|
|||||
|
|
A randomised trial of the effect of appearance versus health-framed messages on engagement with an online brief screening and alcohol reduction intervention |
|
| Authors: | Anna Sallis Sophie Attwood Hugo Harper John Larsen Dan Berry Ivo Vlaev |
| Affiliation: | 1. Behavioural Insights, Public Health England, London, UK;2. Department of Health and Social Care, London, UK;3. The Behavioural Insights Team, London, UK;4. The Drinkaware Trust, London, UK;5. Warwick Business School University of Warwick, Coventry, UK |
| Abstract: | Objectives: To compare the impact of appearance versus health-framed messages on engagement in a brief web-based risk screening and alcohol reduction intervention. Design: Randomised trial delivered via Drinkaware’s website. Visitors were exposed to appearance (n?=?51,588) or health-framed messages (n?=?52,639) directing them towards an AUDIT-C risk screening questionnaire. Users completing this questionnaire were given feedback on their risk level and extended frame-congruent information. Outcomes: The primary outcome is completion of the AUDIT-C questionnaire. The secondary outcome is whether the participant accessed any of four further resources. Results: The appearance-framed message led to a small but significant increase in the number of users completing the AUDIT-C compared to the health-framed message (n?=?3,537, 6.86% versus n?=?3,355, 6.37%, p?n?=?1,146, 2.17% versus n?=?942, 1.83%, p? Conclusions: Physical appearance-framed messages increased the likelihood of engagement with an online alcohol screening and brief intervention tool, whereas health-framed messages increased the likelihood of accessing further resources. This highlights the potential for the use of multi-level approaches in alcohol reduction interventions. |
| Keywords: | Behaviour change health communication alcohol consumption public health AUDIT-C screening and brief interventions (SBI) |