www.paihdelinkki.fi

Teuvo Peltoniemi

Head of Information Department, A-Clinic Foundation, Helsinki

Vice President, Prevnet Network

Why AddictionLink and telematics in general are such

good tools for substance abuse prevention and

treatment? 2004 eHealth Conference and Exhibition, Cork,

Ireland 5-6 May 2004

www.paihdelinkki.fi

Päihdelinkki - AddictionLinkThe full-service addiction site of Finland

”Everything from information to net therapy”

Since 1996 the most popular addiction site in a country with only five million people – now 30 000 individual visitors a month.

AddictionLink lowers the threshold in a sensitive area, with a user-friendly interface

Maintained by A-Clinic Foundation – the largest Finnish NGO on addictions and now also a well-known eHealth services developer

Standard link and reference site for schools and media as well as social and health care.

www.paihdelinkki.fiUpdated May 2, 2004

www.paihdelinkki.fi

Telematics in alcohol, drug & mental health prevention and treatment

can replace existing services (like counselling) and create completely new service types (like self-help), because eHealth offers…

Simplification of the continuously more complex societyInteractivity, feedback and democracyAnonymity, and closeness at willLow threshold to evaluate, motivate and seek helpEmpowerment to use one's own resources

www.paihdelinkki.fi

This process is, however, slowed by …

Low level of IT-infrastructure in alcohol and drug care.

Anonymity and security issues.

The fact that ICT is also a potential addiction problem.

Lack of understanding of the main characteristics of telematics, especially ...

Over-emphasis of face-to-face relations and ignorance about losing-face phenomenon….

www.paihdelinkki.fi

Differences between the real and virtual life: more freedom for individual choices

Self identity(Integrity)

Interactivity(Experiences, sensations) Social and psychological regulation

(Anonymity, autonomy)Location

Time

Structural Complexity, Intensity and Logics(Cognitive resources) Performance

(speed, perfection, intensiveness immersion)

Status and symbolic dimension(Motivation, attitudes)

The virtual world allows more freedom of action e.g. in terms of following aspects:Time, Anonymity, Identity, Integrity, Location, Motivation, Attitudinal range, Cognitive resources,Intensivity, Logics, Autonomy, Social capacity, Interactivity, Experience range, performance results

www.paihdelinkki.fi

AddictionLink emphases

High-quality and accurate contents based on professional health and social care expertise, offered in an objective, non-accusing and positive wayBased on the ability of eHealth to lower the threshold by using the special characteristics of telematics: anonymity and closeness at will, simplifying and bypassing the over complex service systems and giving freedom of time and placePrivacy, individual orientation, confidentiality and citizens rights being emphasisedApplying peer support,and empowerment to use citizens’ own resources to evaluate, motivate and seek help

www.paihdelinkki.fi

AddictionLink is targeted at everybody:

Substance users, abusers, their friends & relativesParents and familiesProfessionals in alcohol & drug field, health, social and criminal care, educational services, youth workSchool and university studentsResearchers Journalists in print and electronic media Policy makersMinority groups and handicapped (hearing impaired)

“AddictionLink – eHealth services for citizens”

www.paihdelinkki.fi

AddictionLink main features

Extensive info on alcohol, drugs, smoking, gambling and net addictionOn-line self-help and peer support toolsNet support and counselling for addiction problemsLimited English, Swedish and Sign language versions available.Also eHealth SMS services for mobile phonesAll services free-of-charge

”Because of the nature of the subject I wish to stay anonymous. I’d like to thank the people who maintain AddictionLink. I feel I have got help from your service when I have tried to cut down my drinkingand its harmful effects.” (Authentic anonymous user comment)

www.paihdelinkki.fi

Large InfobankEvidence based self-assessment testsPromille Internet, SMS and mobile serviceSelf-help tools for controlled drinkingWeb counselling on all addictionsFAQ on addictionsSurveys and a quick pollParent guidelines materialsEdutainment partPopular discussion forums

Sauna - drugsSlowing down - alcoholHome channel- parentsHooked – net addiction

AddictionLink services now

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Infobank

Large up-to-date handbook of 140 brief articles on all matters concerning substances and addictions, including info on drug prevention, treatment and policies.Divided into four main lines:

Fact line – basic info on substances & recent newsService line – about treatment methods and agenciesA-line – info on alcoholDrug line – info on drugs, medical substances and smokingAddiction line – basic info on dependencies

www.paihdelinkki.fi

Self-assessment testsThe most popular part with more than 6000 visitors each monthThree self-assessment tests for alcohol use: risks (AUDIT), dependence (SADD) and Drinking habits comparison testTests for tobacco, drug use, Internet use and gambling Promille blood alcohol contents calculator, available also for mobile phones both as SMS and downloadable versions

Use of AddictionLink tests in 2003 (Monthy users avarages)

3083

2318

4580

1811 1689 1703

2981

0500

100015002000250030003500400045005000

Aud

it -

alco

hol*

Drin

king

habi

ts

Sm

okin

g

Inte

rnet

Individual users

No data on Audit from May to July. No data on Promille. Drinking habits comparison test started in August.

