A Systematic Review on Alcohol Consumption among Non-Religious and Religious Adults.

Background: Research has suggested that religiosity is a protective factor in alcohol use, but this is an area that could be further explored. Objective: To undertake a systematic review of the literature on drinking patterns and their relationship with religiosity and non-religiosity in adult populations. Methods: We searched for relevant studies using the PubMed, LILACS, Web of Science, Scopus, and Psych-INFO databases. This review included only studies of people aged 18 and over which had a non-religious group as a comparison measure. Results: Fifty-one studies met the inclusion criteria. The present review showed that religious people tend to have lower alcohol consumption compared to those with no religion. However, this difference appears only when religions are analyzed together without differentiating between religious affiliations (Catholicism, Buddhism, Evangelicalism, etc.). Some religious affiliations, such as Buddhism, Catholicism and Lutheranism, appear to be risk factors for alcohol consumption. Definitions of risk consumption showed high heterogeneity, ranging from eight to 21 or more doses per week, a difference of 13 doses of alcohol between studies. Conclusions: The present review showed that religious people tend to have lower alcohol consumption compared to non-religious people. However, the results are contradictory when religious affiliations are analyzed separately and compared with non-religious participants. Adequately understanding which dimensions of religiosity and non-religiosity (e.g., group processes, engagement, meaning, rules of behavior) are protective in adulthood is fundamental to the construction of more effective interventions in this age group.

Brief interventions for alcohol use disorders in low- and middle-income countries: barriers and potential solutions.

Global alcohol consumption and harmful use of alcohol is projected to increase in the coming decades, and most of the increase will occur in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs); which calls for cost-effective measures to reduce alcohol exposure in these countries. One such evidence based measure is screening and brief intervention (BI) for alcohol problems. Some of the characteristics of BI make them a particularly appealing choice of interventions in low-resource settings. However, despite evidence of effectiveness, implementation of BI in LMICs is rare. In this paper we discuss barriers to implementation of BI in LMICs, with examples from Latin America and India. Key barriers to implementation of BI in LMICs are the lack of financial and structural resources. Specialized services for alcohol use disorders are limited or non-existent. Hence primary care is often the only possible alternative to implement BI. However, health professionals in such settings generally lack training to deal with these disorders. In our review of BI research in these countries, we find some promising results, primarily in countries from Latin America, but so far there is limited research on effectiveness. Appropriate evaluation of efficacy and effectiveness of BI is undermined by lack of generalisability and methodological limitations. No systematic and scientific efforts to explore the implementation and evaluation of BI in primary and community platforms of care have been published in India. Innovative strategies need to be deployed to overcome supply side barriers related to specialist manpower shortages in LMICs. There is a growing evidence on the effectiveness of non-specialist health workers, including lay counsellors, in delivering frontline psychological interventions for a range of disorders including alcohol use disorders in LMICs. This paper is intended to stimulate discussion among researchers, practitioners and policy-makers in LMICs because increasing access to evidence based care for alcohol use disorders in LMICs would need a concerted effort from all these stakeholders.

Brief interventions for older adults (BIO) delivered by non-specialist community health workers to reduce at-risk drinking in primary care: a study protocol for a randomised controlled trial.

INTRODUCTION: Evidence suggests that brief interventions are effective in reducing alcohol consumption among older adults. However, the effectiveness of these interventions when delivered by community health workers (non-specialists) in a primary healthcare setting is unknown. To our knowledge, this will be the first randomised trial to examine this. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: Two hundred and forty-two individuals considered at-risk drinkers (Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test-Consumption, AUDIT-C score ≥4) will be recruited and randomly allocated to usual care (waiting-list) or usual care plus an intervention delivered by trained community health workers (non-specialists). Seven primary care units (PCUs) in Sao José dos Campos, Brazil. PCUs are part of the Brazilian public healthcare system (Sistema Único de Saúde).Follow-up6 months.OutcomesThe primary outcome will be the proportion of participants considered at-risk drinkers (AUDIT-C score ≥4). Secondary outcomes will include alcohol consumption in a typical week in the last 30 days (in units per week) assessed by the AUDIT, service use questionnaire, cognitive performance-assessed by The Health and Retirement Study Harmonised Cognitive Assessment, physical activity-assessed by the International Physical Activity Questionnaire, depression-assessed by the Geriatric Depression Scale and quality of life-assessed by the Control, Autonomy, Self-realisation and Pleasure-16 instrument. The analysis will be based on intention-to-treat principle. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: This study has been approved by the Ethics Committee of the Universidade Federal de São Paulo, CEP/UNIFESP Project n: 0690/2018; CAAE: 91648618.0.0000.5505. All eligible participants will provide informed consent prior to randomisation. The results of this study will be published in relevant peer-reviewed journals and in conference presentations. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: RBR-8rcxkk.

