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Controlled evaluation of a general practice‐based brief intervention for excessive drinking
Author(s) -
RICHMOND ROBYN,
HEATHER NICK,
WODAK ALEX,
KEHOE LINDA,
WEBSTER IAN
Publication year - 1995
Publication title -
addiction
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.424
H-Index - 193
eISSN - 1360-0443
pISSN - 0965-2140
DOI - 10.1046/j.1360-0443.1995.90111915.x
Subject(s) - intervention (counseling) , brief intervention , psychological intervention , medicine , alcohol consumption , heavy drinking , excessive alcohol consumption , randomized controlled trial , family medicine , alcohol , injury prevention , poison control , environmental health , psychiatry , surgery , biochemistry , chemistry
In a controlled evaluation of general practitioner (GP)‐based brief intervention, 378 excessive drinkers identified opportunistically by screening in 40 group practices in metropolitan Sydney were assigned to groups receiving: (i) a five‐session intervention by the GP (the Alcoholscreen Program); (ii) a single session of 5 minutes' advice by the GP plus a self‐help manual (minimal intervention); (iii) an alcohol‐related assessment but no intervention; (iv) neither intervention nor assessment. Among all patients allocated to receive it, the Alcoholscreen Program did not result in a significantly greater reduction in consumption at follow‐up than control conditions but patients offered Alcoholscreen reported a significantly greater reduction in alcohol‐related problems in the period to 6 months follow‐up. A greater proportion of patients who returned for the second Alcoholscreen visit were drinking below recommended levels at follow‐up than in the remainder of the sample. There was no evidence that minimal intervention or alcohol‐related assessment were effective in reducing alcohol consumption or problems. Implications for further research into GP‐based brief interventions are discussed.