Alcohol Dependence
Conditions
Keywords
Alcohol addiction, Alcohol treatment, Alcohol recovery, Post residential treatment DSM-IV diagnosis of alcohol dependence
Brief summary
The purpose of this grant is to develop and test a proven computer based quality improvement/behavior change e-Health system (CHESS--Comprehensive Health Enhancement Support System) to help prevent relapse in alcohol dependent patients being discharged from residential treatment. The investigators' primary hypothesis is that ACHESS (Addiction CHESS) will improve competence, relatedness and autonomy, which will reduce the days of risky drinking over a 12-month period.
Detailed description
The system to be tested (ACHESS - Addiction CHESS) will be delivered through a new modality (smart-phone rather than PC) to make access more widespread, focus on new patients (alcohol dependent patients leaving residential care), offer optional audio delivery to improve access for those who have literacy challenges and be enhanced with services tailored to relapse prevention. ACHESS will offer: 1) communication with peer support groups and addiction experts; 2) timely monitoring to assess risk of relapse, 3) reminders and alerts to encourage adherence to therapeutic goals; 4) addiction-related educational material and tools tailored to the needs of the particular patient, 5) access to selected Internet based resources and 6) communication with a care manager. Patients randomly assigned to ACHESS will learn to use it prior to discharge from residential care.
Interventions
Smartphone with ACHESS application loaded onto the phone.
Sponsors
Study design
Eligibility
Inclusion criteria
* All subjects must be at least 18 years of age * All subjects must be willing to participate in the study * All subjects must be willing to identify two people who could provide contact information about their location for the next year * If randomized into ACHESS, all subjects must agree to allow monitoring of their ACHESS usage, including internet browsing * All subjects must pass a literacy test
Exclusion criteria
* Homelessness * Psychiatric or medical condition that precludes participation in the study including: subjects with a history of suicidality, significant developmental/cognitive impairments that limit their ability to understand the material or have vision problems will not be included in this study.
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame |
|---|---|
| ACHESS + standard care will reduce days of risky drinking over the 12-month follow-up period as measured by three interviews. The time-line follow-back techniques will be used'. | 12 months |
Secondary
| Measure | Time frame |
|---|---|
| ACHESS will reduce proximal outcomes of cravings and negative affect, and produce distal outcomes of increased complete abstinence from alcohol, days of abstinence and reduced negative consequences of substance use. | 12 mos. |
Countries
United States