COUNTRY: NEW ZEALAND
REGION: WESTERN PACIFIC
Implementer: University of Newcastle, Australia; University of Otago, New Zealand
Partners: New Zealand's Alcohol Advisory Council
Program Overview: Web-based alcohol screening and brief intervention (e-SBI) was employed to reduce hazardous drinking among university students belonging to the Maori culture, an indigenous peoples of New Zealand at greater risk of alcohol-related harm than their non-indigenous compatriots.
Program Design: The program consists of a screening and a brief intervention. The Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT) comprises the screening, wherein students answer questions on their drinking habits. The subsequent brief intervention entails personalized feedback on the effects of their drinking habits, as well as advice on how to counter such habits and reduce their negative consequences.
Evaluation: The program was evaluated in a randomized, controlled trial in which 1789 Maori students, ages 17-24, deemed hazardous drinkers participated. Both the control and intervention groups received screening, but only the intervention group received personalized feedback on their habits. 5 months post-intervention, both groups completed questionnaires which asked students about their current drinking habits.
Key findings: The evaluation demonstrated that those receiving e-SBI reported less drinking, fewer drinks per occasion, and fewer academic problems than the control at 5 months post intervention.
References
- Kypri, K., Vater, T., McCambridge, J., Cunningham, J. A., Bowe, S. J., Saunders, J. B., & Horton, N. J. (2013).Web-based alcohol intervention for Maori university students: Double-blind, multi-site randomized controlled trial. Addiction, 108(2), 331-338.
Target Audience: Adults of legal drinking age, University/young adults (18-21 years)
Issues: Heavy Episodic or Binge Drinking, Underage Drinking
Setting: Online/ Internet, University
Approach: Screening and Brief Intervention
