Chau Siu Long, Wong Yiu Cheong, Zeng Ying Pei, Lee Jung Jae, Wang Man Ping
School of Nursing, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, Hong Kong.
JMIR Form Res. 2023 Feb 27;7:e40207. doi: 10.2196/40207.
Mobile instant messaging (IM) apps (eg, WhatsApp and WeChat) have been widely used by the general population and are more interactive than text-based programs (SMS text messaging) to modify unhealthy lifestyles. Little is known about IM app use for health promotion, including alcohol reduction for university students.
This study aims to explore university student drinkers' perceptions of using IM apps for alcohol reduction as they had high alcohol exposure (eg, drinking invitations from peers and alcohol promotion on campus) and the proportion of IM app use in Hong Kong.
A qualitative study was conducted with 20 Hong Kong Chinese university students (current drinkers) with Alcohol Use Disorder Identification test scores of ≥8 recruited using purposive sampling. Semistructured individual interviews were conducted from September to October 2019. Interview questions focused on drinking behaviors, quitting history, opinions toward IM app use as an intervention tool, perceived usefulness of IM apps for alcohol reduction, and opinions on the content and design of IM apps for alcohol reduction. Each interview lasted approximately 1 hour. All interviews were audio-taped and transcribed verbatim. Two researchers independently analyzed the transcripts using thematic analysis with an additional investigator to verify the consistency of the coding.
Participants considered IM apps a feasible and acceptable platform for alcohol reduction intervention. They preferred to receive IMs based on personalized problem-solving and drinking consequences with credible sources. Other perceived important components of instant messages included providing psychosocial support in time and setting goals with participants to reduce drinking. They further provided suggestions on the designs of IM interventions, in which they preferred simple and concise messages, chat styles based on participants' preferences (eg, adding personalized emojis and stickers in the chat), and peers as counselors.
Qualitative interviews with Chinese university student drinkers showed high acceptability, engagement, and perceived utility of IM apps for alcohol reduction intervention. IM intervention can be an alternative for alcohol reduction intervention apart from traditional text-based programs. The study has implications for developing the IM intervention for other unhealthy behaviors and highlights important topics that warrant future research, including substance use and physical inactivity.
ClinicalTrials.gov NCT04025151; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04025151?term=NCT04025151.
移动即时通讯（IM）应用程序（如WhatsApp和微信）已被广大民众广泛使用，并且在改变不健康生活方式方面比基于文本的程序（短信）更具互动性。关于IM应用程序在促进健康方面的使用情况，包括减少大学生饮酒，人们了解甚少。
本研究旨在探讨大学生饮酒者对使用IM应用程序减少饮酒的看法，因为他们面临较高的酒精暴露风险（如同伴的饮酒邀请和校园内的酒精促销活动），并了解香港IM应用程序的使用比例。
采用目的抽样法，对20名香港中文大学生（当前饮酒者）进行了定性研究，这些学生的酒精使用障碍识别测试得分≥8。于2019年9月至10月进行了半结构化的个人访谈。访谈问题集中在饮酒行为、戒酒历史、对使用IM应用程序作为干预工具的看法、IM应用程序对减少饮酒的感知有用性，以及对减少饮酒的IM应用程序的内容和设计的看法。每次访谈持续约1小时。所有访谈均进行了录音并逐字转录。两名研究人员使用主题分析法独立分析转录本，另有一名调查员核实编码的一致性。
参与者认为IM应用程序是减少饮酒干预的可行且可接受的平台。他们更喜欢接收基于个性化问题解决和饮酒后果且来源可靠的即时消息。即时消息中其他被认为重要的部分包括及时提供心理社会支持以及与参与者设定减少饮酒的目标。他们还对IM干预的设计提出了建议，其中他们更喜欢简单明了的消息、基于参与者偏好的聊天风格（如在聊天中添加个性化表情符号和贴纸）以及同伴担任顾问。
对中国大学生饮酒者的定性访谈表明，IM应用程序在减少饮酒干预方面具有较高的可接受性、参与度和感知效用。IM干预可以成为除传统基于文本的程序之外减少饮酒干预的一种替代方式。该研究对开发针对其他不健康行为的IM干预具有启示意义，并突出了值得未来研究的重要课题，包括物质使用和身体活动不足。
ClinicalTrials.gov NCT04025151；https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04025151?term=NCT04025151
