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Alcohol and Alcoholism Advance Access published online on November 26, 2006
Alcohol and Alcoholism, doi:10.1093/alcalc/agl092
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© The Author 2006. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Medical Council on Alcohol. All rights reserved
Received August 17, 2006
Revised October 18, 2006
Accepted October 19, 2006

Article

SCREENING AND BRIEF INTERVENTION ONLINE FOR COLLEGE STUDENTS: THE iHEALTH STUDY

RICHARD SAITZ 1 *, TIBOR P. PALFAI 2, NAOMI FREEDNER 3, MICHAEL R. WINTER 4, ALEXANDRA MACDONALD 2, JOHN LU 4, AL OZONOFF 5, DAVID L. ROSENBLOOM 6, and WILLIAM DEJONG 7

1 Clinical Addiction Research and Education (CARE) Unit, Section of General Internal Medicine, Boston Medical Center and Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA; Youth Alcohol Prevention Center, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA; Department of Epidemiology, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
2 Youth Alcohol Prevention Center, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA; Department of Psychology, College of Arts and Sciences, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA
3 Clinical Addiction Research and Education (CARE) Unit, Section of General Internal Medicine, Boston Medical Center and Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA USA; Youth Alcohol Prevention Center, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
4 Youth Alcohol Prevention Center, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA; Data Coordinating Center, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
5 Youth Alcohol Prevention Center, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA; Department of Biostatistics, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
6 Youth Alcohol Prevention Center, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA; Join Together Program, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA; Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
7 Youth Alcohol Prevention Center, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA; Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA

* To whom correspondence should be addressed.
RICHARD SAITZ, E-mail: rsaitz{at}bu.edu


  Abstract

Aims: To test the feasibility of online alcohol screening and brief intervention (BI) by comparing (i) two approaches to inviting all students to be screened, and (ii) a minimal versus a more extensive BI. Methods: Freshmen students at one university were randomized to receive one of two types of email invitations to an online anonymous: (i) general health assessment, or (ii) alcohol-specific assessment. All were linked to the same alcohol screening survey. Those with unhealthy alcohol use (AUDIT ≥8) were randomly assigned to minimal or more extensive online alcohol BI. Results: In both invitation groups (4008 students), 55% of students completed the online screening. Overall, 37% of men and 26% of women had unhealthy alcohol use. Compared to minimal BI, more extensive BI was associated with intention to seek help among men and with a greater increase in readiness to change among women. One month after BI, 75% of students completed another assessment, 33% of women and 15% of men with unhealthy alcohol use at baseline no longer had unhealthy alcohol use. There were no significant differences on drinking measures by BI randomization group. Conclusions: Over half of an entire freshman class of college students were reached by email and completed alcohol screening and brief intervention. Even an alcohol-specific invitation did not deter students. Although brief interventions that differed had some gender specific effects on readiness to change and intention, in general, unhealthy alcohol use decreased after brief intervention. Web screening and brief intervention show promise for addressing unhealthy alcohol use by college students.


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