@article{ref1,
title=""Take Care of You" - efficacy of integrated, minimal-guidance, internet-based self-help for reducing co-occurring alcohol misuse and depression symptoms in adults: results of a three-arm randomized controlled trial",
journal="Drug and alcohol dependence",
year="2021",
author="Baumgartner, Christian and Schaub, Michael P. and Wenger, Andreas and Malischnig, Doris and Augsburger, Mareike and Lehr, Dirk and Blankers, Matthijs and Ebert, David D. and Haug, Severin",
volume="225",
number="",
pages="e108806-e108806",
abstract="BACKGROUND: Depression and harmful alcohol use are two of the top five leading causes of years of life lost to disability in high-income countries. Integrated treatment targeting both at the same time is often considered more complicated and difficult and, therefore, more expensive. Consequently, integrated internet-based interventions could be a valuable addition to traditional care. <br><br>METHODS: A three-arm randomized controlled trial was conducted comparing the effectiveness of (1) an integrated, minimal-guidance, adherence-focused self-help intervention designed to reduce both alcohol use and depression symptoms (AFGE-AD); (2) a similar intervention designed to reduce alcohol use only (AFGE-AO), and (3) internet access as usual (IAU) as a control condition, in at least moderately depressed alcohol misusers from February 2016-March 2020. We recruited 689 alcohol misusers (51.6 % males, mean age = 42.8 years) with at least moderate depression symptoms not otherwise in treatment from the general population. Six months after baseline, 288 subjects (41.8 %) were reachable for the final assessment. <br><br>RESULTS: All interventions yielded reduced alcohol-use after six months (AFGE-AD: -16.6; AFGE-AO: -19.8; IAU: -13.2). Those who undertook active-interventions reported significantly fewer standard drinks than controls (AFGE-AD: p =.048, d=0.10; AFGE-AO: p =.004, d=0.20). The two active-intervention groups also reported significantly less severe depression symptoms than controls (AFGE-AD: p =.006, d=0.41; AFGE-AO: p =.008, d=0.43). Testing revealed noninferiority between the two interventions. <br><br>CONCLUSIONS: This study documented sustained effectiveness of the first integrated, fully internet-based self-help intervention developed for the reduction of both alcohol use and depression symptoms in at least moderately depressed adult alcohol misusers recruited from the general population.<p /> <p>Language: en</p>",
language="en",
issn="0376-8716",
doi="10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2021.108806",
url="http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2021.108806"
}