from minority ethnic groups. No studies were found about BCEDP among Jewish women in Europe. Twenty-one research groups from Israel or the US addressed BCEDP among Jewish women. Some Jewish women in the US and Israel, including recent immigrants, are under-screened. Twenty-four research groups reported imaging surveillance of women at increased risk for breast and/or ovarian cancer in Europe. There was a clear benefit to magnetic resonance imaging and/or more intensive screening for women with increased breast cancer risk. Some of these surveillance studies considered ethnic minority groups at high risk, including Jewish women, but none provided adequate outreach to ensure that these groups were included in their programs. The specific screening needs of Jewish and other high-risk ethnic minority groups in Europe have not been met regarding breast and ovarian cancer. A European-wide, population-based approach is suggested, with cultural sensitivity being vital for these efforts.

Individual and treatment‐related factors associated with early self‐discharge were studied among illicit opiate users consecutively admitted for hospital detoxification (ITT = 68, n = 45). Only 20% of the drop‐outs had a detailed treatment plan, 20% participated in their own treatment planning, and none were enrolled in a methadone/buprenorphine programme at admission (compared with 60, 80, and 66%, respectively, of those retained in treatment). Having a treatment plan at intake improved the odds for planned discharge by 13 and perceiving fewer positive aspects of drug use increased the odds for drop‐out by 12.6. A configural frequency analysis (CFA) showed one significant type: patients with sketchy or no treatment planning at intake, no maintenance treatment, and a low score on positive aspects of drug use were 7.5 times more likely to drop out than expected. Lacking a close maternal relationship characterized patients in this type (83% compared with 31% of non‐types). Drop‐outs seem to have insecure at...

This study aimed to describe changes in Swedish alcohol habits during a period of "harmonization" with European Union alcohol policy. Three random samples collected during the years 1997 (n=997), 2001 (n=893) and 2005 (n=914) were compared. Alcohol habits and hazardous consumption was measured with the AUDIT (Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test) distributed to the respondents by post. Results were somewhat diverse, but significant changes in alcohol habits occurred among two subgroups of the population: for women and the age group between 28 and 60 years, AUDIT scores peaked in 2001. The results are discussed in relation to the changes made in Swedish alcohol policy during the investigation period.

BackgroundMassive open online courses (MOOCs) have been criticized for focusing on presentation of short video clip lectures and asking theoretical multiple-choice questions. A potential way of vitalizing these educational activities in the health sciences is to introduce virtual patients. Experiences from such extensions in MOOCs have not previously been reported in the literature. ObjectiveThis study analyzes technical challenges and solutions for offering virtual patients in health-related MOOCs and describes patterns of virtual patient use in one such course. Our aims are to reduce the technical uncertainty related to these extensions, point to aspects that could be optimized for a better learner experience, and raise prospective research questions by describing indicators of virtual patient use on a massive scale. MethodsThe Behavioral Medicine MOOC was offered by Karolinska Institutet, a medical university, on the EdX platform in the autumn of 2014. Course content was enhanced by two virtual patient scenarios presented in the OpenLabyrinth system and hosted on the VPH-Share cloud infrastructure. We analyzed web server and session logs and a participant satisfaction survey. Navigation pathways were summarized using a visual analytics tool developed for the purpose of this study. ResultsThe number of course enrollments reached 19,236. At the official closing date, 2317 participants (12.1% of total enrollment) had declared completing the first virtual patient assignment and 1640 (8.5%) participants confirmed completion of the second virtual patient assignment. Peak activity involved 359 user sessions per day. The OpenLabyrinth system, deployed on four virtual servers, coped well with the workload. Participant survey respondents (n=479) regarded the activity as a helpful exercise in the course (83.1%). Technical challenges reported involved poor or restricted access to videos in certain areas of the world and occasional problems with lost sessions. The visual analyses of user pathways display the parts of virtual patient scenarios that elicited less interest and may have been perceived as nonchallenging options. Analyzing the user navigation pathways allowed us to detect indications of both surface and deep approaches to the content material among the MOOC participants. ConclusionsThis study reported on first inclusion of virtual patients in a MOOC. It adds to the body of knowledge by demonstrating how a biomedical cloud provider service can ensure technical capacity and flexible design of a virtual patient platform on a massive scale. The study also presents a new way of analyzing the use of branched virtual patients by visualization of user navigation pathways. Suggestions are offered on improvements to the design of virtual patients in MOOCs.

