A recent randomised controlled trial has demonstrated that the free app is effective at helping heavier drinkers to cut down their drinking. This new study, led by the University of Sheffield and including the University of Bristol, explored the potential long-term impacts of different approaches to promote Drink Less to a wider audience.

The analysis found that a national mass media campaign would lead to an estimated 2,600 fewer deaths and 108,600 fewer hospital admissions over the next 20 years, saving the NHS £417 million. Encouraging GPs to promote the app is estimated to have an even larger impact, saving the NHS £500 million by reducing alcohol related deaths by 4,600 and hospital admissions by 188,400.

The study, conducted using the Sheffield Alcohol Policy Model, estimated the biggest health gains were likely to be in the most deprived groups, helping to narrow existing health inequalities.

Read the full news item on the University of Bristol news pages

Paper: ‘Modeling the potential health, health economic, and health inequality impact of a large-scale rollout of the Drink Less app in England’ by Colin Angus, Claire Garnett et al. in Value in Health [open access]