The Variability of Outcomes Used in Efficacy and Effectiveness Trials of Alcohol Brief Interventions: A Systematic Review

Gillian W Shorter; Jeremy W Bray; Emma L Giles; Amy J O'Donnell; Anne H Berman; Aisha Holloway; Nick Heather; Carolina Barbosa; Kelly J Stockdale; Stephanie J Scott; Mike Clarke; Dorothy Newbury-Birch

doi:10.15288/jsad.2019.80.286

The Variability of Outcomes Used in Efficacy and Effectiveness Trials of Alcohol Brief Interventions: A Systematic Review

Gillian W Shorter, Jeremy W Bray, Emma L Giles, Amy J O'Donnell, Anne H Berman, Aisha Holloway, Nick Heather, Carolina Barbosa, Kelly J Stockdale, Stephanie J Scott, Mike Clarke, Dorothy Newbury-Birch

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

27 Citations (Scopus)

166 Downloads (Pure)

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to characterize recent alcohol brief intervention (ABI) efficacy and effectiveness trials, summarize outcomes, and show how variability in outcomes and reporting compromises the evidence base.

METHOD: A systematic review and narrative synthesis of articles from 10 databases were undertaken (January 2000-November 2017); study selection represented recent, readily available publications. The National Institute of Care Excellence (NICE) Public Health Guideline 24 (Alcohol use disorders: prevention) informed ABI definitions. The review was conducted using Centre for Reviews and Dissemination (CRD) guidance and pre-registered on PROSPERO (CRD42016047185). Seven a priori specified domains were used to classify outcomes: biomarkers, alcohol-related outcomes, economic factors/resource use, health measures, life impact, intervention factors, and psychological/behavioral factors.

RESULTS: The search identified 405 trials from 401 eligible papers. In 405 trials, 2,641 separate outcomes were measured in approximately 1,560 different ways. The most common outcomes used were the number of drinks consumed in a week and frequency of heavy episodic drinking. Biomarkers were least frequently used. The most common primary outcome was weekly drinks. By trial type, the most frequent outcome in efficacy and effectiveness trials was frequency of heavy drinking.

CONCLUSIONS: Consumption outcomes predominated; however, no single outcome was found in all trials. This comprehensive outcome map and methodological detail on ABI effectiveness and efficacy trials can aid decision making in future trials. There was a diversity of instruments, time points, and outcome descriptions in methods and results sections. Compliance with reporting guidance would support data synthesis and improve trial quality. This review establishes the need for a core outcome set (COS)/minimum data standard and supports the Outcome Reporting in Brief Interventions: Alcohol initiative (ORBITAL) to improve standards in the ABI field through a COS for effectiveness and efficacy randomized trials.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	286-298
Journal	Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs
Volume	80
Issue number	3
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.15288/jsad.2019.80.286
Publication status	Published - 30 Jun 2019

Keywords

alcohol brief intervention
brief intervention
systematic review
outcomes
measurement
core outcome sets
COMET Initiative

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

Access to Document

10.15288/jsad.2019.80.286Licence: CC BY

The Variability of Outcomes Used in Efficacy and Effectiveness Trials of Alcohol Brief Interventions: A Systematic Review
Copyright 2019 the authors. This is an open access article published under a Creative Commons Attribution License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium, provided the author and source are cited.
Final published version, 1.01 MBLicence: CC BY

1 Invited or keynote talk at national or international conference

A Core Outcome Set for Efficacy and Effectiveness brief intervention trials: what are the implications for eHealth and mHealth (International Conference; Lubeck, Germany)
Shorter, G. (Keynote speaker)
26 Sept 2020
Activity: Talk or presentation types › Invited or keynote talk at national or international conference

Highest cited paper in 2019: The Variability of Outcomes Used in Efficacy and Effectiveness Trials of Alcohol Brief Interventions: A Systematic Review
Shorter, G. (Recipient), 04 May 2021
Prize: National/international honour

