Randomized Controlled Trial of eScreen for Problematic Drug Use

Objectives: This study compared the efficacy of eScreen in a two-armed randomized controlled design, measuring outcomes in terms of changes in problematic drug use up to one year after study recruitment. The eScreen brief Internet intervention for problematic alcohol and drug use offers self-screening, in-depth self-reporting, personalized feedback and treatment recommendations as well as an electronic diary. Progress over time is shown in diagrams detailing consumption levels. Method: Participants with only problematic drug use according to the Drug Use Disorders Identification Test (DUDIT),(DUDIT >0 for both men and women) or both problematic alcohol use according to the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT), (AUDIT >7 for men and AUDIT >5 for women) and drug use were randomized to T1 (n=101) or the control group (n=101). Outcomes on alcohol and/or drug use as well as health-related symptoms were assessed after 3, 6 and 12 months. Hypotheses that were tested in this study are 1) that both groups would reduce their drug consumption and drug-related problems at follow-ups compared to the baseline level and 2) that participants in the eScreen group would reduce their drug consumption and drug-related problems to a higher extent than participants in the control group (no intervention) at follow-ups.