Reactions to being allocated to a waiting list control group in a digital alcohol intervention trial

TY - JOUR

T1 - Reactions to being allocated to a waiting list control group in a digital alcohol intervention trial

AU - Gunnarsson, Katarina Ulfsdotter

AU - McCambridge, Jim

AU - Bendtsen, Marcus

N1 - © 2022 The Author(s).

PY - 2023/2/1

Y1 - 2023/2/1

N2 - OBJECTIVE: To study reactions of control group participants allocated to two different presentations of basic health information in a digital alcohol intervention trial.METHOD: Control participants were randomised to wait with one of two different presentations of basic health information. Multiple choice questions and free-text comments assessed reactions, four months post randomisation. Effects of differential health information on responses were estimated, as were associations between responses, baseline characteristics and change in alcohol consumption.RESULT: Of 1066 control group participants, 572 (54%) responded to the questionnaire. Contrasting two different presentations of basic health information revealed no statistically significant differences. Responses revealed that 38% were interested sufficiently to look at the information while 42% felt frustration, irritation, or disappointment about having to wait. Approximately 55% responded that they decided to reduce their drinking whilst 17% stated that they continued to drink as usual, and 11% gave up on the idea of reducing their drinking. The two latter groups reported markedly higher alcohol consumption at follow-up in comparison to the former (probability of association >99.9%).CONCLUSION: Being made to wait may invite negative research participation effects.PRACTICE IMPLICATION: Comparator guidance should be updated to reflect the potentially negative consequences which are under researched.

AB - OBJECTIVE: To study reactions of control group participants allocated to two different presentations of basic health information in a digital alcohol intervention trial.METHOD: Control participants were randomised to wait with one of two different presentations of basic health information. Multiple choice questions and free-text comments assessed reactions, four months post randomisation. Effects of differential health information on responses were estimated, as were associations between responses, baseline characteristics and change in alcohol consumption.RESULT: Of 1066 control group participants, 572 (54%) responded to the questionnaire. Contrasting two different presentations of basic health information revealed no statistically significant differences. Responses revealed that 38% were interested sufficiently to look at the information while 42% felt frustration, irritation, or disappointment about having to wait. Approximately 55% responded that they decided to reduce their drinking whilst 17% stated that they continued to drink as usual, and 11% gave up on the idea of reducing their drinking. The two latter groups reported markedly higher alcohol consumption at follow-up in comparison to the former (probability of association >99.9%).CONCLUSION: Being made to wait may invite negative research participation effects.PRACTICE IMPLICATION: Comparator guidance should be updated to reflect the potentially negative consequences which are under researched.

KW - Humans

KW - Alcohol Drinking/prevention & control

KW - Control Groups

KW - Waiting Lists

KW - Ethanol

KW - Text Messaging

U2 - 10.1016/j.pec.2022.11.014

DO - 10.1016/j.pec.2022.11.014

M3 - Article

C2 - 36442435

SN - 0738-3991

VL - 107

JO - Patient Education and Counseling

JF - Patient Education and Counseling

M1 - 107572

ER -