Youth with type 1 diabetes (T1D) use alcohol similar to their healthy peers; prevention is needed. We sought to develop and test competing versions of an intervention targeting alcohol avoidance for youth with T1D in a comparative effectiveness pilot trial. We recruited 138 college students (ages 17-25) with T1D via social media and delivered a brief electronic intervention, with participants randomly assigned to receive identical content narrated either by a peer or provider and evaluated effects on behavior at 2-weeks post-intervention. Of 138 enrolled, 122 completed follow-up; youth were 20.5 years, 80.3% female, 82.8% used a pump, 60.7% a CGM, mean last HbA1c of 7.7, with 85.2% lifetime alcohol use. Both arms saw gains in knowledge, attitudes, and concerns at follow-up (see Table) but those delivered the provider intervention rated their spokesperson as more knowledgeable and trustworthy. All youth reported decreases in binge drinking post intervention (21.3%) compared to prior (35.2%, OR 0.49, 95% CI 0.33-0.73). Changes in binge drinking were partially mediated by concerns about alcohol and T1D. This scalable intervention was successful at affecting knowledge, attitudes/concerns, and binge drinking and could be implemented broadly.
L.E. Wisk: None. E. Nelson: None. K.M. Magane: None. E.R. Weitzman: None.
Boston Children’s Hospital (FP01017994 to L.E.W., E.R.W.); Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (K12HS022986); Conrad N. Hilton Foundation (20140273 to E.R.W.)
