A technology-based intervention to reduce alcohol use after metabolic and bariatric surgery: feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary outcomes.

Background: Patients who undergo metabolic and bariatric surgery (MBS) are at increased risk for an alcohol use disorder. A technology-based intervention, rooted in motivational interviewing, could broadly reach patients after MBS and has the potential to reduce alcohol use.

Objective: Examine the feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary outcomes of a technology-based intervention to reduce alcohol use delivered after MBS.

Setting: Health system.

Methods: Participants (N = 60) who were 3-18 months post-MBS were randomized to the intervention or treatment-as-usual control group. The tailored intervention consisted of 2 (15-minute) sessions of interactive web-based content followed by 3-months of daily text messaging. Participants completed baseline and a postintervention assessment (91.7% retention).

Results: Participants were primarily female (90%), White (55.0%) or Black (43.3%), with a mean age of 44.6 years (SD = 10.4). Of those randomized to the intervention (n = 24), 83.3% (n = 20) began the intervention and 95% (n = 19) completed it. The majority of participants rated all intervention components positively and 100% agreed that other patients would use the intervention. The intervention group reported a significant increase in level of motivation to avoid alcohol use from baseline to postintervention (P = .02), whereas the control group did not show a significant change (P = .73). At the postintervention, the intervention group had significantly fewer participants endorsing alcohol use than the control group (43.5% versus 75%; X² = 5.63, P = .02).

Conclusion: A technology-based intervention delivered after MBS was feasible, acceptable, and showed promising preliminary outcomes for increasing motivation to avoid alcohol use as well as reducing alcohol use.