The Use of Emerging Technologies in Alcohol Treatment

Emerging technologies, such as the Internet and text messaging, have an evergrowing role in providing services to problem drinkers. This article summarizes selected examples of emerging technologies that have been developed and implemented as standalone interventions and as part of other facetoface interventions. It provides a taste of the different opportunities available for implementing emerging technologies as a way to improve the accessibility and effectiveness of services for problem drinkers. KEY WORDS: Alcohol use, abuse, and dependence; problem drinking; treatment; intervention; technology; emerging technology; computer technology; Internet; telecommunication; text messaging How can the greatest number of problem drinkers—an intentionally broad term cover ing the range of drinking behaviors— obtain help given limited health care resources? Emerging technologies such as electronic tools that service providers can use to help problem drinkers may provide a partial answer to this question. This article will outline the rational