[Effectiveness of brief medical counseling to reduce drinkers' alcohol consumption].
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the effectiveness of medical counselling in reducing alcohol consumption in male heavy drinkers.


METHODS
A controlled, randomised, simple-blind intervention study.


METHODS
Four Primary Care teams in Area 10, Madrid.


METHODS
152 men who attended for on-demand treatment from the four teams and whose alcohol consumption was over 21 International Units (IU) a week.


METHODS
Brief medical counselling backed up by didactic material. Two questionnaires on alcohol consumption in IU, consumption habits and problems related to alcohol were administered, separated by an interval of between 6 and 18 months. Non-parametric tests for paired samples (McNemar) were applied.


RESULTS
60% answered the second questionnaire. Neither sociodemographic nor health habit differences were found between those who responded and those who did not, except for social class. There were no appreciable differences between the intervention and control groups. The percentage of drinkers above 35 IU decreased significantly in the intervention group.


CONCLUSIONS
The intervention was clearly effective in reducing the percentage of drinkers whose weekly consumption was over 35 IU.
Fernández San Martín
M I
MI
Centro de Salud Juan de la Cierva, Madrid.
Bermejo Caja
C J
CJ
Alonso Pérez
M
M
Herreros Taberneros
B
B
Nieto Candenas
M
M
Novoa
A
A
Marcelo
M T
MT
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000428:Alcohol Drinking; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011320:Primary Health Care; D011897:Random Allocation; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires