Hosted by the School of Psychological Science
Excessive alcohol consumption is a major public health concern and contributes to health inequalities with more disadvantaged groups suffering the most harm from alcohol. Face-to-face brief interventions are effective at reducing alcohol consumption though less than 1 in 10 at-risk drinkers receive these brief interventions due to barriers such as lack of time. Digital interventions can be effective for reducing alcohol consumption. However most digital interventions that have been evaluated are websites and there is little evidence on the effectiveness of smartphone apps, especially in a UK context.
In this talk, I will cover the systematic and iterative development and refinement of the first evidence- and theory-informed alcohol reduction app, Drink Less, and the recent findings from a large randomised controlled trial evaluating the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of recommending Drink Less at reducing alcohol consumption compared with usual digital care. I will discuss the implications for policy and practice, both in terms of this intervention and more broadly.