A Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial of an Internet-Based Alcohol Intervention in a Workplace Setting Håvar Brendryen 1 & Ayna Johansen 1 & Fanny Duckert 1 & Sverre Nesvåg 1,2 # International Society of Behavioral Medicine 2017 Abstract Purpose The aim of this study was to compare the effective- ness of a brief and an intensive self-help alcohol intervention and to assess the feasibility of recruiting to such interventions in a workplace setting. Method Employees who screened positive for hazardous drinking (n = 85) received online personalized normative feedback and were randomly assigned to one out of two con- ditions: either they received an e-booklet about the effects of alcohol or they received a self-help intervention comprising 62 web-based, fully automated, and interactive sessions, plus reminder e-mails, and mobile phone text messages (Short Message Service). Results Two months after baseline, the responders in the in- tensive condition drank an average of five to six drinks less per week compared to the responders in the brief condition (B = 5.68, 95% CI = 0.48–10.87, P = .03). There was no significant difference between conditions, using baseline ob- servation carried forward imputation ( B = 2.96, 95% CI = -0.50–6.42, P = .09). Six months after baseline, no significant difference was found, neither based on complete cases nor intent-to-treat (B = 1.07, 95% CI = -1.29–3.44, P = .37). Challenges with recruitment are thoroughly reported. Conclusion The study supports the feasibility and the safety of use for both brief and intensive Internet-based self-help in an occupational setting. The study may inform future trials, but due to recruitment problems and low statistical power, the findings are inconclusive in terms of the intensive program being more effective than brief intervention alone. Trial Registration ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT01931618 Keywords Alcohol early intervention . Online . Behavior change intervention Introduction Alcohol remains one of the leading risk factors for ill health and premature death, and has large negative socioeconomic consequences [1, 2]. The majority of the alcohol-related harm and cost are not attributable to drinkers with severe alcohol dependence, but to the much larger group of people drinking at medium levels [3, 4]. Around half of all socioeconomic alcohol expenses are attributable to productivity loss within the workplace [1, 5, 6], including absenteeism and reduced job performance [7, 8]. Those with moderate drinking problems are typically not treated. Nonetheless, they tend to be employed. The workplace therefore has considerable potential as a venue for alcohol prevention and cessation programs [9, 10]. A general lack of infrastructure and support for such programs has prevented their broad acceptance [11], making alternative strategies to reach employees of great value. Increased availability of computers, smartphones, and the Internet may channel future release of the workplace alcohol intervention potential. The Internet offers the possibility of replicable, upgrade- able, and definable intervention processes that take advantage of the typical access to the Internet available through profes- sional employment. There is also a higher reach to lower cost, 24/7 availability, convenience, and anonymity that face-to- * Håvar Brendryen haavabre@medisin.uio.no 1 The Norwegian Centre for Addiction Research, Institute of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Oslo, Postboks 1039 Blindern, 0315 Oslo, Norway 2 Alcohol and Drug Research Western Norway, Stavanger University Hospital, Stavanger, Norway Int.J. Behav. Med. DOI 10.1007/s12529-017-9665-0