title: Intention to utilize formal help in a sample with alcohol problems: a prospective study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Studies investigating factors of treatment entry have predominantly focussed on persons that have already taken an initial step in the process of help-seeking. With particular emphasis on intention to utilize help, this study aims to detect predictors for alcohol-related help-seeking among a non-help-utilizing sample.
  
  
  METHODS
  Using 312 individuals with diverse alcohol problems (dependence, abuse, at-risk drinking), intention to utilize help was assessed in addition to evidence based predictors for utilization of help (e.g. severity of alcohol problem, prior help-seeking).
  
  
  RESULTS
  In addition to prior utilization of help (OR=9.76, CI: 4.60-20.74) and adverse consequences from drinking (OR=1.13, CI: 1.02-1.25), intention to utilize help (OR=4.84, CI: 2.04-11.51) was a central predictor for help-seeking. Among individuals who had not obtained prior help, individuals intending to seek help were 8.7 times more likely to utilize help than those not intending to seek help (CI: 1.05-72.2).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In the past, intention to utilize help has been neglected from models investigating treatment entry. This study's findings show that intention is a central factor for utilization of alcohol-specific formal help. Consequently, brief interventions focusing on enhancing motivation are expected to improve early help-seeking among general hospital patients with diverse alcohol problems.
authors.affiliation: Ernst-Moritz-Arndt-University Greifswald, Institute of Epidemiology and Social Medicine, Walther-Rathenau-Str. 48, 17487 Greifswald, Germany. freyer@uni-greifswald.de
authors.forename: Jennis
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Freyer
authors.forename: Beate
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Coder
authors.forename: Gallus
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Bischof
authors.forename: Sebastian E
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Baumeister
authors.forename: Hans-Jürgen
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Rumpf
authors.forename: Ulrich
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: John
authors.forename: Ulfert
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Hapke
mesh_terms: D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000523:psychology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D001294:Attitude to Health; D005260:Female; D005858:Germany; D006769:Hospitals, General; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009042:Motivation; D012309:Risk-Taking; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013850:Thinking