BACKGROUND: About 50% of university students overconsume alcohol, and drinking habits in later adulthood are to some extent established during higher educational studies. Several studies have demonstrated that Internet-based interventions have positive effects on drinking habits among university students. Our recent study evaluated two mobile phone apps targeting drinking choices at party occasions via personalized feedback on estimated blood alcohol concentration (eBAC) for students with hazardous drinking. No changes in drinking parameters were found over a seven-week period apart from an increase in number of drinking occasions among men for one of the apps tested. Up to 30% of the study participants drank at potentially harmful levels: higher than the national recommended number of standard drinks per week (a maximum of 9 for women and 14 for men) in Sweden. OBJECTIVE: (1) To evaluate improved versions of the two mobile phone apps tested in our prior trial, in a new, 3-armed randomized controlled trial among university students with at least hazardous drinking habits according to the Alcohol Use Disorders Identifications Test (AUDIT; Study 1). (2) After 6 weeks, to target study participants showing alcohol consumption higher than the national recommended levels for standard drinks per week by offering them participation in a second, 2-armed randomized trial evaluating an additional mobile phone app with skill enhancement tasks (Study 2). (3) To follow participants at 6, 12 and 18 weeks after recruitment to Study 1 and at 6 and 12 weeks after recruitment to Study 2. METHODS: Two randomized controlled trials are conducted. Study 1: Students are recruited at four Swedish universities, via direct e-mail and advertisements on Facebook and student union web sites. Those who provide informed consent, have a mobile phone, and show at least hazardous alcohol consumption according to the AUDIT (≥6 for women; ≥8 points for men) are randomized into three groups. Group 1 has access to the Swedish government alcohol monopoly's app, Promillekoll, offering real-time estimated eBAC calculation; Group 2 has access to a Web-based app, PartyPlanner, developed by the research group, offering real-time eBAC calculation with planning and follow-up functions; and Group 3 participants are controls. Follow-up is conducted at 6, 12 and 18 weeks. Study 2. Participants who at the first 6-week follow-up show drinking levels higher than 9 (W) or 14 (M) standard drinks (12 g alcohol) per week, are offered participation in Study 2. Those who consent are randomized to either access to a skills training app, TeleCoach or to a wait-list control group. RESULTS: Latent Markov models for Study 1 and mixed models analyses for Study 2 will be performed. Study 2 data will be analyzed for publication during the spring of 2016; Study 1 data will be analyzed for publication during the fall of 2016. CONCLUSIONS: If mobile phone interventions for reducing hazardous alcohol use are found to be effective, the prospects for positively influencing substance use-related health among university students can considerably improve. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov http://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02064998 (Archived by WebCite at http://www.webcitation.org/6dy0AlVRP). Language: en

Substance abuse is related to offending and substance abuse treatment has been associated with reductions in criminal behavior. This cohort study aimed to explore the relationship between participation in substance abuse interventions and general criminal recidivism among offenders with a combination of mental health problems and substance use problems. In total, 150 Swedish offenders with self-reported mental health and substance use problems were followed for approximately three years with regard to participation in substance abuse interventions and criminal recidivism. Participants with at least three planned visits to specialized outpatient substance abuse clinics had a substantially reduced risk of reoffending as compared to those with fewer than three such visits (HR = 0.47, 95% CI 0.29–0.77). For those with at least three planned visits, general criminal recidivism was reduced by 75% during periods of participation in outpatient visits, as compared to periods of non-participation (HR = 0.25, 95% CI 0.11–0.60). For offenders with mental health problems and substance use problems, outpatient substance abuse interventions could be regarded as important from a clinical risk management perspective, and be encouraged. © 2015 Durbeej et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.

This study tested the viability of auricular acupuncture in prisons for alleviating inmates' symptoms of psychological and physical discomfort and reducing their drug use. The experimental NADA-Acudetox protocol was compared with a non-specific helix control protocol in a randomized trial. Over a period of 18 months, a 4-week, 14-session auricular acupuncture treatment program was offered in two prisons to 163 men and women with self-reported drug use. Among treatment completers, no differences by method were found in self-reported symptoms of discomfort. Drug use occurred in the NADA group but not in the helix group. In contrast, confidence in the NADA treatment increased over time while it decreased for the helix treatment. No significant negative side effects were observed for either method. Participants in both groups reported reduced symptoms of discomfort and improved nighttime sleep. Future research should compare auricular acupuncture to a non-invasive control in order to attempt to disentangle active effects from placebo.

