Building on the findings from the Phase 1 and using the best available knowledge, Phase 2 consists of a pilot randomised controlled trial with problem drinkers to explore which interventions could be cost effectively and routinely put in place in an acute setting.
This study is called ADAPTA – Addressing Drinking Among Patients: comparing Two Approaches
Alcohol use generally occurs in the context of an overall lifestyle and problem drinkers are likely to have a range of lifestyle problems including smoking and obesity which are associated with very heavy drinking. It has been suggested that the development of a healthy or balanced lifestyle is potentially beneficial for reducing alcohol use, abstaining from alcohol use, and relapse prevention.
Therefore, this pilot study aims to examine the relative acceptability and effectiveness of:
This study aims to examine the acceptability and effectiveness of these interventions for patients who are admitted to hospital with a diagnosis related to alcohol and who have been identified, via screening, as problem drinkers. The theory behind the study is that the healthy living intervention, with its broader focus on up to three lifestyle areas out of a choice of diet, exercise, smoking, drinking, personal care, drug use and medication concordance, will be more acceptable and therefore more effective, than an approach specifically focussing on changing alcohol drinking behaviour in people not actively seeking treatment for their drinking.
Qualitative interviews will be conducted in addition to the treatments. This element of the research will explore patients’ thoughts and feelings concerning their identification as a problem drinker in the hospital context and how this status compares to their own perceptions of their drinking behaviour. In addition, the therapists providing the treatments will be interviewed once recruitment is well under way to ask them about their experience of identifying people with alcohol issues and how patients responded to their approach.