title: Effectiveness of Alcohol Brief Intervention in a General Hospital: A Randomized Controlled Trial.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this study was to examine the effectiveness of an alcohol brief intervention (ABI) on alcohol consumption in hazardous or harmful drinkers compared with screening alone within a general hospital setting.
  
  
  METHODS
  Following screening, 124 hazardous or harmful drinkers (103 men, ages 18-80 years, score of 3-12 on the Fast Alcohol Screening Test [FAST]) admitted to medical and orthopedic wards during the 13-month recruitment period were randomized to receive an ABI or control. The intervention group received an ABI where they were supported to set their own personalized alcohol reduction goals, and both groups received a health information leaflet. Retrospective alcohol consumption for 7 days was reported for the week, before hospital admission and 6 months after it.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Demographics and clinical characteristics at baseline showed no statistical differences between the two groups on all variables except FAST score, which was higher in the intervention group (p ≤ .05). A reduction of 85 grams of alcohol per week (95% CI [162.46, 7.54]) was observed between groups in favor of the intervention group based on changes from baseline. However, there was no significant difference between groups for absolute grams of alcohol per week at 6 months. A significant mean difference in favor of the intervention group (U = 1,537, p = .043) was observed for weekly heavy drinking episodes.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results suggest screening with delivery of ABI for harmful/hazardous drinkers in a general hospital is beneficial in reducing alcohol consumption compared with screening alone.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Health and Wellbeing, MRC/CSO Social and Public Health Sciences Unit, University of Glasgow, UK.
authors.forename: Jean M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Mcqueen
authors.affiliation: School of Health & Life Sciences, Glasgow Caledonian University, UK.
authors.forename: Tracey E
authors.initials: TE
authors.lastname: Howe
authors.affiliation: National Institute for Health Research Collaboration for Leadership in Applied Health Research and Care, Wessex, University of Southampton, UK.
authors.forename: Claire
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ballinger
authors.affiliation: School of Health & Life Sciences, Glasgow Caledonian University, UK.
authors.forename: Jon
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Godwin
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000517:prevention & control*; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy*; D003376:Counseling / Q000379:methods*; D000431:Ethanol / Q000008:administration & dosage; D005260:Female; D006769:Hospitals, General; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000431:Ethanol