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A smartphone-based support system coupled with a bluetooth breathalyzer in the treatment of alcohol dependence: A 12-week randomized controlled trial.
Liu, Shu-Wei; You, Chuang-Wen; Fang, Su-Chen; Chang, Hu-Ming; Huang, Ming-Chyi.
Affiliation
  • Liu SW; Department of Addiction Sciences, Taipei City Psychiatric Center, Taipei City Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan.
  • You CW; Graduate Institute of Art and Technology, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu City, Taiwan.
  • Fang SC; Department of Nursing, Mackay Medical College, New Taipei City, Taiwan.
  • Chang HM; Department of Addiction Sciences, Taipei City Psychiatric Center, Taipei City Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan.
  • Huang MC; Department of Addiction Sciences, Taipei City Psychiatric Center, Taipei City Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan.
Internet Interv ; 33: 100639, 2023 Sep.
Article in En | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-37435041
ABSTRACT

Background:

Our prior open trial showed the feasibility of a smartphone-based support system coupled with a Bluetooth breathalyzer (SoberDiary) in assisting recovery for patients with alcohol dependence (AD). In this 24-week follow-up study, we further explored the efficacy of supplementing SoberDiary to treatment as usual (TAU) over 12 weeks of intervention and whether the efficacy persisted in the post-intervention 12 weeks.

Methods:

51 patients who met the DSM-IV criteria of AD were randomly assigned to the technological intervention group (TI group, receiving technology intervention of SoberDiary plus TAU, n = 25) or those receiving only TAU (TAU group, n = 26). After 12 weeks of intervention (Phase I), all participants were followed for another post-intervention 12 weeks (Phase II). We collected the drinking variables and psychological assessment data every 4 weeks (i.e., weeks 4, 8, 12, 16, 20, and 24). In addition, the cumulative abstinence days and retention rates were recorded. We used mixed-model analysis to compare the difference in outcomes between groups.

Results:

In Phase I or Phase II, we did not find differences in drinking variables, alcohol craving, depression, or anxiety severity between the two groups. However, the TI group showed greater self-efficacy for drinking refusal in Phase II than the TAU group.

Conclusions:

Although our system (SoberDiary) did not demonstrate benefits in drinking or emotional outcomes, we found the system holds promise to enhance self-efficacy on drinking refusal. Whether the benefit in promoting self-efficacy persists longer than 24 weeks requires further investigation.
Key words

Full text: 1 Collection: 01-internacional Database: MEDLINE Type of study: Clinical_trials / Observational_studies / Prognostic_studies Language: En Journal: Internet Interv Year: 2023 Document type: Article Affiliation country: Taiwan Publication country: HOLANDA / HOLLAND / NETHERLANDS / NL / PAISES BAJOS / THE NETHERLANDS

Full text: 1 Collection: 01-internacional Database: MEDLINE Type of study: Clinical_trials / Observational_studies / Prognostic_studies Language: En Journal: Internet Interv Year: 2023 Document type: Article Affiliation country: Taiwan Publication country: HOLANDA / HOLLAND / NETHERLANDS / NL / PAISES BAJOS / THE NETHERLANDS