Healthcare wearable intervention cuts alcohol use, boosts sleep

A healthcare wearable-based intervention showed promise in helping young adults reduce their alcohol intake and improve their sleep health, though further research is needed to optimize the intervention, according to a study published in JAMA Network Open.

Excessive alcohol consumption is a concerning trend among young adults aged 18 to 25. The 2023 National Survey on Drug Use and Health shows that 28.7% of this age group reported binge drinking in the past month, and 15.1% met the criteria for alcohol use disorder in the past year. Virtual care interventions have shown efficacy in treating various substance use disorders, including opioid and alcohol addictions.

Yale University researchers created a digital health program called Call it a Night to reduce alcohol risk and improve sleep health among young adults. The two-week program offered participants a sleep biosensor and an alcohol biosensor to assess alcohol consumption and sleep, a smartphone-based diary where participants could record their sleep and drinking habits daily and a web-based module providing sleep health advice. Participants also received personalized feedback from health coaches based on their wearable and smartphone diary data.

Along with researchers from Brown University and the University of Connecticut, the Yale researchers conducted a study to evaluate the program. They conducted the phase 2 randomized clinical trial from December 17, 2018, to May 19, 2021. They included 120 participants, 18 to 25 with sleep concerns, three or more heavy drinking occasions in the past two weeks and a positive Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test risk score. Sixty participants were enrolled in the digital program.

Participants significantly reduced their alcohol intake during the program, with the total number of drinks at week four being 31% higher than that of week 8 and 49% higher than that of week 12.

Additionally, participants who engaged in all aspects of the intervention showed significant improvements in sleep-related impairment, a measure of sleep health. About 30 of the 60 intervention participants received only the web-based sleep health advice, while the rest received the advice plus self-monitoring.

Young adults in the latter group were more than three times more likely to achieve at least a one-level reduction in the World Health Organization drinking risk level compared to those who received only the advice. In exploratory analyses, reducing the drinking risk level was linked to improved sleep health.

Notably, retention and adherence to the digital health program were very high.

"Sleep health was an important focus for engaging young adults," said the study's first author, Lisa Fucito, PhD, associate professor of psychiatry at Yale School of Medicine, in a news release. "Contrary to our expectations, all digital tools were appealing and helpful for reducing drinking. Yet, the coaching and additional personalization from the wearable feedback was important for promoting more clinically meaningful change across behaviors and young adults highly valued this intervention component. I'm especially excited to see the value of providing alcohol wearable feedback for this population."

Researchers highlighted the importance of further research and testing in larger, more diverse samples.

Anuja Vaidya has covered the healthcare industry since 2012. She currently covers the virtual healthcare landscape, including telehealth, remote patient monitoring and digital therapeutics.