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Smartphone Web App for DWI Offenders and Families

Smartphone Web App for DWI Offenders and Families

Driving while intoxicated (DWI) results in significant morbidity and mortality. The use of vehicle ignition interlock devices decreases the risk of drinking and driving while installed, but DWI rates increase after the devices are removed. Dr. W. Gill Woodall, Klein Buendel Senior Scientist, and his research collaborators have developed and tested the B-SMART smartphone web app to continue to support offenders and their concerned family members after their ignition interlock devices have been removed. They have published their methods and results of usability testing online in the Journal of Substance Use and Addiction Treatment.

Formative data collection for app development occurred in two phases. Phase 1 included key informant interviews with DWI offenders and concerned family members, development of one app module, and usability testing. Phase 2 included focus groups with DWI offenders and concerned family members, development of three more app modules, and usability testing. The Bangor System Usability Scale was used to rate app usability and satisfaction.

Results of key informant interviews and focus groups indicated that offenders and family members lacked information and were frustrated by the ignition interlock device, experienced financial burden from the DWI and the device, viewed supportive communication and positive shared activities as important, and were positive about the app. The four modules developed were Life with Interlock, Supporting Changes in Drinking, Doing Things Together, and Effective Communication. Each module included an introduction, at least one interactive activity, a video, and text to summarize what was presented. The content of the app modules was written primarily for the concerned family members. Usability testing indicated that the B-SMART modules were easy to use and informative.

The paper published online in the Journal of Substance Use and Addiction Treatment details the research measures, methods, analyses. A diagram describes the flow for the features and design of the app. This careful formative work resulted in an app responsive to the concerns of DWI offenders with ignition interlock devices and their concerned family members.

The authors believe that harnessing the power of the family to help the offender maintain a pattern of driving when not impaired may yield longer, successful outcomes initiated by the ignition interlock device. A future paper will report the efficacy of the B-SMART app after its implementation and testing in a rigorous randomized trial.

This research was supported by a grant from the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (AA022850; Dr. W. Gill Woodall, Principal Investigator). Collaborators included Dr. Barbara McCrady, Dr. Randall Starling, and Dr. Vern Westerberg from the University of New Mexico; Mr. Thomas Starke from Impact DWI in Sante Fe, New Mexico; and Ms. Julia Berteletti, Ms. Marita Brooks, and Ms. Lila Martinez from Klein Buendel. The B-SMART app was developed by the Creative Team at Klein Buendel.

#4Corners4Health: Protocol for a Randomized Stepped-Wedge Trial

#4Corners4Health: Protocol for a Randomized Stepped-Wedge Trial

Dr. David Buller from Klein Buendel and Dr. Andrew Sussman from the University of New Mexico are leading a large multiple state research team on the design, implementation, and evaluation of #4Corners4Health. The research study aims to decrease cancer risk factors among emerging adults (ages 18-26) living in rural counties in the Four Corners states of Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, and Utah using a targeted social media campaign. The team has published a full description of their study procedures in JMIR Research Protocols.

Many emerging adults are prone to making unhealthy choices, which increase their risk of premature cancer morbidity and mortality. In the era of social media, rigorous research on interventions to promote health behaviors for cancer risk reduction among emerging adults delivered over social media is limited. Cancer prevention information and recommendations may reach emerging adults more effectively over social media than in settings such as health care, schools, and workplaces, particularly for emerging adults residing in rural areas.

Specifically, the research team will recruit a sample of 1000 emerging adults aged 18 to 26 years residing in rural counties in the Four Corners states from the Qualtrics’ research panel and enroll them in a randomized stepped-wedge, quasi-experimental design. The inclusion criteria include English proficiency and regular social media engagement. A social media intervention will promote guideline-related goals for increased physical activity, healthy eating, and HPV vaccination and reduced nicotine product use, alcohol intake, and solar UV radiation exposure. Posts will cover digital and media literacy skills, responses to misinformation, communication with family and friends, and referral to community resources. The intervention will be delivered over 12 months in Facebook private groups and will be guided by advisory groups of community stakeholders and emerging adults and focus groups with emerging adults. The emerging adults will complete assessments at baseline and five additional data after randomization. Assessments will measure six cancer risk behaviors, theoretical mediators, and participants’ engagement with the social media campaign.

The trial is being led by a steering committee. Team members are working in three subcommittees to optimize community engagement, the social media intervention, and the measures to be used. The Stakeholder Organization Advisory Board and Emerging Adult Advisory Board were formed and provided initial input on the priority of cancer risk factors to target, social media use by emerging adults, and community resources available. A framework for the social media intervention with topics, format, and theoretical mediators has been created, along with protocols for social media management.

In summary, the researchers believe that social media can be used as a platform to counter misinformation and improve reliable health information to promote health behaviors that reduce cancer risks among emerging adults. Because of the popularity of web-based information sources among emerging adults, an innovative, multiple risk factor intervention using a social media campaign has the potential to reduce their cancer risk behaviors.

This research is supported by a 5-year R01 grant from the National Cancer Institute (CA268037) to Klein Buendel. Dr. David Buller from Klein Buendel and Dr. Andrew Sussman from the University of New Mexico are the project’s Multiple Principal Investigators. The JMIR publication has 24 collaborating authors from multiple institutions.