Online education hubs and chat text messaging to reduce teen binge drinking
Chat-based Text Messaging and Online Education Hubs for Reducing Alcohol Consumption and Binge Drinking in Adolescents: A Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial
This pilot trial will test whether an interactive online information hub plus personalized WhatsApp text messages can help Hong Kong secondary students aged 12–18 who have drunk alcohol in the past year drink less and binge less.
Quick facts
| Phase | Not applicable |
|---|---|
| Study type | Interventional |
| Enrollment | 100 (estimated) |
| Ages | 12 Years to 18 Years |
| Sex | All |
| Sponsor | The University of Hong Kong Academic / other |
| Locations | 2 sites (Hong Kong and 1 other locations) |
| Trial ID | NCT07143565 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
What this trial studies
This pilot randomized trial will recruit Hong Kong residents aged 12–18 who have consumed alcohol in the past 12 months and use WhatsApp, and will randomize participants to receive an interactive online education hub plus chat-based mHealth messages or self-help material. The online hubs deliver alcohol-related information with gamified and engaging content while the WhatsApp messages provide personalized reminders, drinking limits, risk information, psychological support, and alternative activities. Outcomes will focus on changes in overall alcohol consumption and frequency of binge drinking over the follow-up period. Results are intended to inform a larger trial and the potential integration of additional intervention components for adolescent binge drinking prevention.
Who should consider this trial
Good fit: Ideal candidates are Hong Kong residents aged 12–18 who have consumed alcohol in the past 12 months, can read Cantonese/Chinese, and use WhatsApp on their phone.
Not a fit: Those who cannot read Cantonese/Chinese, do not use WhatsApp, have not drunk alcohol in the past year, or are already enrolled in other alcohol control programs are unlikely to benefit from this intervention.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If effective, this approach could help teens cut down on drinking and binge episodes by delivering personalized reminders, risk information, and alternatives through channels they already use.
How similar studies have performed: Similar mHealth and web-based interventions for adolescent substance use have shown modest reductions in drinking in other settings, but combining interactive hubs with chat-based WhatsApp messaging in Hong Kong is relatively novel.
Eligibility criteria
Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria: 1. being a Hong Kong resident aged between 12-18 years; 2. having consumed alcohol in the past 12-month; 3. Using WhatsApp in their cell phone. Exclusion Criteria: 1. cannot communicate in Cantonese or read Chinese; 2. currently using other alcohol control programs.
Where this trial is running
Hong Kong and 1 other locations
- Hong Kong — Hong Kong, Hong Kong (Not_yet_recruiting)
- Hong Kong — Hong Kong, Hong Kong (Recruiting)
Study contacts
- Study coordinator: Derek Yee Tak CHEUNG
- Email: derekcheung@hku.hk
- Phone: +852 39176652
How to participate
- Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
- Visit the official trial page on ClinicalTrials.gov for the most current contact information and recruitment status.
- Contact the listed study coordinator or principal investigator to request pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.