Kræftens Bekæmpelses’ Prevention Lab project has funded a new project that I am engaged in with the Municipality of Vejle. It is about how we can use digital self-assessment of alcohol-use as a prevention tool.
A problematic high alcohol-use is the cause of many social and health issues today. Among those are a number of cancer types. Normally, prevention of alcohol-use has been rather heavy involving health professionals. This is of course the right way to do it when the alcohol-use has reached certain (high) levels. However, the professional health system does not always encounter the group of citizens that have a too high, yet not critical, alcohol-use, and therefore many prevention interventions do not reach them. Also, alcohol-use is often considered taboo, and it can be a barrier for many citizen to admit an alcohol-use problem.
Therefore, we plan to meet the citizens where they are with a light-touch, digital intervention. Placing QR codes at places where the citizens are (the doctor, libraries, reuse stations, etc.) that link to a brief alcohol test, we hope to create a safe space where citizens can reflect about their own alcohol use. They will receive feedback on their alcohol use and also guidance as to where to get professional help and/or information beased on the test result.
I am especially looking forward to see, what kind of citizens actually want to take an alcohol test, and where in the many spaces that citizens and government interact we can meet those that we rarely meet. Also, we will look at how the test result and feedback affects citizens’ own views about themselves, for example their motivation to change habits and their general health.
With an already great cooperation with the Municipality of Vejle, I think this will turn out great!
More about our project (in Danish): Digitale selvtests skal forebygge skadeligt alkoholforbrug – vive.dk
The assessment effect: Can Simply Answering Research Questions Change Behaviour? Systematic Review and Meta Analyses of Brief Alcohol Intervention Trials
