Alcohol consumption patterns among parents of hospitalized children: findings from a brief intervention study

Abstract

Aims:This study aimed to explore parents' perception and experience of a brief intervention (BI), focusing on their alcohol consumption habits to assess the impact on parents of staff members using motivational interviewing (MI) and to gain knowledge of how to reinforce initiatives regarding behavioural changes of lifestyle problems in a clinical setting. Background: Substantial parental alcohol consumption influences children's development negatively. Nursing staff lacks knowledge and training in communicating with parents about alcohol issues. Little is known about parents' attitudes towards, and perception of, nursing staff addressing issues concerning their use of alcohol. Methods: A qualitative approach by use of phenomenological and hermeneutic methods was applied. Through interviews with 15 parents, their opinions and perceptions of a brief alcohol intervention were explored. Results: Three themes emerged from the phenomenological reduction: (1) experiencing respect and genuine interest from the nursing staff, (2) BI causing reflections on own use of alcohol, and (3) reflections continuing and developing over time. Conclusion and practice implications:The parents did not mind having their lifestyle habits discussed in connection with having their child admitted to hospital. The method MI proved effective in getting the parents to talk about and reflect on alcohol consumption habits. The effects of the intervention seemed to last beyond the first months after the intervention took place.

Factors influencing whether nurses talk to somatic patients about their alcohol consumption

“…Alcohol was regarded as a pleasure that the elderly patient should be allowed to have. Watson, Munro, Wilson, Kerr, and Godwin (2009), patient negativity was identified as a barrier to health professionals talking about alcohol, but this was not found to be a problem in this study and in another Danish study (Bjerregaard, Rubak, Høst, & Wagner, 2012).…”

Can We Talk about Alcohol for a Minute? Thoughts and Opinions Expressed by Health Professionals and Patients at a Somatic Hospital

“…These findings reflect previous findings, that patients are not reluctant or hostile towards talking and being asked about their alcohol habits in a healthcare setting (O'Donnell et al, 2018;Bjerregaard et al, 2011;Bjerregaard et al, 2012;Frankhaenel et al, 2018). Although some of the patients had reservations about how and when to be asked, none of them thought of alcohol-and lifestyle habits as something that patients should not be asked about.…”

“…Even though this study reached the same results as previous studies (Vendetti et al, 2017;Hellum et al, 2016;O'Donnell et al, 2018;Bjerregaard et al, 2011;Bjerregaard et al, 2012;Frankhaenel et al, 2018) there are a number of limitations to the study. First, the number participants interviewed for this study was limited.…”

“…The acceptance of being approached by healthcare providers was also confirmed in a Danish alcohol screening and brief intervention study on parents to admitted children, in which only 1.4 % of the parents refused to participate due to the topic of alcohol (Bjerregaard et al, 2011). Not only did they not mind discussing their lifestyle habits; some even expected it (Bjerregaard et al, 2012). McCormick et al (2006) found that, when approached, the patients were likely to disclose information regarding their use of alcohol, and if the patients were satisfied with the healthcare provider in general, asking about alcohol does not seem to evoke resistance (Frankhaenel et al, 2018).…”

Alcohol education and training in pre-registration nursing: A national survey to determine curriculum content in the United Kingdom (UK)

“…Alcohol is a global problem and yet the results demonstrate that learning disability and children's student nurses receive little to no input on alcohol related issues. It could be argued that this is an outdated approach as alcohol is a whole population and global problem which can have a harmful impact on all of society (Bjerregaard et al 2012, De Los Reyes et al 2010, Molina & Pelham 2001, Forbat 1999 and that implementation across all fields of nurse education is a pivotal recommendation for nurse educators. Whilst some Universities' are providing alcohol education the focus of this in many instances appears to be related to physiology, aetiology and pharmacology.…”