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Emergency clinician‐delivered screening and intervention for high‐risk alcohol use: A qualitative analysis
Author(s) -
Weiland Tracey J,
Dent Andrew W,
Phillips Georgina A,
Lee Nicole K
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
emergency medicine australasia
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.602
H-Index - 52
eISSN - 1742-6723
pISSN - 1742-6731
DOI - 10.1111/j.1742-6723.2007.01002.x
Subject(s) - medicine , intervention (counseling) , brief intervention , attendance , emergency department , family medicine , medical emergency , nursing , economics , economic growth
Objectives: To evaluate qualitative feedback from patients who received opportunistic screening and brief intervention for harmful alcohol use during an ED attendance; to evaluate emergency staff attitudes to performing alcohol screening and delivering opportunistic brief intervention; and to document process issues associated with the introduction of routine clinician‐initiated opportunistic screening and training and administration of brief intervention. Methods: Structured and semi‐structured interviews with emergency staff and recipients of brief intervention. Results: Sixty‐nine patients were interviewed 3 months after an ED attendance where they received emergency clinician‐delivered brief intervention for high‐risk alcohol use. Twenty‐two (32%; 95% CI 21–43%) reported a positive effect of brief intervention on thoughts or behaviour, but 29% (95% CI 18–40%) felt the intervention was not relevant for them or could not recall it. Four people (6%; 95% CI 1–12%) felt confronted or embarrassed, and 17 (25%; 95% CI 15–36%) felt timing or delivery could be improved. Staff had a positive attitude to delivering brief intervention, but nominated lack of time as the main barrier. Fourteen of 15 staff felt brief intervention should become routine in emergency care. Conclusion: Emergency clinicians can be trained to provide brief intervention for high‐risk alcohol in an ED. The use of emergency clinician brief intervention is acceptable to most staff and patients.