Efetividade do atendimento psicossocial na continuidade escolar de adolescentes em vulnerabilidade social / Efectividad de la atención psicosocial de adolescentes con vulnerabilidad social / Effectiveness of psychosocial care in school continuity of adolescents in social vulnerability

OBJETIVO: estudar a efetividade do programa de atendimento psicossocial (PAS) na continuidade escolar de adolescentes em vulnerabilidade social. MÉTODOS: estudo de coorte retrospectivo de adolescentes atendidos de 2007 a 2012, em programa de intervenção multidisciplinar com pressupostos da abordagem de redução de danos; o efeito da intervenção foi avaliado por meio de modelos de regressão de Poisson. RESULTADOS: foram incluídos 200 adolescentes, dos quais 116 permaneceram e 84 abandonaram o programa; 74,5% estavam estudando após seguimento de seis meses, com maior proporção entre os aderentes à intervenção (RR=1,12 - IC95% 1,01;1,27) e aqueles que estavam estudando no início da intervenção (RR=8,52 - IC95% 3,71;19,57). CONCLUSÃO: o programa avaliado tem efeito positivo na reinserção e continuidade escolar do adolescente em vulnerabilidade social; porém, características do indivíduo, como já estar estudando, desempenharam papel predominante na adesão ao PAS.

OBJETIVO: estudiar la efectividad de la atención psicosocial en adolescentes en vulnerabilidad social. MÉTODOS: estudio de cohorte retrospectivo de adolescentes atendidos entre 2007-2012 en el programa de intervención multidisciplinaria con presupuestos de enfoque de reducción de daños; el efecto de la intervención se evaluó mediante modelos de regresión de Poisson. RESULTADOS: se incluyeron 200 adolescentes, de los cuales 84 abandonaron el programa; 24% de los adolescentes tenían un ingreso familiar por debajo de la línea de la pobreza y 59% tenían discrepancias edad/grado escolar; la asociación entre la adherencia a la intervención y el estudiar después de seis meses fue significativa (RR=1,12 - IC95% 1,1;1,27), pero estudiar en PAS tuvo un efecto considerable (RR=8,52 - IC95% 3,71;19,57). CONCLUSIÓN: el programa evaluado tiene un efecto positivo en la rehabilitación y continuidad escolar de los adolescentes en vulnerabilidad social, pero las características individuales, como ya estudiar, jugaron un papel importante en la adhesión.

OBJECTIVE: to study the effectiveness of a psychosocial care program in school continuity of adolescents in social vulnerability. METHODS: this was a retrospective cohort study involving 200 adolescents assisted in a multidisciplinary intervention program with harm reduction approach, from 2007 to 2012; the intervention effect was assessed using Poisson regression models. RESULTS: 200 adolescents were included in the program; 116 of them continued and 84 dropped it; 74.5% were attending school after six month, with a higher proportion among those who adhered to the intervention (RR=1.12 - 95%CI 1.01;1.27); and those who were studying when they joined the program (RR=8.52 - 95%CI 3.71;19.57). CONCLUSION: the evaluated program has a positive effect on rehabilitation and school continuity of adolescents in social vulnerability, but individual characteristics, such as being studying already, play a dominant role in the adherence to the program.

Effectiveness of psychosocial care in school continuity of adolescents in social vulnerability. / Efetividade do atendimento psicossocial na continuidade escolar de adolescentes em vulnerabilidade social.

OBJECTIVE: to study the effectiveness of a psychosocial care program in school continuity of adolescents in social vulnerability. METHODS: this was a retrospective cohort study involving 200 adolescents assisted in a multidisciplinary intervention program with harm reduction approach, from 2007 to 2012; the intervention effect was assessed using Poisson regression models. RESULTS: 200 adolescents were included in the program; 116 of them continued and 84 dropped it; 74.5% were attending school after six month, with a higher proportion among those who adhered to the intervention (RR=1.12 - 95%CI 1.01;1.27); and those who were studying when they joined the program (RR=8.52 - 95%CI 3.71;19.57). CONCLUSION: the evaluated program has a positive effect on rehabilitation and school continuity of adolescents in social vulnerability, but individual characteristics, such as being studying already, play a dominant role in the adherence to the program.