Telehealth interventions for alcohol use disorder: A systematic review

Abstract

Alcohol use disorder (AUD) is a worldwide problem for individuals of varying ages and backgrounds and is associated with the underlying cause of alcoholic liver disease, liver cirrhosis, liver cancer, or many other common diseases and health conditions. Existing treatments such as cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) have been demonstrated as an evidence-based treatment to aid individuals struggling with AUD. However, these treatments have excessive costs and time demand with trained experts. In this paper, we examine the efficacy and long-term impacts of digitally delivered CBT and other online telehealth tools and apps for AUD patients. Results show the effectiveness in the ability of digitally delivered CBT to decrease alcohol use in AUD patients. The additional use of online technologies and smartphone apps for post-CBT care demonstrates that such computer-aided apps could have long-term effects when it is continually employed, which opens the door for AUD patients who were not seeking treatment elsewhere. Further longitudinal examination research is needed to evaluate the lasting effects in liver health and other chronic diseases associated with digitally delivered alcohol reduction for AUD patients.