www.paihdelinkki.fi

Self help tools

Tools are based on cognitive therapyHelp to control and cut down drinkingDrinking diary, personal goal setter, tips etc.Blood alcohol contents counter, standard drink unit counter

www.paihdelinkki.fi

PROMILLE - BAC by SMS

The popular SMS Promille works through an input string of gender, weight, the number of alcohol units and the starting time of drinking. The system returns a prompt answer message including estimates of the blood alcohol contents and time needed for metabolization. Promille mobile phone service prevents drinking & driving and helps to control drinking.Promille is also available as a downloadable program for the newest mobile phones.

www.paihdelinkki.fi

Discussion forums

Sauna – a general debate forum mainly on drugs, frequented by both users and general young populationSlowing down – peer support agenda for people controlling drinkingHome Channel – area for families with problems with alcohol and drug useHooked – peer support group for net addicts -opening in MayIn all, over 4000 visitors monthly.

www.paihdelinkki.fi

Web counselling

Treatment and preventionprofessionals answer anonymous online questions. The individual counselling over a secure line can continue with several exchanges of messages with a pin code.The main topics of questions are alcohol, drugs, gambling, net addiction, tobacco, and prescription drugs, with gambling and the Internet strongly on the increase. In 2003, the service received about 1500 questions.

Question topics to anonymous web counselling in December 2003 (N=97)

43 %

23 %

9 %

7 %

3 %

3 %

12 %Alcohol

Drugs

Internet

Medicines

Gambling

Smoking

Others

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FAQ & Surveys

Ready prepared professional answers to questions on risks of drug and alcohol use and different life situations.Quick poll on an actual topic. Occasionally extensive net surveys on the use of AddictionLink.

www.paihdelinkki.fi

Parent guidelines

Encourages parents to talk about substances in an open constructive way with their teenagersArticles and examplesCommunication skillsassessment test for parents

www.paihdelinkki.fi

Edutainment

A slightly lighter moduleincluding cartoons, articles, postcards and a quiz on alcohol, drugs and popular culture.

www.paihdelinkki.fi

AddictionLink languagesFinnish - main languageLimited English version aimed at the foreign population in Finland Large Swedish – updated version upcomingSome basic services also in Sign language for hearing impaired

www.paihdelinkki.fi

AddictionLink user statisticsAddictionLink reaches over 30 000 individual visitors monthly AddictionLink visits have tripled in three years timeMost popular sections are interactive: discussion forums and self-assessment tests

Use of main areas ofDec 2003 (%).

38,4 %

20,2 %

9,0 %

6,8 %

5,7 %

5,6 %

4,4 %

4,7 %

2,0 %

1,9 %

0,7 %

0,5 %

TestsSaunaSelf-help toolsInfobankSlowing downWeb counsellingParent guidelinesFAQSign languageHome channelEnglish partSwedish part

N= 18238. Not in clu d in g firs t p ag e vis is ts (15833), wh ich m ake u p 87 %

AddictionLink in

Users and visits at AddictionLink in 2002 ja 2003 by month

0

5000

10000

15000

20000

25000

30000

35000

40000

45000

50000

55000

60000

Jan 2002

March

May

July

Sept

Nov

Jan 2003

March

May

July

Sept

Nov

Users

Visits

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Coming soon! Commented mass media monitoring areaE-consultation on substances for professionals, a national extension of the regional pilot of AddictionLink, in cooperation with Stakes Social PortalInternet use can also have addictive characteristics. Therefore more material on net addiction and gambling will be added shortly.A Fragile Childhood section to help children in alcohol families.Pilots with mobile phone multimedia messages More integration between AddictionLink and face-to-face treatment services.

www.paihdelinkki.fi

AddictionLinkThe full-service addiction site of Finland

”Everything from information to net therapy”

AddictionLink has received financial support from:The Ministry of Social Affairs and HealthFinland’s Slot Machine Association RAYThe Finnish Centre for Health PromotionThe Prevnet/EU project

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AddictionLink cooperative links and awards

AddictionLink was awarded as the Best Health Education Product in Finland in 1999.

AddictionLink was chosen to one of the finalists for the eHealth2004 Awards.

AddictionLink in a founding member of the large Prevnet Network on substance abuse prevention linking 30 European organisations.

AddictionLink is the co-coordinator of the extensive Finnish @vec portal www.apua.info on psycho-social problems, linking 22 social and health care organisations.

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AddictionLink history from 1996 to 2004

Second version from 1999

First version from 1997

Third version from 2001

And now in 2004

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Contact info: A-Clinic Foundation

A-Clinic Foundation is the largest NGO in Finland providing services on addiction problems. The foundation maintains outpatient and inpatient units, and is active in the areas of prevention, information, training, development and research.Responsible Editor-in-Chief for the AddictionLink: Teuvo Peltoniemi, e-mail: teuvo.peltoniemi@a-klinikka.fiA-Clinic Foundation postal address: Fredrikinkatu 20 B 18, FI-00120 Helsinki, FinlandPhone: +358-9-622 0290, Fax: +358-9-175 276E-mail: tiedotus@a-klinikka.fiOrganisational site: www.a-klinikka.fiJournal: Tiimi (also in the net www.tiimi.com)