How Is an Electronic Screening and Brief Intervention Tool on Alcohol Use Received in a Student Population? a Qualitative and Quantitative Evaluation.
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Abstract
Background: A previous study among Antwerp college and university students shows that more male (10.2-11.1%) than female (1.8-6.2%) students are at risk for problematic alcohol use. The current literature shows promising results in terms of feasibility and effectiveness for the use of brief electronic interventions to address this health problem in college and university students. The current study evaluates this type of intervention and cites existing literature on the topic.
Objective: The website www.eentjeteveel.be was developed to motivate college and university students with problematic alcohol use to reduce alcohol consumption and increase their willingness to search for help.
Method: The website contained a questionnaire (Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test- AUDIT) with which students could test their alcohol use. According to their answers, the students immediately received a personalized feedback (personal AUDIT score and additional information on risks associated with alcohol use) and a suggestion for further action. Afterwards, students could send an email to a student counselor for questions, guidance or advice. To obtain in-depth qualitative information on the opinions and experiences of students, we held five focus group discussions. The topics were: publicity, experiences, impressions and effects of the website. The quantitative results of the online test were analyzed in SPSS 15.0.
Results: More than 3,500 students visited www.eentjeteveel.be; over half were men (55.0%). Thirty-four students participated in the focus group discussions. The mixture of quantitative and qualitative methods for the evaluation of the intervention allowed a thorough analysis and provided complementary results. The intervention was well received by the student population. However, some minor aspects should be reconsidered, such as website publicity and the registration of options that were added after intermediate evaluation. The intervention increased the motivation of students to think about their alcohol use, but could not stimulate them to change their behavior. The website attracted relatively more male than female students and more students within the high-risk group than the low- risk group. The high-risk group was more inclined to search for advice or guidance (5.8%, X²: p<0.001) than the low-risk group (2.0%, X²: p<0.001).
Conclusions: Unique insight could be gained into the experiences, opinions and perceptions of students with regard to the intervention. The results show that the intervention is positively received in the population and the willingness to search for help is increased. However, real behavior change needs further research. The results of this study can assist health providers and researchers in better understanding the perceptions of e-health initiatives by college and university students.
Objective: The website www.eentjeteveel.be was developed to motivate college and university students with problematic alcohol use to reduce alcohol consumption and increase their willingness to search for help.
Method: The website contained a questionnaire (Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test- AUDIT) with which students could test their alcohol use. According to their answers, the students immediately received a personalized feedback (personal AUDIT score and additional information on risks associated with alcohol use) and a suggestion for further action. Afterwards, students could send an email to a student counselor for questions, guidance or advice. To obtain in-depth qualitative information on the opinions and experiences of students, we held five focus group discussions. The topics were: publicity, experiences, impressions and effects of the website. The quantitative results of the online test were analyzed in SPSS 15.0.
Results: More than 3,500 students visited www.eentjeteveel.be; over half were men (55.0%). Thirty-four students participated in the focus group discussions. The mixture of quantitative and qualitative methods for the evaluation of the intervention allowed a thorough analysis and provided complementary results. The intervention was well received by the student population. However, some minor aspects should be reconsidered, such as website publicity and the registration of options that were added after intermediate evaluation. The intervention increased the motivation of students to think about their alcohol use, but could not stimulate them to change their behavior. The website attracted relatively more male than female students and more students within the high-risk group than the low- risk group. The high-risk group was more inclined to search for advice or guidance (5.8%, X²: p<0.001) than the low-risk group (2.0%, X²: p<0.001).
Conclusions: Unique insight could be gained into the experiences, opinions and perceptions of students with regard to the intervention. The results show that the intervention is positively received in the population and the willingness to search for help is increased. However, real behavior change needs further research. The results of this study can assist health providers and researchers in better understanding the perceptions of e-health initiatives by college and university students.
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