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A national effectiveness trial of an eHealth program to prevent alcohol and cannabis misuse: responding to the replication crisis

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  17 June 2020

Nicola C. Newton ,
Cath Chapman ,
Tim Slade ,
Louise Birrell ,
Annalise Healy ,
Marius Mather ,
Nyanda McBride ,
Leanne Hides ,
Steve Allsop  and
Louise Mewton
...Show all authors
Nicola C. Newton*
Affiliation:
The Matilda Centre for Research in Mental Health and Substance Use, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
Cath Chapman
Affiliation:
The Matilda Centre for Research in Mental Health and Substance Use, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
Tim Slade
Affiliation:
The Matilda Centre for Research in Mental Health and Substance Use, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
Louise Birrell
Affiliation:
The Matilda Centre for Research in Mental Health and Substance Use, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
Annalise Healy
Affiliation:
The Matilda Centre for Research in Mental Health and Substance Use, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
Marius Mather
Affiliation:
The Matilda Centre for Research in Mental Health and Substance Use, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
Nyanda McBride
Affiliation:
National Drug Research Institute, Curtin University, Perth, WA, Australia
Leanne Hides
Affiliation:
Centre for Youth Substance Abuse Research, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia
Steve Allsop
Affiliation:
National Drug Research Institute, Curtin University, Perth, WA, Australia
Louise Mewton
Affiliation:
Centre for Healthy Brain Ageing, The University of NSW, Sydney, Australia
Gavin Andrews
Affiliation:
The Clinical Research Unit for Anxiety and Depression, The University of NSW, Sydney, Australia
Maree Teesson
Affiliation:
The Matilda Centre for Research in Mental Health and Substance Use, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
*
Author for correspondence: Nicola C. Newton, E-mail: nicola.newton@sydney.edu.au
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Abstract

Background

The burden of disease attributable to alcohol and other drug (AOD) use in young people is considerable. Prevention can be effective, yet few programs have demonstrated replicable effects. This study aimed to replicate research behind Climate Schools: Alcohol and Cannabis course among a large cohort of adolescents.

Methods

Seventy-one secondary schools across three States participated in a cluster-randomised controlled trial. Year 8 students received either the web-based Climate Schools: Alcohol and Cannabis course (Climate, n = 3236), or health education as usual (Control, n = 3150). Outcomes were measured via self-report and reported here for baseline, 6- and 12-months for alcohol and cannabis knowledge, alcohol, cannabis use and alcohol-related harms.

Results

Compared to Controls, students in the Climate group showed greater increases in alcohol- [standardised mean difference (SMD) 0.51, p < 0.001] and cannabis-related knowledge (SMD 0.49, p < 0.001), less increases in the odds of drinking a full standard drink[(odds ratio (OR) 0.62, p = 0.014], and heavy episodic drinking (OR 0.49, p = 0.022). There was no evidence for differences in change over time in the odds of cannabis use (OR 0.57, p = 0.22) or alcohol harms (OR 0.73, p = 0.17).

Conclusions

The current study provides support for the effectiveness of the web-based Climate Schools: Alcohol and Cannabis course in increasing knowledge and reducing the uptake of alcohol. It represents one of the first trials of a web-based AOD prevention program to replicate alcohol effects in a large and diverse sample of students. Future research and/or adaptation of the program may be warranted with respect to prevention of cannabis use and alcohol harms.

Keywords

PreventionSchoolInternetRandomised controlled trialSubstance useReplicationAlcohol
Type
Original Article
Information
Psychological Medicine , Volume 52 , Issue 2 , January 2022 , pp. 274 - 282
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Copyright
Copyright © The Author(s) 2020. Published by Cambridge University Press

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Footnotes

*

Equally accredited first authors.

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