Effectiveness of opportunistic brief interventions for problem drinking in a general hospital setting: Systematic review

Abstract

Objective: To determine the effectiveness of opportunistic brief interventions for problem drinking in a general hospital setting. Design: Systematic review. Data sources: Medline, PsychInfo, Cochrane Library, reference lists from identified studies and review articles, and contact with experts. Main outcome measure: Change in alcohol consumption. Results: Eight studies were retrieved. Most had methodological weaknesses. Only one study, with a relatively intensive intervention and a short follow up period, showed a significantly large reduction in alcohol consumption in the intervention group. Conclusion: Evidence for the effectiveness of opportunistic brief interventions in a general hospital setting for problem drinkers is still inconclusive.