Brief Motivational Counselling for Alcohol Abusers Admitted to Medical Wards

Abstract

Within the United Kingdom the number of individuals abusing alcohol is continuing to increase. Alcohol abuse is linked with long-term health problems, with the potential to have an impact on work, relationships and the ability to function in daily life. Occupational therapists working within general hospital environments have regular contact with alcohol abusers, although there is limited evidence of effective interventions in this clinical setting. This article reports on a feasibility study, which investigated the potential role for occupational therapists in delivering brief motivational counselling to alcohol abusers admitted to medical wards. Consideration is given to the practicality of delivering such an intervention. The outcome measures used were the Fast Alcohol Screening Tool (FAST), self-reported alcohol consumption and participant's rationale for change. A small sample of 40 participants was recruited. Although the results presented are not statistically significant, this feasibility study will be important in assisting clinicians to plan future research in this area.

Mechanisms of change in control group drinking in clinical trials of brief alcohol intervention: Implications for bias toward the null

“…These systematic reviews cited 38 randomised, controlled studies offering control group consumption data for BAI in the clinical setting in Anglophone countries. We rejected 22 of these 38 studies: 11 [31–41] for gender or age restrictions other than exclusion of minors, one [42] for small control sample at follow up and 10 [43–52] for absence of data needed to analyse control group changes in consumption. Table 1 describes the results of this search, and lists the design characteristics of the 16 studies [28,34,53–66] that met criteria for inclusion, the consumption outcome parameters measured and the percentage change in each study outcome from baseline to final assessment.…”

Effectiveness of Alcohol Brief Intervention in a General Hospital: A Randomized Controlled Trial

“…ABIs are targeted at non-treatment-seeking, non-alcohol-dependent, hazardous, and harmful drinkers and are intended as an early intervention (Nilsen, 2010). These interventions go beyond advice about reducing alcohol consumption and focus more personally on the individual (McQueen et al, 2006). Previous work has evaluated a range of intercessions categorized as brief interventions, with six key elements widely summarized under the acronym FRAMES (originally described by Bien et al, 1993): feedback, responsibility, advice, menu of strategies, empathy, and selfefficacy.…”

The Integrating Theory, Evidence and Action (ITEA) Method: A Procedure for Helping Practitioners Translate Theory and Research into Action

“…Only brief motivational counselling has been researched using an occupational therapy approach (McQueen et al 2006). Brief motivational counselling was administered to patients in medical wards who had been screened for alcohol abuse.…”

“…(Davies and Cameron 2010, Haltiwanger 2007, Hodgson and Lloyd 2002, Hoxmark et al, 2012, McQueen et al 2006, Stevens et al 2003, Stoffel and Moyers 2004, Ussher et al 2000, five on being(Eastabrook et al 2003, Kiepek and Magalhães 2011, Knis-Matthews 2010, Martin et al 2010, Van Deusen 2000, and one each on becoming(Gill et al 2011) and belonging (MacDonald et al2004).…”