title: Brief intervention in the workplace for heavy drinkers: a randomized clinical trial in Japan.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the effectiveness of brief intervention (BI) conducted in the workplace for heavy drinkers.
  
  
  METHODS
  A randomized controlled trial was conducted at six companies in Japan. Participants were heavy drinkers who met the inclusion criteria and were randomized into three groups: the BI group, BI with diary group and a control group. Outcomes (total drinks, binge drinking episodes and alcohol-free days) were evaluated at 3 and 12 months.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The 304 participants recruited were allocated to the three groups and 277 participated in all follow-up evaluations. Dropout rates in the respective groups were 7.0, 14.9 and 5.5%. Some improvements were observed in all the groups. In particular, alcohol-free days in the BI group were significantly increased by 93.0% at 12 months. Total drinks at 12 months were reduced by 41 g per week in the BI group compared with the control group, although the intergroup difference was not significant.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  BI in the workplace is effective for increasing the number of alcohol-free days. However, the effectiveness on decreasing alcohol consumption was unclear, which could be explained by alcohol screening itself causing a reduction in drinking.
authors.affiliation: National Hospital Organization Hizen Psychiatric Center, 160 Mitsu, Yoshinogari, Kanzaki, Saga 842-0192, Japan Department of Community Health and Preventive Medicine, Hamamatsu University School of Medicine, 20-1 Handayama, Higashi-ku, Hamamatsu 431-3192, Japan.
authors.forename: Chieko
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ito
authors.affiliation: National Hospital Organization Hizen Psychiatric Center, 160 Mitsu, Yoshinogari, Kanzaki, Saga 842-0192, Japan takefumi@hizen.hosp.go.jp.
authors.forename: Takefumi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Yuzuriha
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health, Health Management and Policy, Nara Medical University, 840 Shijo-Cho, Kashihara, Nara 634-8521, Japan.
authors.forename: Tatsuya
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Noda
authors.affiliation: Department of Community Health and Preventive Medicine, Hamamatsu University School of Medicine, 20-1 Handayama, Higashi-ku, Hamamatsu 431-3192, Japan.
authors.forename: Toshiyuki
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ojima
authors.affiliation: Department of Mental Health, Institute of Industrial Ecological Sciences, University of Occupational and Environmental Health, 1-1 Iseigaoka Yahatanishi-ku, Kitakyushu 807-0804, Japan.
authors.forename: Hisanori
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Hiro
authors.affiliation: National Hospital Organization Kurihama Medical and Addiction Center, 5-3-1 Nobi Yokosuka, Kanagawa 239-0841, Japan.
authors.forename: Susumu
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Higuchi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000628:therapy*; D019973:Alcohol-Related Disorders / Q000628:therapy; D063425:Binge Drinking / Q000628:therapy*; D015928:Cognitive Behavioral Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009786:Occupational Health Services / Q000379:methods*; D011614:Psychotherapy, Brief / Q000379:methods*; D016896:Treatment Outcome