Brief interventions and alcohol use.

Screening and brief alcohol interventions: What, why, who, where and when? A review of the literature

“…In 1993, a systematic review of the literature identified a number of randomized controlled trials of screening and brief intervention. Secondary analysis showed that screening and brief intervention was effective and cost-effective at reducing excessive alcohol consumption (Freemantle et al 1993). A more recent meta-analytic review of trials of screening and brief intervention offers additional positive evidence to that presented in the previous review (Moyer et al 2002).…”

“…In addition, excessive drinkers represent 20% of patients on practice lists and present twice as often as others (Anderson 1985). Randomized controlled trials in general practice have demonstrated the effectiveness of screening and brief interventions; however, studies conducted in the real-world conditions of general practice show somewhat less benefit than in those carried out under optimal research conditions, but nevertheless they support the effectiveness of brief interventions (Freemantle et al 1993). However, GPs who experienced providing systematic screening and brief intervention in their own practice found the extra workload onerous and that it disrupted normal patterns of work (Beich et al 2002).…”

“…To date, the majority of screening and brief intervention research has focused on GP-led interventions (Freemantle et al 1993), although some studies included nurses in a supporting role (Kristenson et al 1983, Persson and Magnusson 1989, Suokas et al 1993, Fleming et al 1997, Ockene et al 1999). Indirect evidence of the efficacy of nurse delivery of screening and brief intervention was reported in a World Health Organization (WHO) multi-centre study involving 10 countries (Babor and Grant 1992).…”

“…In their seminal systematic review, Freemantle et al (1993) proposed that the direct cost per screening and brief intervention delivered by a GP to a person who consumes alcohol to excess was less than £20.…”

How psychiatrists can contribute to the public health

“…Several well-designed random ised trials, based on patient populations in either a general hospital or a general practice setting, have demonstrated that people who drink exces sively can be identified with simple self-report questionnaires such as the 10-item AUDIT, and that brief interventions, usually by a specially trained nurse, can be effective in enabling these heavy drinkers to reduce their consumption before they develop serious dependence (Freemantle et al, 1993).…”