At-risk drinking is common among diabetic patients and is associated with inferior diabetes treatment adherence and outcomes. While methods for reducing alcohol use in this population have been largely unexplored to date, brief interventions to reduce at-risk drinking have been well-validated in other patient populations and offer the promise to reduce at-risk drinking among diabetic patients, resulting in improved diabetes treatment adherence and outcomes. We hypothesize that adding a brief alcohol intervention to standard diabetes treatment, relative to general health education, will reduce overall drinking volume and heavy drinking days among diabetic patients who are at-risk drinkers. Furthermore, we expect participants who receive the brief alcohol intervention to have better diabetes treatment adherence and outcomes than the participants receiving general health education. We also expect that reduced alcohol consumption will mediate the effect of the brief alcohol intervention on diabetes treatment adherence and outcomes. In addition, we will explore potential treatment mechanisms. The proposed study is a randomized, two-group design with repeated measures over time, comparing a brief nurse-delivered alcohol intervention plus standard diabetes treatment to general health education. For this study, we will recruit a sample of 240 Type 2 diabetic patients from a large, urban primary care clinic. To be eligible for the study, patients must report at-risk drinking and poor diabetes treatment adherence. This study holds the promise of establishing an efficacious intervention approach for Type 2 diabetic patients who are at-risk drinkers and are likely to maintain poor diabetes treatment adherence and outcomes in the absence of a change in their drinking behavior, resulting in increased diabetes-related morbidity and mortality. The intervention proposed in this study represents a novel approach to reducing at-risk drinking among diabetic patients that, if efficacious, can be readily integrated into the treatment of diabetes in a variety of treatment settings. In addition, this study will provide valuable information regarding the relationship between alcohol use and diabetes treatment adherence and outcomes and about the mechanisms of change in alcohol use among Type 2 diabetic patients who are at-risk drinkers.

Public Health Relevance

The proposed study is designed to test an intervention to reduce at-risk drinking among Type 2 diabetic patients. At-risk drinking is associated with inferior diabetes treatment adherence and control. If successful, this intervention could help diabetics to gain better control of their diabetes and live healthier lives.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA)
Type
Research Project (R01)
Project #
1R01AA017418-01A1
Application #
7649883
Study Section
Health Services Research Review Subcommittee (AA)
Program Officer
Roach, Deidra
Project Start
2009-04-15
Project End
2014-03-31
Budget Start
2009-04-15
Budget End
2010-03-31
Support Year
1
Fiscal Year
2009
Total Cost
$434,887
Indirect Cost
Name
Rhode Island Hospital
Department
Type
DUNS #
075710996
City
Providence
State
RI
Country
United States
Zip Code
02903
Engler, Patricia A; Ramsey, Susan E; Smith, Robert J (2013) Alcohol use of diabetes patients: the need for assessment and intervention. Acta Diabetol 50:93-9
Engler, Patricia A; Ramsey, Susan E (2011) Diabetes and alcohol use: detecting at-risk drinking. J Fam Pract 60:E1-6
Ramsey, Susan E; Engler, Patricia A; Harrington, Magdalena et al. (2010) Brief Alcohol Intervention Among At-Risk Drinkers with Diabetes. Subst Abuse 4:1-8