Does impaired mental health interfere with the outcome of brief alcohol intervention at general hospitals?
OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study was to test whether the efficacy of in-person and computer delivered brief alcohol intervention (BAI) is moderated by mental health status.


METHODS
General hospital inpatients with at-risk alcohol use aged 18 to 64 years (N = 961, 75% men) were allocated to in-person BAI, computer-based BAI, and assessment only. In-person BAI contained counseling by research staff. Computer-based BAI contained computer-generated individualized feedback letters. BAIs were designed to be delivered at baseline and 1 and 3 months later. Outcome was reduction in alcohol use per day after 6, 12, 18, and 24 months. Latent growth curve models were estimated. Two mental health indicators, the 5-item mental health inventory and routine care diagnosis of mental and behavioral disorders assessed by general hospital physicians, were tested as moderators of BAI efficacy.


RESULTS
In all groups, inpatients with better mental health reduced alcohol use after hospitalization (ps < 0.01). While inpatients with impaired mental health did not reduce their drinking significantly following assessment only, those who received any of the 2 BAIs did (ps < 0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
BAI was particularly efficacious in reducing alcohol use among general hospital inpatients with at-risk alcohol use and impaired mental health, with computer-based delivery being at least as efficacious as in-person delivery. (PsycINFO Database Record
Institute of Social Medicine and Prevention, University Medicine Greifswald.
Sophie
0000-0002-7697-4923
S
Baumann
Department of Epidemiology and Health Monitoring, Robert Koch Institute Berlin.
Beate
B
Gaertner
Institute of Social Medicine and Prevention, University Medicine Greifswald.
Katja
K
Haberecht
Institute of Social Medicine and Prevention, University Medicine Greifswald.
Christian
C
Meyer
Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Medical University of Lübeck.
Hans-Jürgen
HJ
Rumpf
Institute of Social Medicine and Prevention, University Medicine Greifswald.
Ulrich
U
John
Institute of Social Medicine and Prevention, University Medicine Greifswald.
Jennis
0000-0002-4827-8760
J
Freyer-Adam
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000150:complications / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D003376:Counseling; D017831:Diagnosis, Dual (Psychiatry); D005260:Female; D006769:Hospitals, General; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000150:complications* / Q000523:psychology; D008603:Mental Health; D008875:Middle Aged; D011614:Psychotherapy, Brief; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult