Online Education Hubs and Chat-based Text Messaging for Reducing Alcohol Consumption and Binge Drinking in Adolescents: A Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial

NCT ID: NCT07143565

Last Updated: 2026-01-05

Study Results

Results pending

The study team has not published outcome measurements, participant flow, or safety data for this trial yet. Check back later for updates.

Basic Information

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Recruitment Status

RECRUITING

Clinical Phase

NA

Total Enrollment

100 participants

Study Classification

INTERVENTIONAL

Study Start Date

2025-11-28

Study Completion Date

2026-05-31

Brief Summary

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Online education hubs and Chat-based text messaging for reducing alcohol consumption and binge drinking in adolescents: A pilot randomized controlled trial

Detailed Description

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It is urged to alleviate the problem before it become worse. Department of Health in Hong Kong developed 3 information hubs (Alcohol Fails, Young and Alcohol Free and Understanding Alcohol Harm) to distribute alcohol-related messages, such as binge drinking. Yet, it lacks interactive and individualized elements, which makes it difficult to attract secondary school students to search for information. Our previous research also reveals that more than 80% of the respondents are willing to receive message reminders for controlling or avoiding binge drinking. They also suggest that those messages should include drinking limits, health risks, psychological support, and alternative activities. It proves that an interactive and personalized intervention package should be included in secondary school in terms of binge drinking prevention. This could be a research gap to investigate in this project.

We expect that this study result would demonstrate the main effects of the interventions, including mHealth text messaging, and online platform hub. By analyzing those intervention results, we could deeply understand the effective methods to lower the risk of young adult binge drinking phenomenon. We could provide more precise interventions to secondary school students. This study will also prepare for future RCTs to explore the possibility on the integration of other intervention components or factors for binge drinking prevention research. In the long run, the proportion of binge drinking in population and young-aged will be lowered. Department of Health or other future research could implement this intervention as a fundamental to enhance the effectiveness of the alcohol control intervention.

A pilot 2-arm, parallel, open-labelled randomized controlled trial randomly allocated participants (1:1 ratio) to intervention and control groups. The intervention group has 2 intervention components: (1) Online information hub (compulsory: game), (2) mHealth text messaging at last to people who needed (Audit score \>7). The control group will receive self-help materials during the same period. The sample size is 100 participants (50 for each group).

100 ever-drinkers will be recruited from the secondary schools through online and offline. Study information will be disseminated via online advertisements, mass emails, and in-person interactions at schools in various districts, including New Territories, Kowloon, and Hong Kong Island. Interested participants can enroll by completing an online application form using Qualtrics or Google form).

During offline recruitment sessions, staff will approach secondary school students and their parents (if the participants are under 18 years old) to obtain consent and have them complete a baseline questionnaire for further contact and intervention delivery.

Conditions

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Teen Drinking

Study Design

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Allocation Method

RANDOMIZED

Intervention Model

PARALLEL

2-arm: Intervention group and Control group
Primary Study Purpose

PREVENTION

Blinding Strategy

NONE

open-labelled RCT

Study Groups

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Intervention group

The treatment package includes both optional and mandatory treatments. The mandatory treatments consist of mHealth text messaging and an online platform hub.

Group Type EXPERIMENTAL

Online platform hub and mHealth Text Messaging

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

The treatment package includes both optional and mandatory treatments. The mandatory treatments consist of mHealth text messaging and an online platform hub. We have developed a game which educates teenagers about alcohol reduction and promotes awareness of alcohol-related harm. Designed to be both engaging and informative, the game uses real-life scenarios, interactive storytelling, and decision-based gameplay to help young people understand the risks of excessive drinking. Also, participants with Audit Score \> 7 will receive individualized chat-based instant text messages from WhatsApp for 8 weeks. They will have real-time and one-to-one interaction. The conversation intensity depends on the participants' need.

Control Group

The control group will be provided a self-help material like leaflet for alcohol reduction, which involves education on alcohol harm and strategies for alcohol reduction.

Group Type ACTIVE_COMPARATOR

Self-help material

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Self-help material like leaflet is a common method used in preventing teenage Drinking.

Interventions

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Online platform hub and mHealth Text Messaging

The treatment package includes both optional and mandatory treatments. The mandatory treatments consist of mHealth text messaging and an online platform hub. We have developed a game which educates teenagers about alcohol reduction and promotes awareness of alcohol-related harm. Designed to be both engaging and informative, the game uses real-life scenarios, interactive storytelling, and decision-based gameplay to help young people understand the risks of excessive drinking. Also, participants with Audit Score \> 7 will receive individualized chat-based instant text messages from WhatsApp for 8 weeks. They will have real-time and one-to-one interaction. The conversation intensity depends on the participants' need.

