title: Health care utilization by older alcohol-using veterans: effects of a brief intervention to reduce at-risk drinking.
abstract: The objective of the study was to estimate the effect of a brief alcohol-reduction intervention on health care use. Male veterans aged 55 years and older drinking more than guideline limits participated in an effective primary care-based randomized clinical trial to reduce drinking. Repeated measures ANCOVA assessed short-term and long-term changes in both inpatient and outpatient utilization. Stage of change (SOC) was assessed in a subsample to test for interaction between SOC and the intervention. Veterans exposed to the intervention used more outpatient medical services in the short term. Long-term effects on inpatient/outpatient use were not observed. SOC did not moderate the effect of the intervention but was associated with differential use of health care services. A cost-effective brief intervention to reduce drinking may spur increased efforts to seek health care. Early detection and management of alcohol-related or other illnesses might be expected to accrue savings in later years.
authors.affiliation: VA Medical Center, Health Services Research & Development, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48113-0170, USA. lacop@umich.edu
authors.forename: Laurel A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Copeland
authors.forename: Frederic C
authors.initials: FC
authors.lastname: Blow
authors.forename: Kristen Lawton
authors.initials: KL
authors.lastname: Barry
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000517:prevention & control*; D019973:Alcohol-Related Disorders / Q000517:prevention & control*; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D003362:Cost-Benefit Analysis; D006787:Hospitals, Veterans / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010044:Outpatient Clinics, Hospital / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011320:Primary Health Care / Q000379:methods / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D020377:Self Efficacy; D014728:Veterans / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*