Screening and brief intervention delivery in the workplace to reduce alcohol-related harm: A pilot randomized controlled trial

Abstract

Aims: To explore the feasibility and cost effectiveness of screening and delivery of a brief intervention for hazardous drinking employees.Methods: A pilot randomised controlled trial of a brief intervention delivered by an Occupational Health nurse versus no delivery of brief intervention (control group) conducted in a Local Authority Council (LCA) in the United Kingdom. Changes in quality of life and economic indicators were measured by the EQ-5D.Results: 627 employees were screened of whom 163 (26.01%) fulfilled the inclusion criteria with a total of 57 (35%) agreeing to participate. No significant differences were found between the groups for baseline demographics or levels/patterns of alcohol consumption. A statistically significant effect was found in the mean AUDIT scores over time (F = 8.96, p = 0.004) but not for group (F = 0.017, p = 0.896), and no significant interaction was found (F = 0.148, p = 0.702). The cost of each intervention was calculated at £12.48, the difference in service costs was calculated at £344.50 per person; that is there was a net saving of health and other care costs in the intervention group compared to the control group. The QALYs fell in both intervention and control groups, the difference -0.002 -(-0.010) yields a net advantage of the intervention of 0.008 QALYs. Conclusion:The main results from this pilot study suggest that alcohol brief interventions delivered in the workplace may offer the potential to reduce alcohol-related harm and save public sector resources. A fully powered multi-centre trial is warranted to contribute to the current evidence base and explore further the potential of alcohol brief interventions in the workplace. In a full trial the recruitment method may need to be re-considered.2

Reduction of the Alcohol Consumption Among Workers Using a Brief Intervention

“…A similar result was found in another study that, although did not mention a significant effect on alcohol consumption, reported a considerable reduction in the consumption frequency of the examined workers. 9 The question about the need to drink alcohol in the morning after having drunk a lot in the night before showed more significant results, given that the mean was equal to zero, that is, no worker mentioned to have this desire in the evaluation carried out three months after the BI. Studies found that consumption reduction after BIs was higher among people who had a risky consumption, hazardous consumption, or probable dependence.…”

“…The authors confirmed the viability of alcohol consumption screening and the effect on the reduction of the consumption by workers, corroborating some international studies carried out in worker health services of some companies. 7,9,[16][17] The workers that had a high risk of alcohol consumption reduced their excessive consumption, although they did not consider themselves as people who drink too much. Some studies show that 9/12 the decrease is higher in the three first months after the BI and tends to diminish over time, which emphasizes the need for worker health teams to monitor the participants.…”

“…Therefore, some professionals find a way out of these problems in alcohol consumption, which leads to severe cases of alcohol dependence. 9 This problem calls for strategies to promote health and prevention of diseases from the worker health perspective taking into account the reality of each service. Some authors point out that occupational health services are a place where it is feasible to evaluate workers' alcohol consumption patterns.…”

“…This strategy has been applied in some places, offering an important opportunity to carry out primary and secondary prevention not only regarding alcohol consumption, but also the decrease in direct and indirect costs originated from alcohol dependence. [9][10] These actions must begin with programs oriented toward health promotion and disease prevention in work places or worker health services, with the objective of identifying the cases of risky or hazardous consumption and probable dependence. A strategy currently used worldwide and especially in primary care is brief intervention (BI) in combination with motivational interviewing, by applying tools to identify alcohol consumption patterns, such as validated instruments.…”

Brief Intervention for Risky Alcohol Use: A Critical Analysis

“…Most of the studies conducted at large companies and tested the efficacy of web based as well as face to face alcohol brief intervention [37][38][39][40]. Although less attention has been given to workplace as an arena for brief alcohol interventions due to heterogeneous barriers on its acceptance and potential effectiveness, evidence on its efficacy is growing [41,42] even from developing countries [43,44].…”