"The promising results of this trial in continuing care for AUDs point to the possible value of a smartphone intervention for treating AUDs and perhaps other chronic illnesses," the authors, David H. Gustafson, Ph.D., of the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and colleagues, wrote.
For this study, the research team recruited 349 patients with AUD. The patients were randomly assigned to two different types of treatment groups. 179 entered residential programs for one year. 170 received the same treatment but supplemented with the app known as the Addiction-Comprehensive Health Enhancement Support System (A-CHESS). A-CHESS provides patients with an audio-guided relaxation system. It also alerts the patients whenever they are near a high-risk location, such as a familiar bar.