Texting to Reduce Alcohol Misuse (TRAM): main findings from a randomized controlled trial of a text message intervention to reduce binge drinking among disadvantaged men

TY - JOUR

T1 - Texting to Reduce Alcohol Misuse (TRAM)

T2 - main findings from a randomized controlled trial of a text message intervention to reduce binge drinking among disadvantaged men

AU - Crombie, Iain K

AU - Irvine, Linda

AU - Williams, Brian

AU - Sniehotta, Falko F.

AU - Petrie, Dennis

AU - Jones, Claire

AU - Norrie, John

AU - Evans, Josie M. M.

AU - Emslie, Carol

AU - Rice, Peter M.

AU - Slane, Peter W.

AU - Humphris, Gerry

AU - Ricketts, Ian W.

AU - Melson, Ambrose J.

AU - Donnan, Peter T.

AU - Hapca, Simona M.

AU - McKenzie, Andrew

AU - Achison, Marcus

N1 - This study was funded by the NIHR Public Health Research programme (11/3050/30). The views and opinions expressed therein are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect those of the PHR programme, NIHR, NHS or the Department of Health.

PY - 2018/9

Y1 - 2018/9

N2 - Aims: To test the effectiveness of a theoretically based text-message intervention to reduce binge drinking among socially disadvantaged men.Design: A multi-centre parallel group, pragmatic, individually randomized controlled trial.Setting: Community-based study conducted in four regions of Scotland.Participants: A total of 825 men aged 25-44 years recruited from socially disadvantaged areas who had two or more episodes of binge drinking (> 8 UK units on a single occasion) in the preceding 28 days: 411 men were randomized to the intervention and 414 to the control.Intervention and comparator: A series of 112 interactive text messages was delivered by mobile phone during a 12-week period. The intervention was structured around the Health Action Process Approach, a comprehensive model which allows integration of a range of evidence-based behaviour change techniques. The control group received 89 texts on general health, with no mention of alcohol or use of behaviour change techniques.Measurements: The primary outcome measure was the proportion of men consuming > 8 units on three or more occasions (in the previous 28 days) at 12 months post-intervention.Findings: The proportion of men consuming > 8 units on three or more occasions (in the previous 28 days) was 41.5% in the intervention group and 47.8% in the control group. Formal analysis showed that there was no evidence that the intervention was effective [odds ratio (OR) = 0.79, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.57-1.08; absolute reduction 5.7%, 95% CI = -13.3 to 1.9]. The Bayes factor for this outcome was 1.3, confirming that the results were inconclusive. The retention was high and similar in intervention (84.9%) and control (86.5%) groups. Most men in the intervention group engaged with the text messages: almost all (92%) replied to text messages and 67% replied more than 10 times.Conclusions: A theoretically based text-messaging intervention aimed at reducing binge drinking in disadvantaged men was not found to reduce prevalence of binge drinking at 12-month follow-up.

AB - Aims: To test the effectiveness of a theoretically based text-message intervention to reduce binge drinking among socially disadvantaged men.Design: A multi-centre parallel group, pragmatic, individually randomized controlled trial.Setting: Community-based study conducted in four regions of Scotland.Participants: A total of 825 men aged 25-44 years recruited from socially disadvantaged areas who had two or more episodes of binge drinking (> 8 UK units on a single occasion) in the preceding 28 days: 411 men were randomized to the intervention and 414 to the control.Intervention and comparator: A series of 112 interactive text messages was delivered by mobile phone during a 12-week period. The intervention was structured around the Health Action Process Approach, a comprehensive model which allows integration of a range of evidence-based behaviour change techniques. The control group received 89 texts on general health, with no mention of alcohol or use of behaviour change techniques.Measurements: The primary outcome measure was the proportion of men consuming > 8 units on three or more occasions (in the previous 28 days) at 12 months post-intervention.Findings: The proportion of men consuming > 8 units on three or more occasions (in the previous 28 days) was 41.5% in the intervention group and 47.8% in the control group. Formal analysis showed that there was no evidence that the intervention was effective [odds ratio (OR) = 0.79, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.57-1.08; absolute reduction 5.7%, 95% CI = -13.3 to 1.9]. The Bayes factor for this outcome was 1.3, confirming that the results were inconclusive. The retention was high and similar in intervention (84.9%) and control (86.5%) groups. Most men in the intervention group engaged with the text messages: almost all (92%) replied to text messages and 67% replied more than 10 times.Conclusions: A theoretically based text-messaging intervention aimed at reducing binge drinking in disadvantaged men was not found to reduce prevalence of binge drinking at 12-month follow-up.

KW - Binge drinking

KW - community based

KW - deprivation

KW - men

KW - narrative

KW - text message intervention

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/85051077986

U2 - 10.1111/add.14229

DO - 10.1111/add.14229

M3 - Article

C2 - 29855105

SN - 0965-2140

VL - 113

SP - 1609

EP - 1618

JO - Addiction

JF - Addiction

IS - 9

ER -