Implementation strategies to enhance management of heavy alcohol consumption in primary health care: a meta‐analysis

Abstract

Implementation strategies to enhance management of heavy alcohol consumption in primary health care: a meta-analysis Conclusions Strategies should include a combination of patient, professional and organisational oriented implementation approaches and involvement of mid-level professions as well as physicians. Evidence for a new and innovative combination of multiple implementation approaches to increase alcohol focused SBI uptake in PHC, is required.4

Predictive validity of clinical AUDIT-C alcohol screening scores and changes in scores for three objective alcohol-related outcomes in a Veterans Affairs population

“…Efforts are under way to improve the quality of alcohol‐related primary care, including implementing preventive screening and brief intervention as well as engaging patients in care for alcohol use disorders (AUD) . As these efforts proceed, health systems need practical, valid approaches to measuring changes in patients’ drinking over time in response to interventions .…”

Feasibility of alcohol screening among patients receiving opioid treatment in primary care

“…A review of brief, multi-contact behavioural counselling interventions among adult patients attending primary care found such interventions reduced the average number of drinks per week by 13–34 %, increased the proportion drinking at moderate or low risk levels by 10–19 %, concluding such interventions were feasible and potentially highly effective components of an overall public health approach to reducing problem alcohol use [10]. The World Health Organisation (WHO) recommends that health professionals provide alcohol SBI for heavy drinkers, however, it is underused with less than 10 % of those who might benefit from SBI, receiving a brief intervention [11]. …”

Non-specialist health workers to treat excessive alcohol consumption and depression

“…10,11 However, because of a scarcity of time, training, and resources, most patients do not receive any treatment for excessive alcohol drinking or depression from their primary care physicians. [12][13][14] In The Lancet, Vikram Patel and colleagues 15,16 report two companion randomised controlled trials that investigate the effi cacy of a new strategy to improve treatment of excessive alcohol drinking and depression in primary care in India. Specifi cally, a brief psychological intervention was delivered to two samples of primary care patients: the fi rst comprising male harmful drinkers and the second male and female patients with depression.…”