Excessive drinking--brief intervention by a primary health care nurse. A randomized controlled trial.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the effect of a nurse-conducted intervention on excessive drinkers.


METHODS
Randomized, controlled trial.


METHODS
Vårby Health Centre, Stockholm.


METHODS
The intervention group visited a nurse three times during a 12-month period. The controls met once with a general practitioner (GP).


METHODS
Patients were recruited at a health screening on the basis of a raised gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT). Of 2338 subjects, aged 25-54 years, 222 had a screening GGT of > or = 0.9 mukat/l. 100 were randomized to the treatment and 122 to the control group.


METHODS
GGT, self-reported alcohol consumption (g/week), sickness allowance and use of health care.


RESULTS
After 2 years a reduction of GGT from 1.52 to 1.21 mukat/l (p = 0.02) had occurred in the treatment group. The controls increased their mean level of GGT from 1.75 to 2.16 mukat/l. Mean weekly alcohol consumption in the intervention group was reduced from 337 to 228 g/week (p = 0.02). The controls did not quantify their alcohol consumption initially, but reported a reduced weekly consumption at follow-up.


CONCLUSIONS
The intervention had an impact on GGT and self-reported consumption. The controls also reported decreased consumption possibly because their appointment with the GP functioned as a very brief intervention.
Tomson
Y
Y
Department of Clinical Neuroscience and Family Medicine, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden.
Romelsjö
A
A
Aberg
H
H
D000328:Adult; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000201:enzymology / Q000451:nursing*; D000465:Algorithms; D005194:Family Practice; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009730:Nursing Assessment; D015403:Nursing Evaluation Research; D011320:Primary Health Care / Q000379:methods*; D011614:Psychotherapy, Brief / Q000379:methods*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D005723:gamma-Glutamyltransferase / Q000097:blood
D005723:gamma-Glutamyltransferase