Aims: To test the feasibility, usability and acceptability of Abreast of Health, an opportunistic digital alcohol brief intervention (ABI), targeting women attending symptomatic breast clinics and breast screening appointments.

Methods: Over a thousand women attending breast clinics and screening mammography in Southampton helped with the development and optimisation of a web application delivering an ABI in clinic waiting areas. The study included a clinic survey (n = 747), semi-structured telephone interviews (n = 28), focus groups (n = 16), and user testing (provisional n = 250). User testing of the web application took place in clinics, using a mixture of ‘think aloud’ and ‘teach me back’ interviews as well as electronic tracking of interactions with the digital interface.

Results: Implementing the ABI in clinic waiting areas, reaching patients as they wait for their appointment, is feasible. Qualitative feedback demonstrates that women understand the personalised information provided by the web application and find it both relevant and empowering. Electronic tracking and feedback confirm that a majority of women spend more than 5 minutes on the app and access supplementary alcohol information.

Conclusions: An ABI embedded within a broader lifestyle information package about breast health and cancer prevention is both acceptable and feasible. This ABI is specifically developed for women drinking alcohol at all levels, not just increased and higher risk drinkers.
 
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