Changes in substance use should lead to subsequent improvements in health, but this topic is infrequently studied empirically. In this study, health effects were analyzed for a total of 835 Internet help-seekers who participated in one of two randomized controlled trials (RCTs) to reduce either alcohol or drug use following online assessment and brief intervention. Health effects over 12 months for participants who reduced their use to a clinically less problematic category were compared to health status for participants who maintained their use or increased it. Participants’ alcohol use was measured with the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT) and drug use was measured with the Drug Use Disorders identification Test (DUDIT). A battery of previously validated questions assessed experienced levels of general health. Health effects were analyzed using a repeated measures general linear model. The 633 participants with only problematic alcohol use (alcohol RCT), 55% women and 45% men, showed initial AUDIT scores suggesting alcohol dependence. The 202 problematic drug users (drug RCT), 45% women and 55% men, had initial AUDIT scores suggesting alcohol dependence and DUDIT scores suggesting harmful use of drugs. Participants from both trials showed low health outcome measures at baseline, with drug RCT participants generally lower in health compared to alcohol RCT participants. At the 12-month follow-up, about 35% of participants in both RCTs had reduced their substance use. In comparison to participants with unchanged or increase substance use, those with reduced alcohol use over 12 months reported positive health outcomes in wellbeing, sleep, concentration, energy, social life, sadness and current life meaning; those with reduced drug use reported better sleep, concentration and less sadness. Results were limited by significant attrition, typical to internet-based treatment studies. Our future studies will highlight both treatment- and health-related outcomes.

About 25% of psychiatric patients are known to have problematic substance use. The National Board of Health and Welfare in Sweden recommends that treatment providers of psychiatric care systematically identify patients with problematic substance use, and provide Brief Intervention (BI) for them. It is not known to what extent these recommendations are followed. Two surveys were designed, one for directors of outpatient psychiatric clinics, the second for clinical staff at these clinics. The survey to clinic directors focused on guidelines at the clinic for identifying substance use during the assessment phase, and for offering BI to patients with problematic substance use. The survey to staff focused on identification of problematic substance use during the assessment phase and personal experiences in identifying such use as well as offering BI. The response rate for clinic directors was 60% (n=137). Most clinics had guidelines for always asking patients about substance use in the assessment phase (92% for alcohol; 80% for drugs). Guidelines existed for offering BI for hazardous alcohol use at 49%; for hazardous drug use at 42%. The response rate for staff in participating clinics was 40% (n=481), 66% stated that they always ask about alcohol use during the assessment phase. Corresponding figure for drug use was 58%. 36% reported using BI for hazardous alcohol and drug use. Guidelines for identifying problematic substance use had been formulated at almost all outpatient psychiatric clinics, but among staff, only two out of three reported applying them. Guidelines for using BI had been formulated at less than half of the clinics. Actual BI provision by staff to patients was even more rare. During 2013-14, directors and staff participating in this survey will be involved in design and implementation of e-interventions (internet self-help sites, IVR, mobile applications) for problematic substance use.

The Drug Use Disorders Identification Test (DUDIT) was developed for problematic substance use screening, and for a more detailed assessment of problematic use, the Drug Use Disorders Identification Test-Extended (DUDIT-E) was additionally developed.Examining the psychometric properties of DUDIT and DUIT-E across diverse settings in populations of young drug users.We examined the psychometric characteristics of these instruments across various settings in populations of young substance users differing in substance use severity and treatment status. Data were collected from three clinically relevant groups (n = 259) as well as a control sample of college students (n = 109).Reliability analyses indicated good internal consistency for both instruments; high intraclass correlations further indicated good test-retest reliability. Differences among study groups were significant on the DUDIT scale and all DUDIT-E subscales (p0.01), with the target groups exhibiting higher scores compared to controls. A two-factor solution was identified for the factor structure of DUDIT.The Hungarian version of DUDIT and DUDIT-E can effectively identify substance use problems among young users.