Drinking in lockdown: Why are we drinking more and how can we cut back? (BBC Radio Scotland; National Radio)
Shorter, G.
23/04/2021
1 Media contribution
Press/Media: Expert Comment
On "Mornings with Stephen Jardine" - phone in to discuss alcohol consumption and COVID-19 and an increase in alcohol sales in Scotland (BBC Radio Scotland: National Radio)
Shorter, G.
14/10/2020
1 Media contribution
Press/Media: Expert Comment

27 Citations
1 Commissioned report
1 Article
1 Protocol

Measuring change from alcohol brief interventions: development of an international consensus core outcome set: full report
Shorter, G. W., Heather, N., Bray, J. W., Berman, A. H., Giles, E. L., Clarke, M., Barbosa, C., O'Donnell, A. J., Holloway, A. & Newbury-Birch, D., 03 Jan 2023, Alcohol Change UK. 65 p.
Research output: Book/Report › Commissioned report

Open Access
File
The “Outcome Reporting in Brief Intervention Trials: Alcohol” (ORBITAL) Core Outcome Set: International Consensus on Outcomes to Measure in Efficacy and Effectiveness Trials of Alcohol Brief Interventions
Shorter, G. W., Bray, J. W., Heather, N., Berman, A. H., Giles, E. L., Clarke, M., Barbosa, C., O'Donnell, A. J., Holloway, A., Riper, H., Daeppen, J.-B., Monteiro, M. G., Saitz, R., McNeely, J., McKnight-Eily, L., Cowell, A., Toner, P. & Newbury-Birch, D., 19 Sept 2021, In: Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs. 82, 5, p. 638-646 9 p.
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Open Access
File
28 Citations (Scopus)

135 Downloads (Pure)
Systematic review to identify and appraise outcome measures and domains used in trials evaluating alcohol screening and brief interventions: the Outcome Reporting in Brief Intervention Trials: Alcohol (ORBITAL) project review: Prospero Registration
Shorter, G., Newbury-Birch, D., Heather, N., Giles, E. L., Holloway, A., Bray, J. W., Berman, A. H., Barbosa, C., O'Donnell, A. J., Scott, S. J., Stockdale, K. J. & Clarke, M., 20 Sept 2016, Online : PROSPERO.
Research output: Other contribution › Protocol › peer-review

Open Access

Cite this

Shorter, G. W., Bray, J. W., Giles, E. L., O'Donnell, A. J., Berman, A. H., Holloway, A., Heather, N., Barbosa, C., Stockdale, K. J., Scott, S. J., Clarke, M., & Newbury-Birch, D. (2019). The Variability of Outcomes Used in Efficacy and Effectiveness Trials of Alcohol Brief Interventions: A Systematic Review. Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs, 80(3), 286-298. https://doi.org/10.15288/jsad.2019.80.286

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abstract = "OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to characterize recent alcohol brief intervention (ABI) efficacy and effectiveness trials, summarize outcomes, and show how variability in outcomes and reporting compromises the evidence base.METHOD: A systematic review and narrative synthesis of articles from 10 databases were undertaken (January 2000-November 2017); study selection represented recent, readily available publications. The National Institute of Care Excellence (NICE) Public Health Guideline 24 (Alcohol use disorders: prevention) informed ABI definitions. The review was conducted using Centre for Reviews and Dissemination (CRD) guidance and pre-registered on PROSPERO (CRD42016047185). Seven a priori specified domains were used to classify outcomes: biomarkers, alcohol-related outcomes, economic factors/resource use, health measures, life impact, intervention factors, and psychological/behavioral factors.RESULTS: The search identified 405 trials from 401 eligible papers. In 405 trials, 2,641 separate outcomes were measured in approximately 1,560 different ways. The most common outcomes used were the number of drinks consumed in a week and frequency of heavy episodic drinking. Biomarkers were least frequently used. The most common primary outcome was weekly drinks. By trial type, the most frequent outcome in efficacy and effectiveness trials was frequency of heavy drinking.CONCLUSIONS: Consumption outcomes predominated; however, no single outcome was found in all trials. This comprehensive outcome map and methodological detail on ABI effectiveness and efficacy trials can aid decision making in future trials. There was a diversity of instruments, time points, and outcome descriptions in methods and results sections. Compliance with reporting guidance would support data synthesis and improve trial quality. This review establishes the need for a core outcome set (COS)/minimum data standard and supports the Outcome Reporting in Brief Interventions: Alcohol initiative (ORBITAL) to improve standards in the ABI field through a COS for effectiveness and efficacy randomized trials.",

