Alcohol Brief Intervention Plus Personalized Mobile Chat-based Intervention to Reduce Alcohol Misuse in an Emergency Department

A Pilot Study on the Feasibility of Alcohol Brief Intervention Plus Personalized Mobile Chat-based Intervention to Reduce Alcohol Misuse in an Emergency Department in Hong Kong

This project focuses on patients in AED. Objectives of this project are:

1. To examine the factors associated with alcohol drinking and alcohol use disorder
2. To examine the effect of face-to-face alcohol brief intervention on drinking reduction
3. To examine the effect of a continuous interactive chat-based intervention via "WhatsApp" on drinking reduction
4. To explore the perception of face-to-face alcohol brief intervention
5. To explore the perception of continuous interactive chat-based intervention via instant messaging mobile application "WhatsApp"

According to the Department of Health, a local epidemiological study was conducted in 2001 and showed that about one in ten of all motor vehicle deaths were associated with alcohol consumption. Also, the statistics from the Transportation department showed that 874 vehicle accidents resulting in personal injury were related to alcohol misuse, which included 24 fatal cases between the period of 2000 and 2010. With the aforementioned statistics supported, the hospital Accident and Emergency Department (AED) serves as the most important entrance and safeguard to the healthcare system for the public, since victims of traffic accidents or violence related to heavy drinking are frequently encountered in AED, this serves as an ideal place for provision of initial alcohol intervention and further stabilization related to alcohol problem of patients. Although AED is a hectic environment with very high patients turnover, substantial evidence had shown feasibility and efficacy of Alcohol Brief Intervention (ABI) in reducing patients' subsequent alcohol drinking. In oversea, multiple research had been done to show ABI were effective and feasible for reducing alcohol misuse, but the effect was not long lasting and lead to subsequent relapse. In addition to this, no further trial has been done to investigate the feasibility of implementing an RCT on evaluating the effect of ABI and continuous chat-based intervention on reducing alcohol consumption among patients in AED in Hong Kong.

According to the WHO, the standard ABI approach includes: giving feedback and information about the screening result and hazard of drinking; emphasizing the benefits of quit drinking and informing about alcohol problems; setting goal on reducing alcohol consumption; reviewing advice and ; giving encouragement. In this pilot study, a brief alcohol counselling using face-to-face ABI will be delivered together with continuous interactive chat-based intervention via instant messaging mobile application "WhatsApp" to those patients with AUDIT score ≥ 8, who are considered to have hazardous and harmful drinking problems according to the guideline.

Inclusion Criteria:

1. Hong Kong resident aged 18 to 65
2. scored ≥ 8 in the Alcohol Use Disorder Identification Test (AUDIT) in the past 12 months
3. able to communicate in Cantonese (including reading Chinese)
4. using a phone with instant messaging mobile application "WhatsApp" installed for communication.

Exclusion Criteria:

1. patients with communication barrier (either physically or cognitively)
2. currently participating in other alcohol treatment services or clinics
3. will be hospitalized immediate after A&E consultation