Background The Internet has increasingly been studied as mode of delivery for interventions targeting problematic alcohol use. Most interventions have been fully automated, but some research suggests that adding counselor guidance may improve alcohol consumption outcomes. Methods An eight-module Internet-based self-help program based on cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) was tested among Internet help-seekers. Eighty participants with problematic alcohol use according to the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT; scores of ≥ 6 for women and ≥ 8 for men) were recruited online from an open access website and randomized into three different groups. All groups were offered the same self-help program, but participants in two of the three groups received Internet-based counselor guidance in addition to the self-help program. One of the guidance groups was given a choice between guidance via asynchronous text messages or synchronous text-based chat, while the other guidance group received counselor guidance via asynchronous text messages only. Results In the choice group, 65% (13 of 20 participants) chose guidance via asynchronous text messages. At the 10-week post-treatment follow-up, an intention-to-treat (ITT) analysis showed that participants in the two guidance groups (choice and messages) reported significantly lower past week alcohol consumption compared to the group without guidance; 10.8 (SD = 12.1) versus 22.6 (SD = 18.4); p = 0.001; Cohen’s d = 0.77. Participants in both guidance groups reported significantly lower scores on the AUDIT at follow-up compared to the group without guidance, with a mean score of 14.4 (SD = 5.2) versus 18.2 (SD = 5.9); p = 0.003; Cohen’s d = 0.68. A higher proportion of participants in the guidance groups said that they would recommend the program compared to the group without guidance (81% for choice; 93% for messages versus 47% for self-help). Conclusion Self-help programs for problematic alcohol use can be more effective in reducing alcohol consumption over a 10-week period when counselor guidance is added. Trial Registration Clinicaltrials.gov NCT02384304

Background The aim of this study is to investigate the effects of an Internet-based screening and brief intervention (SBI) site for problematic alcohol and drug use among illicit drug users. Method Individuals searching for information about alcohol or drugs online who scored over 0 on the Drug Use Disorders Identification Test (DUDIT) and were 15 years or older were recruited for this trial and randomized into one group receiving Internet-based screening and brief intervention via eScreen.se (n = 101) or one assessment-only control group (n = 101). Both groups were screened at baseline and followed up at 3 and 6 months. The primary outcome measure was the DUDIT-C score and secondary outcome measures were DUDIT, AUDIT-C (Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test-C) and AUDIT scores. Additional outcomes included the proportion of drug abstainers and those who made a clinically significant change in their alcohol and drug use. Four statistical models of analysis were used to conservatively assess results. Results A significant decrease in DUDIT-C scores at the 3-month follow-up occurred in both groups. Three out of four statistical models showed a larger decrease in the DUDIT score in the intervention group than in the control group (p = 0.006; p = 0.046; p = 0.001). Two models showed a continued decrease in AUDIT-C and AUDIT scores also at the 6-month follow-up in the intervention group but not in the control group. No additional differences occurred. Conclusions The results are inconclusive but provide some evidence that SBI sites such as eScreen.se could be effective for short-term reductions of problematic substance use.

Research on treatment utilization among offenders with mental health problems and substance use problems, i.e. the ‘triply troubled’, is scarce. The aim was to contribute to the general knowledge about treatment patterns among the triply troubled. This register-based study explored treatment patterns during a 3-year follow-up among 157 Swedish offenders with substance use problems who had undergone forensic psychiatric assessment. There were three subgroups of treatment users: low treatment, planned substance abuse treatment and substance abuse emergency room visits, and planned psychiatric treatment. About 40% of the participants displayed a stable treatment pattern. Outcomes were less successful for those participants displaying a non-stable treatment pattern. Allocation of treatment resources should take into account the associations between treatment patterns and recidivism into criminality. Also, it should be valuable for clinicians to gather information on treatment history in order to meet various treatment needs.