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Self-help material

Self-help material like leaflet is a common method used in preventing teenage Drinking.

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Eligibility Criteria

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Inclusion Criteria

1. being a Hong Kong resident aged between 12-18 years;
2. having consumed alcohol in the past 12-month;
3. Using WhatsApp in their cell phone.

Exclusion Criteria

1. cannot communicate in Cantonese or read Chinese;
2. currently using other alcohol control programs.
Minimum Eligible Age

12 Years

Maximum Eligible Age

18 Years

Eligible Sex

ALL

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Sponsors

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The University of Hong Kong

OTHER

Sponsor Role lead

Responsible Party

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Dr. Derek Yee-Tak Cheung

Assistant Professor

Responsibility Role PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Locations

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Hong Kong

Hong Kong, , Hong Kong

Site Status NOT_YET_RECRUITING

Hong Kong

Hong Kong, , Hong Kong

Site Status RECRUITING

Countries

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Hong Kong

Central Contacts

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Derek Yee Tak CHEUNG

Role: CONTACT

+852 39176652

Facility Contacts

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Derek Yee Tak CHEUNG

Role: primary

Derek Yee Tak CHEUNG, phd

Role: primary

+852 3917 6652

References

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Garnett CV, Crane D, Brown J, Kaner EFS, Beyer FR, Muirhead CR, Hickman M, Beard E, Redmore J, de Vocht F, Michie S. Behavior Change Techniques Used in Digital Behavior Change Interventions to Reduce Excessive Alcohol Consumption: A Meta-regression. Ann Behav Med. 2018 May 18;52(6):530-543. doi: 10.1093/abm/kax029.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 29788261 (View on PubMed)

Wang H, Hu R, Zhong J, Du H, Fiona B, Wang M, Yu M. Binge drinking and associated factors among school students: a cross-sectional study in Zhejiang Province, China. BMJ Open. 2018 Apr 12;8(4):e021077. doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2017-021077.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 29654047 (View on PubMed)

Ho DSY, Huang R, Wang MP, Lo WS, Lam TH. Adolescent alcohol drinking in Hong Kong: a school-based survey. Hong Kong Med J. 2019 Feb;25 Suppl 3(1):13-15. No abstract available.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 30792366 (View on PubMed)

Silveri MM. Adolescent brain development and underage drinking in the United States: identifying risks of alcohol use in college populations. Harv Rev Psychiatry. 2012 Jul-Aug;20(4):189-200. doi: 10.3109/10673229.2012.714642.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 22894728 (View on PubMed)

Hunt WA. Are binge drinkers more at risk of developing brain damage? Alcohol. 1993 Nov-Dec;10(6):559-61. doi: 10.1016/0741-8329(93)90083-z.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 8123218 (View on PubMed)

Zeigler DW, Wang CC, Yoast RA, Dickinson BD, McCaffree MA, Robinowitz CB, Sterling ML; Council on Scientific Affairs, American Medical Association. The neurocognitive effects of alcohol on adolescents and college students. Prev Med. 2005 Jan;40(1):23-32. doi: 10.1016/j.ypmed.2004.04.044.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 15530577 (View on PubMed)

Paljarvi T, Koskenvuo M, Poikolainen K, Kauhanen J, Sillanmaki L, Makela P. Binge drinking and depressive symptoms: a 5-year population-based cohort study. Addiction. 2009 Jul;104(7):1168-78. doi: 10.1111/j.1360-0443.2009.02577.x. Epub 2009 May 11.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 19438420 (View on PubMed)

Dahl RE. Adolescent brain development: a period of vulnerabilities and opportunities. Keynote address. Ann N Y Acad Sci. 2004 Jun;1021:1-22. doi: 10.1196/annals.1308.001.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 15251869 (View on PubMed)

Knight JR, Sherritt L, Harris SK, Gates EC, Chang G. Validity of brief alcohol screening tests among adolescents: a comparison of the AUDIT, POSIT, CAGE, and CRAFFT. Alcohol Clin Exp Res. 2003 Jan;27(1):67-73. doi: 10.1097/01.ALC.0000046598.59317.3A.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 12544008 (View on PubMed)

Other Identifiers

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knowledgehub

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id

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