None listed
Conditions
Brief summary
This study examined whether messages that encourage Australian drinkers to use protective behavioural strategies can successfully reduce their risk of alcohol-related harm. Three protective behavioural strategies were tested that encouraged people to (i) keep count of their drinks, (ii) decide on a drinks limit and stick to it, and (iii) to say no to an offer of an unwanted alcoholic drink. Previous research has shown that these types of messages can influence people's attitudes to alcohol and drinking intentions. The messages were tested in isolation and in combination with an existing social marketing campaign video advertisement on the harms associated with alcohol consumption. To assess whether the messages were effective, 8021 Australian drinkers were randomly assigned to eight intervention conditions. Participants in each condition completed three surveys over 6 weeks (3 weeks between each survey). Participants in conditions 1-3 were assigned to see one of the three messages, participants in conditions 4-6 saw the alcohol-harms video followed by one of the messages, participants in condition 7 were only exposed to the alcohol-harms video, and condition 8 was an active control condition. Participants were shown their message and/or the video each time they were surveyed. When completing the surveys, the participants also provided information on their demographic characteristics, use of the recommended drinking practices, attitudes to the recommended drinking practices, alcohol consumption, and experiences of alcohol-related harm. Using this information, the study will determine whether participants who were exposed to the messages changed on these outcomes, relative to participants who were not shown messages that encourage protestive behavioural strategies.
Interventions
Participants were exposed to messages that encouraged the use of protective behavioural strategies. Three protective behavioural strategies were tested (i) keep count of your drinks, (ii) decide on a drinks limit and stick to it, and (iii) say no to an offer of an unwanted alcoholic drink. In intervention conditions 1-3, participants were exposed to one of these messages. Participants viewed three images that depicted the messages being displayed on mock promotional materials in the context of e
Participants were exposed to messages that encouraged the use of protective behavioural strategies. Three protective behavioural strategies were tested (i) keep count of your drinks, (ii) decide on a drinks limit and stick to it, and (iii) say no to an offer of an unwanted alcoholic drink. In intervention conditions 1-3, participants were exposed to one of these messages. Participants viewed three images that depicted the messages being displayed on mock promotional materials in the context of everyday situations (on a drinks coaster, poster, and smartphone screen). Some participants were also shown an existing social marketing campaign video advertisement on the harms associated with alcohol, and a recommendation to not exceed more than two standard drinks on any day. In intervention conditions 4-6, participants were shown this video prior to being shown one of the three messages. In intervention condition 7, participants were only shown the video without an accompanying message. Condition 8 was an active control condition. Participants in this condition were shown messages that encouraged positive lifestyle behaviours unrelated to alcohol consumption (e.g., increase your physical activity). Conditions: 1. Message (keep count of your drinks) 2. Message (decide on a drinks limit and stick to it) 3. Message (say no to an offer of an unwanted alcoholic drink) 4. Video + Message (keep count of your drinks) 5. Video + Message (decide on a drinks limit and stick to it) 6. Video + Message (say no to an offer of an unwanted alcoholic drink) 7. Video 8. Active Control Participants were randomly allocated to one of the conditions. The participants individually viewed the images and/or video relevant to their condition over the internet on a personal device (e.g., desktop, laptop, or tablet). The images and/or video were administered to the participants on three separate occasions over six weeks (week 1, week 3, and week 6). Three images displaying the messages were simultaneously administered to the participants over an internet browser. The participants were instructed to click on each image separately to enlarge it, and to read the message contained within that image carefully. They were allowed to do this at their own pace. The video was also presented over an internet browser. The participants were instructed to adjust their volume so that they could hear the audio clearly and press the play button to view the video. The video was 30 seconds long and was shown to the participant twice consecutively during each administration.
Sponsors
Professor Simone Pettigrew
Study design
Allocation
Randomised controlled trial
Intervention model
Parallel
Primary purpose
Prevention
Masking
Blinded (masking used) (Subject)
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
All
Age
18 Years to 70 Years
Healthy volunteers
Yes
Inclusion criteria
Participants needed to reside in Australia and have consumed alcohol at least 2 times per month over the last 12 months.
Exclusion criteria
Sampling quotas were used to recruit a sample that is representative of the Australian population. If a quota criterion was full, additional participants who fit this criterion were excluded from the study.
Outcome results
None listed