The Effect of Brief Intervention on Heavy Drinking Patients in Primary Care

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: The management of problem drinking is very important in family practice and primary care. This research was de signed to evaluate the effect of brief intervention on heavy drinking patients in family practice. METHODS: The subjects were composed of 34 Korean males who had findings of alcoholic liver disease in the general health examination. About 5 to 10 minute outpatient interventions consisting of brief advice on drinking problems were delivered in the mean (+/-SD) f requency of 3.5 (+/-1.4) times during the 12 weeks.The effect of brief intervention was evaluated by the number of drinking days per week and drinks per drinking day during the 4 weeks before brief intervention and 12 weeks later.The result was compared with the control group (24 males)who had the same condition but did not receive the brief intervention. RESULTS: The mean (+/-SD)drinking days per week were significantly (P<0.001)decreased from 3.5 (+/-1.7) to 2.0 (+/-2.1) days and the mean (+/-SD) drinks per drinking day were significantly (P<0.001) decreased from 9.5 (+/-3.5) to 5.1 (+/-4.3) drinks.The degree of decrease in the subjects was significantly higher than the control group in both drinking days per week (P=0.001) and drinks per drinking day (P<0.005). CONCLUSION: The brief intervention by family physicians is an effective clinical method in the management of heavy drinking patients.