E-health technologies and substance abuse
World Health Organization WHO - December 2012
Website:
http://bit.ly/QKXsDt
Innovative portals on alcohol and
health with a web-based self-help intervention tool have been developed with
the support by WHO in four pilot countries,
The portals launched on December 6,
2012 provide information not only for policymakers and professionals, but also
for the public at large. They include a self-screening tool for hazardous and
harmful use of alcohol and a fully computerized self-help programme for people
who wish to reduce or stop drinking alcohol.
The WHO e-health project on alcohol
and health has been implemented by WHO Department of Mental Health and
Substance Abuse in collaboration with Trimbos Institute in the
One of the key results of the
project is the development of a generic portal on alcohol and health that can
be easily translated into other languages and adapted to different cultures.
Developing such a generic portal and making it available to interested
organizations and institutions is a part of WHO`s implementation of the WHO
Global strategy to reduce the harmful use of alcohol.
The portal provides an overview of relevant information for policymakers and
professionals, while the online intervention offers an innovative method of
facilitating and supporting self-help strategies for those who want to reduce
alcohol consumption or stop drinking.
Online self-help programs for
different health conditions and risk factors are emerging in many countries.
These programs have many advantages: they are user-friendly, available round
the clock, don’t require waiting or travel time, are anonymous and free of
cost. Young people, who are traditionally difficult to reach, and women are
particularly attracted by help via the internet. Such programs for hazardous
and harmful drinking are not a substitute for professional treatment and care,
but they allow to reach many people with access to internet who risk their
health through drinking alcohol and who otherwise may not receive advice on how
to reduce alcohol consumption or stop drinking.
There is growing research on the
effectiveness of web-based self-help interventions. A meta-analysis showed
that, for people with hazardous and harmful use of alcohol, computerized
self-help is approximately as effective as a face-to face brief intervention.
It is also likely to be cost-effective. Online self-help might be the first
part of stepped care and it offers an option when health professionals are
scarce. The self-help program developed in the framework of this project is
fully computerized and is based on a program developed by Trimbos Institute, which uses techniques
from cognitive behavioural therapy and motivational interviewing that have
proven efficacy. The content of the self-help intervention is based on existing
WHO materials. Further support to the users of the self-help programme is
offered via a moderated forum.
The institutes and organizations in
the four pilot countries own their portals and have adapted and tailored them
to their needs. Following the launch the project will focus on testing the
uptake and user-friendliness of the portals and implementing the necessary
further adaptations. If evaluation results are positive, the generic portal
will be offered to other interested countries for translation, local adaptation
and development according to the national contexts. In the future the scope of the
portals might extend to other psychoactive substances.
This project received funding from
the Government of the
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