Digital Health Agents are conversational agents (sometimes called chatbots) that are designed specifically for health interventions. When paired with a simulated human character, they are called Embodied Conversational Agents.

Embodied Conversational Digital Health Agents

The availability of trained providers, proximity of providers, access to reliable transportation, cost, insurance coverage, scheduling, and stigma all serve as barriers to treatment for alcohol abuse. When care may be available, it is not always evidence-based treatment, further complicating issues around access to quality care.

Barriers to Care for Alcohol Abuse

Brief motivational Interviewing includes motivational interviewing's style of communication (empathy, increasing discrepancy, rolling with resistance, and supporting self-efficacy) with common elements of brief counseling interventions ( feedback, options for change, respectful of current readiness to change, supportive advice). It has been found to be an effective intervention for substance use disorders.

Brief Motivational Interviewing for Alcohol Use

Digital health agents  provide a promising alternative or supplement to behavioral health services by reducing barriers to treatment for alcohol abuse/misuse.

Cleveland State University

Health Psychology research studies relating to Alcohol Use Disorder include:

- Disparities in alcohol use and heavy episodic drinking among bisexual
people 
- Development, feasibility, acceptability, and utility of an expressive speech-enabled digital health agent to deliver online, brief motivational interviewing for alcohol misuse
- Effects of a Patient-Centered Intervention to Reduce Alcohol Use Among Youth With Chronic Medical Conditions

-Reduction in alcohol use disorder and consumption after psychedelic use

Health Psychology Research Relating to Alcohol Use Disorder

Boustani M, Lunn S, Visser U & Lisetti C. (2021).
Development, Feasibility, Acceptability, and Utility of an Expressive Speech-Enabled Digital Health Agent to Deliver Online, Brief Motivational Interviewing for Alcohol Misuse: Descriptive Study.
Journal of Medical Internet Research, 23 (9).
https://www.jmir.org/2021/9/e25837

Development, Feasibility, Acceptability, and Utility of an Expressive Speech-Enabled Digital Health Agent to Deliver Online, Brief Motivational Interviewing for Alcohol Misuse: Descriptive Study

Sociodemographics such as sexual orientation are significant factors to consider in understanding alcohol consumption. Evidence suggests that Alcohol Use Disorders (AUDs) are more common among sexual minority (lesbian, gay, bisexual, also known as LGB) individuals when compared to the heterosexual population. However, little research has focused specifically on bisexual alcohol consumption and addiction, despite differences.

Disparities in Alcohol Use and Heavy Episodic Drinking Among Bisexual People

Drinking poses unique risks for youth with chronic medical conditions, yet many still use alcohol. A tailored psychoeducational intervention may help reduce usage and improve knowledge of risks of consumption among this population.

Effects of a Patient-Centered Intervention to Reduce Alcohol Use
Among Youth With Chronic Medical Conditions

A meta-analysis of randomized trials investigating the use of lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) for alcohol use disorder (AUD) demonstrated substantial and statistically significant improvements in LSD's effectiveness compared to control conditions. Furthermore, clinical studies indicate promising anti-addiction effects of LSD and related classic psychedelics in the treatment of alcohol and other substance use disorders.

Reduction in Alcohol Use Disorder and consumption after psychedelic use

Development, feasibility, acceptability, and utility of an expressive speech-enabled digital health agent delivering motivational interviewing for alcohol misuse

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