Emergency department brief motivational interventions for alcohol with motor vehicle crash patients.
OBJECTIVE
This study compares the effect of a brief motivational intervention for alcohol plus a booster given to emergency department (ED) patients with subcritical injuries from a motor vehicle crash with the effect of brief motivational intervention for alcohol plus a booster in patients treated for non-motor vehicle crash-related injuries.


METHODS
A randomized controlled trial (n=539) was conducted at an urban Level I trauma center of brief intervention (1 ED session of brief intervention), brief motivational intervention for alcohol plus a booster (1 ED session plus booster session), or standard care for injured ED patients with an alcohol use problem who were being discharged home. At 12 months, alcohol-related negative consequences and injuries were measured. We performed a secondary analysis comparing motor vehicle crash-injured patients and non-motor vehicle crash-injured patients in the study sample.


RESULTS
Subcritically injured ED patients with harmful or hazardous alcohol use who received brief motivational intervention for alcohol plus a booster had fewer alcohol-related negative consequences and alcohol-related injuries than those receiving brief intervention or standard care at 12-month follow-up (previously reported). A secondary analysis of this result showed that motor vehicle crash patients (n=133) given brief motivational intervention for alcohol plus a booster (n=34) had fewer alcohol-related injuries than those receiving standard care (n=46; P =.001). Moreover, there were no significant differences in alcohol-related injuries among the non-motor vehicle crash-injured patients who received brief intervention or standard care.


CONCLUSIONS
Brief motivational intervention for alcohol plus a booster is a useful intervention for subcritically injured ED patients with harmful or hazardous alcohol use. Its effects may be moderated by the cause of injury.
Mello
Michael J
MJ
Prevention Center at Rhode Island Hospital, Providence, RI 02903, USA. mjmello@lifespan.org.
Nirenberg
Ted D
TD
Longabaugh
Richard
R
Woolard
Robert
R
Minugh
Alison
A
Becker
Bruce
B
Baird
Janette
J
Stein
Lynda
L
D000063:Accidents, Traffic / Q000517:prevention & control*; D000328:Adult; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000517:prevention & control*; D000435:Alcoholic Intoxication / Q000517:prevention & control*; D004632:Emergency Medical Services / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010353:Patient Education as Topic / Q000379:methods*; D012237:Rhode Island; D014947:Wounds and Injuries / Q000517:prevention & control*