title: Alcohol screening and brief interventions for offenders in the probation setting (SIPS Trial): a pragmatic multicentre cluster randomized controlled trial.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the effectiveness of different brief intervention strategies at reducing hazardous or harmful drinking in the probation setting. Offender managers were randomized to three interventions, each of which built on the previous one: feedback on screening outcome and a client information leaflet control group, 5 min of structured brief advice and 20 min of brief lifestyle counselling.
  
  
  METHODS
  A pragmatic multicentre factorial cluster randomized controlled trial. The primary outcome was self-reported hazardous or harmful drinking status measured by Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT) at 6 months (negative status was a score of <8). Secondary outcomes were AUDIT status at 12 months, experience of alcohol-related problems, health utility, service utilization, readiness to change and reduction in conviction rates.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Follow-up rates were 68% at 6 months and 60% at 12 months. At both time points, there was no significant advantage of more intensive interventions compared with the control group in terms of AUDIT status. Those in the brief advice and brief lifestyle counselling intervention groups were statistically significantly less likely to reoffend (36 and 38%, respectively) than those in the client information leaflet group (50%) in the year following intervention.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Brief advice or brief lifestyle counselling provided no additional benefit in reducing hazardous or harmful drinking compared with feedback on screening outcome and a client information leaflet. The impact of more intensive brief intervention on reoffending warrants further research.
authors: Institute of Health and Society, Newcastle University, Richardson Road, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE2 4AX, UK dorothy.newbury-birch@ncl.ac.uk.
authors: Dorothy
authors: D
authors: Newbury-Birch
authors: Centre for Health Service Studies, University of Kent, The Registry, Canterbury, CT2 7NZ, UK.
authors: Simon
authors: S
authors: Coulton
authors: Department of Health Sciences, University of York, Seebholm Rowntree Building, Heslington, York, YO10 5DD, UK.
authors: Martin
authors: M
authors: Bland
authors: Teams Family Practice, Watson Street, Gateshead, NE8 2PQ, UK.
authors: Paul
authors: P
authors: Cassidy
authors: Department of Health Sciences, University of York, Seebholm Rowntree Building, Heslington, York, YO10 5DD, UK.
authors: Veronica
authors: V
authors: Dale
authors: Addictions Department, Institute of Psychiatry, King's College London 4 Windsor Walk, London, SE5 8AF, UK.
authors: Paolo
authors: P
authors: Deluca
authors: Northumberland, Tyne & Wear NHS Foundation Trust, Newcastle and North Tyneside Addictions Service, Plummer Court, Carliol Place, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 6UR, UK.
authors: Eilish
authors: E
authors: Gilvarry
authors: Department of Health Sciences, University of York, Seebholm Rowntree Building, Heslington, York, YO10 5DD, UK.
authors: Christine
authors: C
authors: Godfrey
authors: School of Life Sciences, Northumbria University, Northumberland Building, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 8ST, UK.
authors: Nick
authors: N
authors: Heather
authors: Institute of Health and Society, Newcastle University, Richardson Road, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE2 4AX, UK.
authors: Eileen
authors: E
authors: Kaner
authors: Institute of Health and Society, Newcastle University, Richardson Road, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE2 4AX, UK.
authors: Ruth
authors: R
authors: McGovern
authors: Division of Population Health Sciences and Education, St George's, University of London, Cranmer Terrace, London, SW17 0RE, UK.
authors: Judy
authors: J
authors: Myles
authors: Division of Population Health Sciences and Education, St George's, University of London, Cranmer Terrace, London, SW17 0RE, UK.
authors: Adenekan
authors: A
authors: Oyefeso
authors: Department of Health Sciences, University of York, Seebholm Rowntree Building, Heslington, York, YO10 5DD, UK.
authors: Steve
authors: S
authors: Parrott
authors: Addictions Department, Institute of Psychiatry, King's College London 4 Windsor Walk, London, SE5 8AF, UK.
authors: Robert
authors: R
authors: Patton
authors: Institute of Population Health, University of Manchester, Oxford Road, Manchester, M13 9PL, UK.
authors: Katherine
authors: K
authors: Perryman
authors: Addictions Department, Institute of Psychiatry, King's College London 4 Windsor Walk, London, SE5 8AF, UK Humber NHS Foundation Trust, Beverley Road, Willerby, HU10 6ED, UK.
authors: Tom
authors: T
authors: Phillips
authors: Violence Research Group, Cardiff University, Heath Park, Cardiff, Wales, CF14 4XY, UK.
authors: Jonathan
authors: J
authors: Shepherd
authors: Addictions Department, Institute of Psychiatry, King's College London 4 Windsor Walk, London, SE5 8AF, UK.
authors: Colin
authors: C
authors: Drummond
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000628:therapy*; D003376:Counseling; D057237:Criminals; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011614:Psychotherapy, Brief; D015813:Substance Abuse Detection; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult