Stepped Alcohol Treatment Via Telehealth Reduces Alcohol Use

TUESDAY, June 30, 2026 (HealthDay News) — Stepped alcohol treatment (SAT) offered via telehealth helps people with chronic liver disease (CLD) reduce alcohol consumption, according to a study published online June 24 in Hepatology.

Derek D. Satre, Ph.D., from the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF), and colleagues evaluated the efficacy of telehealth SAT, which consisted of three motivational interviewing sessions followed by addiction medicine referral if no drinking reduction at month 3. One hundred fifty-seven adults with CLD and unhealthy alcohol use (>7 drinks/week or ≥4/day for women; >14/week or ≥5/day for men; or heavy episodic drinking) were randomly assigned to SAT (81 participants) or usual care (76 participants).

The researchers found that SAT had no difference in percentage of alcohol use below moderate level (primary outcome) versus usual care. However, SAT had greater reduction in drinks/week from baseline to month 3 and month 6 (estimates, −0.66 and −0.67, respectively) (secondary outcome). Compared to usual care, the six-month effect of SAT on alcohol use reduction remained significant when controlling for covariates. The 30-day abstinence rates were 29 percent for SAT and 18 percent for usual care at month 6. There was a positive association between baseline motivation to reduce alcohol use and treatment response.

“Integrated alcohol interventions remain rarely implemented in liver clinics,” study senior author Mandana Khalili, M.D., also from UCSF, said in a statement. “This treatment gap is particularly serious given that current guidelines advise offering these interventions to all patients with CLD.”

Several authors disclosed ties to the pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical industries.

Abstract/Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)