Digital Health Apps
Drinks Meter
The Drinks Meter is one of the most highly rated and praised digital health applications in the area of screening and brief intervention of alcohol (Milward et al 2016). It utilizes a range of evidence based strategies to assess drinking and motivate change. The Drinks Meter app is freely available on iTunes and Google Play Store and at the Drinks Meter website www.drinksmeter.com and follows the same intervention approach as for the app. For health services, local councils and employers we offer bespoke versions to support the delivery of population based IBA through unique URLs on service websites and local data capture on tablets. We then create granular data based reports, not only describing patterns of drinking and harms but also evidencing the delivery of IBA to all participants and signposting high risk drinkers into treatment.
The app provides instant personalised feedback on the user’s drinking (weekly units and calories based on their drinking data) and normative feedback on how their drinking compares with other Drinks Meter users. Users then complete a ‘risk adjustor’ questionnaire and are provided with the same feedback adjusted for their personal risk factors (based on personal and family medical history, if drugs are consumed whilst drinking, and pregnancy). Users then complete the AUDIT questionnaire and receive feedback on their level of alcohol-related risk (including health risks) and some suggestions on what to do based on the reported level of risk. The app follows a tunnelled approach so all users receive the same intervention content. The overwhelming majority of users would recommend the Drinks Meter app to friends and family (94.0%) and found it easy to use (91.0%). In addition to including personalized risk assessment and normative feedback (Shiner & Winstock 2015, Garnett et al 2015). For more information on how we can help you deliver IBA, map drinking patterns and harms in your region and signpost risky drinkers into treatment, download our Drinks Meter PDFs here or e mail us info@globaldrugsurvey.com
What people say about Drinks Meter?
“An excellent resource both for individuals & GPs to help people on how they are drinking”
— Dr. Stephen Willott, NHS Nottingham City
“Overall it’s really good- you’ve done a great job. I actually would recommend it to people!”
— Professor Anthony Shakeshaft, National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre UNSW
“Drinks Meter delivers IBA in a simple to use, highly engaging and effective manner. Highly recommend it.”
— Dr. Clare Gerada, former President of the Royal College of General Practitioners
“Its relevant, attractive, easy to use and provides useful feedback. In other words, its a great tool”
— Professor Paul Wallace, University College London
For more testimonials on our Products and Services, click here
Tablet-based drug use data mapping tools – drugs meter mini
The drugs meter mini is an ultra-brief, tablet based, face-to-face, drug use data collection tool. Designed to work in the night time economy, or any community or health care setting, this beautifully designed tablet tablet-based survey takes 2-4 minutes to complete and will allow you to obtain rapid data on last year, last month and that day’s drug use, and as well as calculation and feedback of that day’s alcohol consumption in units and calories and food equivalents. It is a simple and quick way of collecting data on large numbers of people without the need for paper based questionnaires. It works off line, with data submission occurring when there is a wireless connection. The drugs meter mini can thus help with rapid needs analyses within a clinic, community, or research and community safety initiatives within entertainment settings, providing rapid access to data to inform strategic planning and health responses. Click here to see the demonstration slide show or here to download the drugs meter mini flyer