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Shorter, GW, Bray, JW, Giles, EL, O'Donnell, AJ, Berman, AH, Holloway, A, Heather, N, Barbosa, C, Stockdale, KJ, Scott, SJ, Clarke, M & Newbury-Birch, D 2019, 'The Variability of Outcomes Used in Efficacy and Effectiveness Trials of Alcohol Brief Interventions: A Systematic Review', Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs, vol. 80, no. 3, pp. 286-298. https://doi.org/10.15288/jsad.2019.80.286

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N2 - OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to characterize recent alcohol brief intervention (ABI) efficacy and effectiveness trials, summarize outcomes, and show how variability in outcomes and reporting compromises the evidence base.METHOD: A systematic review and narrative synthesis of articles from 10 databases were undertaken (January 2000-November 2017); study selection represented recent, readily available publications. The National Institute of Care Excellence (NICE) Public Health Guideline 24 (Alcohol use disorders: prevention) informed ABI definitions. The review was conducted using Centre for Reviews and Dissemination (CRD) guidance and pre-registered on PROSPERO (CRD42016047185). Seven a priori specified domains were used to classify outcomes: biomarkers, alcohol-related outcomes, economic factors/resource use, health measures, life impact, intervention factors, and psychological/behavioral factors.RESULTS: The search identified 405 trials from 401 eligible papers. In 405 trials, 2,641 separate outcomes were measured in approximately 1,560 different ways. The most common outcomes used were the number of drinks consumed in a week and frequency of heavy episodic drinking. Biomarkers were least frequently used. The most common primary outcome was weekly drinks. By trial type, the most frequent outcome in efficacy and effectiveness trials was frequency of heavy drinking.CONCLUSIONS: Consumption outcomes predominated; however, no single outcome was found in all trials. This comprehensive outcome map and methodological detail on ABI effectiveness and efficacy trials can aid decision making in future trials. There was a diversity of instruments, time points, and outcome descriptions in methods and results sections. Compliance with reporting guidance would support data synthesis and improve trial quality. This review establishes the need for a core outcome set (COS)/minimum data standard and supports the Outcome Reporting in Brief Interventions: Alcohol initiative (ORBITAL) to improve standards in the ABI field through a COS for effectiveness and efficacy randomized trials.

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The Variability of Outcomes Used in Efficacy and Effectiveness Trials of Alcohol Brief Interventions: A Systematic Review

Abstract

Keywords

UN SDGs

Access to Document

Fingerprint

Activities

A Core Outcome Set for Efficacy and Effectiveness brief intervention trials: what are the implications for eHealth and mHealth (International Conference; Lubeck, Germany)

Prizes

Highest cited paper in 2019: The Variability of Outcomes Used in Efficacy and Effectiveness Trials of Alcohol Brief Interventions: A Systematic Review

Press/Media

Drinking in lockdown: Why are we drinking more and how can we cut back? (BBC Radio Scotland; National Radio)

On "Mornings with Stephen Jardine" - phone in to discuss alcohol consumption and COVID-19 and an increase in alcohol sales in Scotland (BBC Radio Scotland: National Radio)

Research output

Measuring change from alcohol brief interventions: development of an international consensus core outcome set: full report

The “Outcome Reporting in Brief Intervention Trials: Alcohol” (ORBITAL) Core Outcome Set: International Consensus on Outcomes to Measure in Efficacy and Effectiveness Trials of Alcohol Brief Interventions

Systematic review to identify and appraise outcome measures and domains used in trials evaluating alcohol screening and brief interventions: the Outcome Reporting in Brief Intervention Trials: Alcohol (ORBITAL) project review: Prospero Registration

Cite this