Background: The gender gap for violent offending is narrowing in the general population. Substance abuse and mental health problems are known risk factors for criminality. While substance abuse treatment has been associated with reduced risk of re-offending, women seem less likely to engage than men. People misusing substances tend to be high users of emergency room (ER) services. Such use may be an indicator both of treatment failure for substance misuse and offending. Little is known about gender differences in this respect. Aims: This study aims to test for gender differences in re-offending, use of substance abuse treatment, and hospital ER visits among offenders referred for forensic psychiatric assessment in Sweden. Method: The study used a longitudinal retrospective design. Data on all 31 women from a 2-year (2000–2001) cohort of serious offenders referred for forensic psychiatric assessment in Stockholm county, and 31 men from the same cohort, were extracted from forensic service and national records. Selection of the men was by initial random sampling followed by matching on age and substance misuse. The two resulting samples were compared on health service use and re-offending data between release and the census date (30 April 2004). Results: There were no gender differences for violent re-offending or for engagement in planned substance abuse treatment, in spite of longer time at risk for the men. Re-offending was reduced for women but not men who did not present in the ER with physical health problems. Conclusions: Our study is limited by sample size, although it included all women referred to the specialist forensic psychiatric service over 2 years, but it does indicate that differences between men and women in this situation are likely, and worthy of further study. The only way of achieving adequate sample sizes is likely to be through multi-centre collaboration.

Aim: This study aimed to survey the changes in alcohol habits during a period with the European Union legal practices. Methods: Alcohol habits in Sweden were surveyed in the general Swedish population at four timepoints, in 1997, 2001, 2005 and 2009, using the 10-item AUDIT questionnaire. Design: Four separate randomly drawn cross-sectional samples of 1,250 individuals were surveyed at each timepoint. Results: An average of 70% of the sampled individuals responded to the AUDIT questionnaire. Men had higher total AUDIT scores than women in 2005 and 2009, but scores increased among women 61–71 years old and decreased among men 61–71 years old. Younger men and women 17–27 years old decreased their AUDIT-C consumption scores by almost 20% between 2005 and 2009. An analysis of problem drinkers (+8 for men/+6 for women) indicated that a larger proportion of elderly women drank moderately in 2009 compared with 2005, but fewer elderly women drank hazardously. Conclusions: Earlier increases in drinking levels between 1997 and 2001 may reflect a latent high demand that was restricted by low availability. When availability due to European Union harmonization increased, alcohol consumption followed suit. After a period of adaptation, alcohol consumption appears to have stabilized.

The wide accessibility of computer-based technologies like the Internet and Interactive Voice Response (IVR) systems raises the question of whether population survey data could be collected more easily and cheaply compared to using paper questionnaires. In the area of possibly stigmatized behaviors such as problematic alcohol and drug use, the question extends to whether the prevalence of such behaviors in the general population could be surveyed without compromising the quality of the data.This study compares Internet and IVR versions of the AUDIT and DUDIT with respect to: (1) response rate, (2) problematic alcohol and drug use and (3) reliability.5000 individuals, randomly selected from the Swedish general population, were contacted via postal mail and invited to complete the AUDIT and DUDIT questionnaires via Internet or IVR. In total, 1861 (37.8%) participated in the study, 1089 via Internet and 772 via IVR.The Internet administration mode yielded a higher response rate (38.1%) compared to the IVR mode (33.9%). When respondents were given a choice between Internet and IVR, a higher response rate resulted (43.2-46.6%). Problematic alcohol and drug use occurred among 21.1% and 2.8% of the sample, respectively, with no significant differences by administration mode. Both the AUDIT and DUDIT exhibited satisfactory reliability across administration modes, Cronbach's α 0.76/0.86.Data quality does not deteriorate with computerized administration methods for the AUDIT and DUDIT in population studies but paper questionnaires should also be made available to respondents in order to maximize response rates.

A Swedish web-based service (www.escreen.se) offers self-assessment and self-monitoring of alcohol and drug use via on-line screening with the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT) and the Drug Use Disorders Identification Test (DUDIT) as well as in-depth risk assessment using extended versions of both tests (Alcohol-E and DUDIT-E). Users receive individualized feedback concerning their alcohol and drug consumption and can follow their alcohol and drug use over time in personal diagrams and by writing in an electronic diary. This study describes user characteristics, service utilization patterns, and psychometric test properties for 2361 individuals who created a valid account over 20 months starting in February 2007. Problematic alcohol use according to AUDIT criteria was indicated for 67.4%, while 46.0% met DUDIT criteria for problematic drug use. Men and women accessed the service equally, with a mean age of 23 years. Internal consistency reliability figures were 0.90 for 1846 first-time AUDIT users and 0.97 for 1211 first-time DUDIT users; among 213 second-time AUDIT users reliability was 0.93, and 0.96 for 97 second-time DUDIT users. Internet-based alcohol and drug monitoring could function as a self-help tool or as a complement to substance abuse treatment.