THRIVE (Tertiary Health Research Intervention Via Email)

Description:

The THRIVE program is an online assessment tool that delivers immediate and personalised feedback on drinking behaviour, risks and strategies for reducing consumption, and information on available support services. Personalised feedback is based on a user's responses to a survey that must be completed to progress through the site. Feedback comprises: (1) an Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT) score with an explanation of the associated health risk and information about how to reduce that risk; (2) an estimated blood alcohol concentration for the respondent’s heaviest drinking episode in the previous 4 weeks, with information on the behavioural and physiological outcomes of various blood alcohol concentrations and relative risk of being in a motor vehicle accident; (3) estimates of monetary expenditure per month and year; (4) bar graphs comparing episodic and weekly consumption with that of other students of the same age and sex; and (5) hyperlinks for smoking cessation and help with drinking problems. Three other pages are provided, offering facts about alcohol and tips for reducing the risk of alcohol-related harm as well as providing information about where to find medical help and counselling support.

Service URL:

http://lamp.health.curtin.edu.au/thrive/baselinetest.php

Agency Responsible:

Western Australian Centre for Health Promotion Research, Curtin University.

Details

Format:

Website.

Intervention Type:

Educational (primarily educational material or psychoeducation).

Course Length:

Short (less than 1 module or equivalent). Takes approximately 20 minutes

Support Option:

No support.

Target Audience

Primary Category:

Alcohol.

Target Audiences:

Adult and Young Adult.

Language:

English.

Access

Fee:

Free.

Access:

Open: No registration required.

Contact Details:

thrive@curtin.edu.au

Research evidence

Research Trials:

2

Research RCTs:

2

Outcome Summary:

The efficacy of the THRIVE intervention has been tested by two randomised controlled trials (RCT). Those who screened positive for unhealthy alcohol use were randomised to the intervention group (web-based motivational assessment and personalised feedback) or the control group (no intervention, only screening). In the more recent trial the control group also received educational material about health problems associated with alcohol consumption.

In the first trial after 1 month, the intervention group drank less often, drank smaller quantities per occasion, and drank less alcohol overall compared to the control group. After 6 months, drinking frequency and overall volume of drinking were still significantly lower in the intervention group. The effect of the intervention represented an 11% decrease in drinking volume over 6 months. Subjective participant feedback collected at the 6 month follow-up point found that 99% of participants found THRIVE easy to complete, 76% said it provided personally relevant information and 55% said they would recommend it to a friend with a drinking problem.

In the second trial the intervention resulted in significant decrease in weekly and peak drinking after 1 month compared to controls, remaining significantly decreased at 6 months. Overall drinks consumed per week in the intervention group carrying out the full program decreased by 28% after one month and by 20% after six months. The intervention did not significantly decrease instances of heavy drinking (>5 drinks per session) or alcohol related problems compared to controls. Indirect protective behavioural strategies (e.g., look out for your friends) were found to be more effective than direct strategies (e.g., alternate non-alcoholic beverages with alcoholic ones).

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Research paper citations