Citation

Havard A, Shakeshaft AP, Conigrave KM. Alcohol Clin. Exp. Res. 2015; 39(7): 1260-1266.

Affiliation

Drug Health Service, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital and Sydney Medical School, University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2015, John Wiley and Sons)

DOI

10.1111/acer.12760

PMID

26031313

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Due to the difficulty encountered in disseminating resource-intensive emergency department (ED)-based brief alcohol interventions into real-world settings, this study evaluated the effect of a mailed personalized feedback intervention for problem drinking ED patients. At 6-week follow-up, this intervention was associated with a statistically significant reduction in alcohol consumption among patients with alcohol-involved ED presentations. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of this intervention over time.

METHODS: A randomized controlled trial was conducted among problem drinking ED patients, defined as those scoring 8 or more on the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test. Participants in the intervention group received mailed personalized feedback regarding their alcohol consumption. The control group received no feedback. Follow-up interviews were conducted over the phone, postal survey, or email survey 6 weeks and 6 months after baseline screening, and repeat ED presentations over 12-month follow-up were ascertained via linked ED records.

RESULTS: Six-month follow-up interviews were completed with 210 participants (69%), and linked ED records were obtained for 286 participants (94%). The intervention had no effect on alcohol consumption, while findings regarding alcohol-related injuries and repeat ED presentations remain inconclusive.

CONCLUSIONS: Further research in which the receipt of feedback is improved and a booster intervention is provided is recommended.

Language: en