Digital interventions for supporting alcohol abstinence in aftercare – a systematic review

IF 3.6 2区医学 Q1 HEALTH CARE SCIENCES & SERVICES

Internet Interventions-The Application of Information Technology in Mental and Behavioural Health Pub Date : 2025-05-15 DOI:10.1016/j.invent.2025.100832

Luana Lenzi , Aaliya Ibrahim , David Brough , Alexander Thompson

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Abstract

Background and aims

Alcohol Use Disorders (AUD) are associated with numerous negative health and societal consequences. Relapse is common among individuals with AUD following discharge from treatment programs, often due to a lack of continuing care and barriers to accessing in-person interventions. Digital interventions may have the potential to overcome these barriers. This systematic review aims to assess the efficacy of digital interventions in supporting abstinence following AUD treatment.

Methods

We searched the databases Embase, Medline, and APA PsycInfo for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that evaluated digital interventions designed to support alcohol-dependent individuals to maintain abstinence after discharge from treatment programs. Studies in which participants were not abstinent at the time of randomization were excluded.

Results

Eleven studies were identified, with interventions including text messages, smartphones apps, wireless breathalysers, telephone-based support, and e-books. Four studies (2 using apps and 2 using supportive text messages) reported statistically significant results in prolonging abstinence. However, one intervention using a cue exposure therapy (CET) app found increased relapse rates in all groups. The risk of bias across studies ranged from moderate to high.

Conclusion

There is insufficient evidence to support the efficacy of digital interventions in maintaining abstinence after AUD treatment discharge. While digital interventions may improve the accessibility and uptake of aftercare services to prevent relapse, further research is needed.

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支持戒酒后护理的数字干预——系统综述

背景和目的酒精使用障碍（AUD）与许多负面的健康和社会后果有关。AUD患者在治疗方案出院后复发是常见的，通常是由于缺乏持续的护理和获得亲自干预的障碍。数字干预措施可能有潜力克服这些障碍。本系统综述旨在评估数字干预在AUD治疗后支持戒断的有效性。方法：我们检索了Embase、Medline和APA PsycInfo数据库，以获取随机对照试验（rct），这些试验评估了旨在支持酒精依赖个体在治疗方案出院后保持戒断的数字干预措施。参与者在随机化时不禁欲的研究被排除在外。结果通过短信、智能手机应用、无线酒精测试仪、基于电话的支持和电子书等干预措施，确定了11项研究。四项研究（两项使用应用程序，两项使用支持性短信）报告了在延长禁欲方面的统计显著结果。然而，一项使用提示暴露疗法（CET）应用程序的干预发现，所有组的复发率都增加了。各研究的偏倚风险从中等到高不等。结论支持数字化干预在AUD治疗出院后维持戒断的有效性的证据不足。虽然数字干预可能会改善获得和接受善后服务以防止复发，但还需要进一步的研究。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

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来源期刊

Internet Interventions-The Application of Information Technology in Mental and Behavioural Health Medicine-Health Informatics

CiteScore

6.50

自引率

9.30%

发文量

审稿时长

6 weeks

期刊介绍： Official Journal of the European Society for Research on Internet Interventions (ESRII) and the International Society for Research on Internet Interventions (ISRII). The aim of Internet Interventions is to publish scientific, peer-reviewed, high-impact research on Internet interventions and related areas. Internet Interventions welcomes papers on the following subjects: • Intervention studies targeting the promotion of mental health and featuring the Internet and/or technologies using the Internet as an underlying technology, e.g. computers, smartphone devices, tablets, sensors • Implementation and dissemination of Internet interventions • Integration of Internet interventions into existing systems of care • Descriptions of development and deployment infrastructures • Internet intervention methodology and theory papers • Internet-based epidemiology • Descriptions of new Internet-based technologies and experiments with clinical applications • Economics of internet interventions (cost-effectiveness) • Health care policy and Internet interventions • The role of culture in Internet intervention • Internet psychometrics • Ethical issues pertaining to Internet interventions and measurements • Human-computer interaction and usability research with clinical implications • Systematic reviews and meta-analysis on Internet interventions