Integrating mHealth mobile applications to reduce high risk drinking among underage students

Objective: College students embrace mobile cell phones (MCPs) as a primary communication and entertainment device. The aim of this study was to investigate college students’ perceptions toward using mHealth technology to deliver interventions to prevent high-risk drinking and associated consequences. Design/setting: Four focus group interviews were conducted during the spring and fall of 2011 at a large public university in the southeastern United States of America (USA) to collect data on the applicability of mHealth technology to alcohol-prevention programmes. The participants were students currently enrolled in a face-to-face alcohol-prevention programme. Method: Thematic analysis of the content in the transcriptions was used to analyse the focus group responses using a codebook. Results: Four major themes emerged which were: (1) education and usability; (2) Skype capabilities; (3) enhanced social networking; and (4) use for tracking and feedback. All of the participants said they would join an alcohol-intervention programme that incorporated mHealth mobile technology as a primary mode of communication. Conclusions: The positive responses to the use of mobile applications indicate that use of interactive, real-time technology would be valuable to college students. Given the cost of face-to-face delivery of interventions, the findings are encouraging and support further exploration of the application of mHealth technology. Mobile technologies (mHealth) could provide a more effective delivery of alcohol-intervention programmes and increase the accessibility, relevance, and value of alcohol-intervention programmes.

[1]  R. Whittaker,et al.  A Multimedia Mobile Phone–Based Youth Smoking Cessation Intervention: Findings From Content Development and Piloting Studies , 2008, Journal of medical Internet research.

[2]  Takehiro Yamakoshi,et al.  Performance Measures of Alcohol-Induced Impairment: Towards a Practical Ignition-Interlock System for Motor Vehicles , 2009, Perceptual and motor skills.

[3]  Jay M Bernhardt,et al.  The feasibility of assessing alcohol use among college students using wireless mobile devices: Implications for health education and behavioural research , 2010 .

[4]  Ralph Hingson,et al.  Magnitude of alcohol-related mortality and morbidity among U.S. college students ages 18-24: changes from 1998 to 2001. , 2005, Annual review of public health.

[5]  M. Nies,et al.  Baseline Characteristics of College Freshmen Enrolled in an Alcohol Intervention Program , 2012, Journal of addictions nursing.

[6]  R. Vuchinich,et al.  Relative efficacy of a brief motivational intervention for college student drinkers. , 2001, Psychology of addictive behaviors : journal of the Society of Psychologists in Addictive Behaviors.

[7]  Jay Michael Bernhardt,et al.  Impaired Driving Behaviors among College Students: A Comparison of Web-Based Daily Assessment and Retrospective Timeline Followback. , 2004 .

[8]  A. Haines,et al.  The effectiveness of M-health technologies for improving health and health services: a systematic review protocol , 2010, BMC Research Notes.

[9]  Jay M Bernhardt,et al.  Alcohol assessment among college students using wireless mobile technology. , 2009, Journal of studies on alcohol and drugs.

[10]  Audie A Atienza,et al.  Promoting physical activity through hand-held computer technology. , 2008, American journal of preventive medicine.

[11]  Jay M Bernhardt,et al.  Using wireless handheld computers and tailored text messaging to reduce negative consequences of drinking alcohol. , 2007, Journal of studies on alcohol and drugs.

[12]  Jersino Jean-Mary,et al.  Internet and Mobile Phone Text Messaging Intervention for College Smokers , 2008, Journal of American college health : J of ACH.

[13]  Sarah M. Greene,et al.  Web-based smoking-cessation programs: results of a randomized trial. , 2008, American journal of preventive medicine.

[14]  Christopher D Gardner,et al.  Using hand-held computer technologies to improve dietary intake. , 2008, American Journal of Preventive Medicine.

[15]  G. Bischof,et al.  Evaluation of a telephone-based stepped care intervention for alcohol-related disorders: a randomized controlled trial. , 2008, Drug and alcohol dependence.

[16]  M. Nies,et al.  Outcomes of a Targeted Capacity Expansion (TCE) Brief Motivational Intervention for High-Risk Drinking Freshmen: Pilot Study Comparison at Baseline and 6 Months , 2011 .

[17]  Richard A. Krueger,et al.  Analyzing and Reporting Focus Group Results , 1997 .

[18]  Nicholas T. Calvin,et al.  Development and preliminary validation of a behavioral task of negative reinforcement underlying risk-taking and its relation to problem alcohol use in college freshmen. , 2012, Alcoholism, clinical and experimental research.

[19]  M. Nies,et al.  Alcohol screening and brief interventions for college freshmen. , 2011, Journal of psychosocial nursing and mental health services.

[20]  E. Kuntsche,et al.  Short message service (SMS) technology in alcohol research--a feasibility study. , 2009, Alcohol and alcoholism.

[21]  M. Larimer,et al.  Identification, prevention, and treatment revisited: individual-focused college drinking prevention strategies 1999-2006. , 2007, Addictive behaviors.

[22]  Michael F Fleming,et al.  College Students’ Alcohol Displays on Facebook: Intervention Considerations , 2012, Journal of American college health : J of ACH.

[23]  Edessa Jobli,et al.  The review of new evidence 5 years later: SAMHSA's National Registry of Evidence-based Programs and Practices (NREPP). , 2015, Evaluation and program planning.

[24]  Ben S. Gerber,et al.  Mobile phone text messaging to promote healthy behaviors and weight loss maintenance: a feasibility study , 2009, Health Informatics J..

[25]  Daniel R. Kivlahan,et al.  Brief Alcohol Screening and Intervention for College Students (Basics): A Harm Reduction Approach , 1999 .

[26]  Ulrich John,et al.  Continuous individual support of smoking cessation using text messaging: a pilot experimental study. , 2009, Nicotine & tobacco research : official journal of the Society for Research on Nicotine and Tobacco.

[27]  Dave Harley,et al.  Using texting to support students’ transition to university , 2007 .

[28]  G A Marlatt,et al.  Brief intervention for heavy-drinking college students: 4-year follow-up and natural history. , 2001, American journal of public health.

[29]  Henry Wechsler,et al.  Magnitude of alcohol-related mortality and morbidity among U.S. college students ages 18-24. , 2002, Journal of studies on alcohol.

[30]  Y. Kaminer,et al.  Aftercare for adolescent alcohol use disorder: feasibility and acceptability of a phone intervention. , 2007, The American journal on addictions.

[31]  R. Hingson,et al.  Magnitude and Prevention of College Drinking and Related Problems , 2010, Alcohol research & health : the journal of the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism.