Proceedings of the 15th annual conference of INEBRIA

Abstract

A21: Alcohol screening and brief interventions among homeless and vulnerably housed individuals Tereza Maria Barroso1, Lisete Cordeiro2, Emanuel Pestana2, Marina Pereira3, Rita Ramos4, Antonio Mota4 1Mental Health Department, Nursing School Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal; 2Associação InPulsar, Leiria, Portugal; 3Mental Health Nurse, Unidade de Cuidados à Comunidade Arnaldo Sampaio, Leiria, Portugal; 4Escola Superior de Enfermagem de Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal Correspondence: Tereza Maria Barroso (tbarroso@esenfc.pt) Addiction Science & Clinical Practice 2018, 13(Suppl 1): A21 Background: In Portugal, the alcohol consumption per capita in the adult population exceeds the European mean consumption. The magnitude of this problem among homeless and vulnerably housed individuals (VhI) is unknown. Information about the homeless like how many are there, who are they and why they are in this situation it is very important, but it is also important to know the main healthrelated behaviors and risks to which they are exposed. The aims of this study were therefore to explore the feasibility and acceptability of an ABI among homeless and VhI, and to develop an ABI to be piloted in a future trial. Materials and methods: Cross-sectional survey, the data were collected with AUDIT, as part of the InPulsar work (Non-Governmental Organization Supporting the Homeless) in a Portuguese city, a sample composed of 32 homeless VhI (mean age 44.8 years, ranges from 26 to 65 years of age), 87,5% are male. Results: 32 Structured interviews were conducted; 6 were foreigners. Only 5 were employed, 12 were unemployed, and 15 receive a pension or income from social insertion. 53.1% reported having already consumed illicit drugs (15.6% are in the methadone program); 68.8% reported alcohol consumption, 34.3% cannabis, 90.6% tobacco, 9.3% hypnotic and sedatives, with regularity. 9 participants were screened positive for hazardous and harmful drinking. A total of 23 education interventions were developed, and 9 brief counseling. All individuals thought to talk about these problems was important and thought that 10 or 20 min of advice would be useful, and agree to be followed-up. Conclusion: Al of homeless and vulnerably housed individuals accepting the screening and brief interventions and would like to participate in follow-up. Education interventions and brief counseling were developed based on the risk level, and the work with the homeless approached these individuals of social support services. We need the follow-up study to analyze the effect of the brief interventions on the reducing hazardous and harmful drinking among vulnerable people.