Pilot of a telehealth brief alcohol intervention for college students at a Hispanic Serving Institution

Abstract

ObjectiveWhile college can be a period of exploration, it is also marked by risky alcohol use. Brief alcohol screening and intervention for college students (BASICS) has yet to be used in the telehealth platform among minority students. This study assesses the short-term outcomes of a pilot telehealth brief alcohol abuse intervention for students attending a Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI). Participants: One hundred and fifty-two students attending a large public university participated. MethodsStudents participated in a BASICS-adapted telehealth brief intervention with a certified alcohol counselor. Baseline and 30-day follow-up surveys were completed electronically. ResultsThere were significant changes in drinking behaviors at 30-day follow-up after participating in the telehealth pilot among high-risk drinkers. ConclusionTelehealth interventions are accessible and convenient for students at a HSI, and brief alcohol interventions adapted from BASICS utilizing telehealth can significantly impact alcohol use behaviors.

Keywords:

• Alcohol
• brief intervention
• college students
• telehealth

Acknowledgments

The authors thank Tarzana Treatment Centers, who made it possible to implement the telehealth pilot program at the university. The authors also thank CSUN students Gabriella Galdamez Nguyen, Cynthia Riggall, and Edith Gomez for their assistance in implementing this study.

Conflict of interest disclosure

The authors have no conflicts of interest to report. The authors confirm that the research presented in this article met the ethical guidelines, including adherence to the legal requirements, of the United States and received approval from the Institutional Review Board of California State University, Northridge.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by funding from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Servicse Administration (SAMHSA) under Grant SP20199.