Citation

Ulfsdotter Gunnarsson K, Henriksson M, Bendtsen M. J. Med. Internet. Res. 2024; 26: e44574.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2024, Centre for Global eHealth Innovation)

DOI

10.2196/44574

PMID

38536228

Abstract

Alcohol consumption causes both physical and psychological harm and is a leading risk factor for noncommunicable diseases. Digital alcohol interventions have been found to support those looking for help by giving them tools for change. However, whether digital interventions can help tackle the long-term societal consequences of harmful alcohol consumption in a cost-effective manner has not been adequately evaluated. In this Viewpoint, we propose that studies of digital alcohol interventions rarely evaluate the consequences of wider dissemination of the intervention under study, and that when they do, they do not take advantage of modeling techniques that allow for appropriately studying consequences over a longer time horizon than the study period when the intervention is tested. We argue that to help decision-makers to prioritize resources for research and dissemination, it is important to model long-term costs and health outcomes. Further, this type of modeling gives important insights into the context in which interventions are studied and highlights where more research is required and where sufficient evidence is available. The viewpoint therefore invites the researcher not only to reflect on which interventions to study but also how to evaluate their long-term consequences.

Language: en

Keywords

*Alcoholism; *Noncommunicable Diseases; alcohol; Alcohol Drinking; decision-making; digital intervention; eHealth; Ethanol; health economics; Humans; Outcome Assessment, Health Care; psychological harm; telemedicine