Remote Alcohol Treatment Study

To help determine eligibility, please complete our screener:

SCREEN NOW

Or continue reading for more information

While alcohol in the United States is a cultural staple, our relationship with alcohol can take a negative turn. At the Healthier Futures Lab (HealthFuL) we’re running an alcohol treatment study that can be completed completely remotely if you already have an Android phone. If you need a compatible smartphone, we can provide one during an in-person visit to one of our research facilities in Lexington, KY or Roanoke, VA. We’re looking for individuals who have heavy alcohol use and are interested in cutting down or quitting.

The study involves using our smartphone app and a Bluetooth breathalyzer (BACtrack) to objectively monitor alcohol use and help you meet your drinking goals. It has up to three and a half months of breathalyzer monitoring, followed by monthly surveys (for fifteen months total study participation). Study compensation is provided through a reloadable debit card and ranges from $375 to 1,412. Compensation is determined by randomly assigned study group and participation in the research procedures. There is no cost to you.

Our study uses a remotely-delivered contingency management intervention to help those who are interested in cutting back on alcohol usage to meet their goals. For those with Android phones who can use our app, the study can be conducted fully remotely. For those without a compatible smartphone, we can provide an Android smartphone for you if you’re able to make it to one of our research facilities in Lexington, KY or Roanoke, VA. We also provide reasonable travel compensation for those coming to our research sites. We’re looking for individuals who:

-Are at least 18 years old

-Use alcohol regularly

-Have an Android phone that is compatible with our treatment app (or can travel to one of our research sites)

-Are a citizen/resident of the United States

Contingency management has been demonstrated as an effective intervention for a variety of different substances and populations and is used by the Veterans Administration to treat alcohol and other substance use (https://news.va.gov/64870/how-va-uses-contingency-management-help-veterans-stay-drug-free/, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6095117/). This approach involves providing some positive outcome for meeting certain criteria. We use these principles while decreasing barriers to treatment for those that might be interested in changing their relationship with alcohol and want to monitor their progress along the way. Daily participation for up to the first three months is about 10 minutes a day. This study is funded by the National Institutes of Health/National Institute of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, and more information about it can be found at clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT03883126

To help determine eligibility for the study, we have a screener that can be found here: SCREEN NOW. We require an initial remote (available for Android users only) or in-person session to conduct an assessment to determine if it appropriate for you to continue the study. Then after a two-week trial phase, you will complete a second session (remote or in-person at your choice) to go over your randomly assigned study group. Participation is completely confidential, and we have secured certificates of confidentiality to further protect your privacy.

If you have questions about our study or our research, feel free to contact us by phone or email:

Email: healthful@uky.edu

Phone: 859-533-2749 (9am-5pm EST, Monday to Friday)

Our Team