The 131st Annual Meeting (November 15-19, 2003) of APHA

Abstract #65613

Marc Belanger, MA¹, Susan Aromaa, MS¹, and Richard Saitz, MD, MPH². (1) Join Together, Boston University School of Public Health, One Appleton St., Boston, MA 02116, 6174371500, marc@jointogether.org, (2) Section of General Internal Medicine, Boston University School of Medicine and Boston Medical Center, 91 East Concord Street, Suite 200, Boston, MA 02118

According to the health belief model, risky drinkers are more likely to reduce their alcohol consumption or otherwise control their at-risk behavior when they believe the threats are real, there are benefits to changing, and/or the barriers to such changes are lessened. Screenings and brief interventions (SBI), usually performed in person, have been shown to accomplish those goals. Based on this knowledge, but wanting to expand to other communication media, Join Together, a project of Boston University School of Public Health, created a web-based alcohol screening tool - AlcoholScreening.org. After completing the AUDIT questionnaire (originally produced by the World Health Organization), the user receives personalized feedback based upon their self-reported drinking behavior, age and gender. The AUDIT maximum amounts question was supplemented with a more specific response option to allow for specific feedback regarding at-risk per occasion (binge) amounts.

Since 2001, more than 100,000 people have completed the questionnaire and received personalized feedback. The widespread use of this alcohol screening website is partially attributable to several distinct advantages to online screening including anonymity for the user, twenty-four hour availability, automated data collection, and the ability to reach large numbers of Internet users worldwide. There are also unique aspects of conducting screening online: scalability—offering the same tool through multiple outlets simultaneously at very little cost; and syndication—the tool presented through diverse websites with customized interface, content, and feedback.

Learning Objectives:

• At the conclusion of this session, participants will have learned the importance of health communication models in creating public health communication tools; participants will be able to strategize and
• integrate communication of health risks and behavior advice via websites with risk reduction and behavior change as the main goals.
• At the conclusion of this session, participants will be able to identify ways to integrate this particular site into their own website, and assess ways to promote the usage of online screening.

Keywords: Alcohol, Internet Tools

Related Web page: www.alcoholscreening.org

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I have a significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.
Relationship: Employment