Objective: This article documents the methods used to assess the implementation costs of the APPRAISE (A two-arm parallel group individually randomized Prison Pilot study of a male Remand Alcohol Intervention for Self-efficacy Enhancement) alcohol brief intervention (ABI) delivered to male remand prisoners across two study sites in Scotland and North East England.
Method: We first developed a comprehensive taxonomy of the activities constituting the APPRAISE ABI. Next, data about the study staff and the subject time spent were collected for each activity, in addition to the other resources used and unit costs.
Results: From the pilot data collection, it was possible to construct a narrative, for both study sites, how the intervention was delivered and the time required for each activity. The ABI was delivered by Change Grow Live and Humankind intervention staff. Staff salaries were obtained from both organizations to calculate the staff delivery costs for each site. Other costs, such as the printing of materials, were estimated based on APPRAISE study records. Because of the ongoing COVID-19 restrictions and limited access to prison resources and staff, there were significant deviations from the initial study protocols. As a result, we document the costs of implementing the ABI as delivered rather than as planned.
Conclusions: This article provides the first estimates of the implementation costs of an ABI delivered in a criminal justice setting in the United Kingdom. Although these costs are from a pilot implementation that was heavily impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, this article nonetheless provides useful, policy-relevant information on the potential costs of providing ABI to remand prisoners. It also serves as a methodological template, guidance, and proof of concept for future micro-costing studies of ABIs in criminal justice settings.