Screening and brief alcohol interventions effective in primary care populations

There was moderate-quality evidence that BAIs delivered in primary care reduced alcohol consumption in hazardous and harmful drinkers by an average of 20g/week (approximately 2–3 UK standard drinks) compared with controls receiving usual care, screening or assessment only, or minimal alcohol advice. While the effect sizes due to BAIs were relatively small, because of the high proportion of the population which attends primary care, these are likely to result in a positive public health or population-level benefit. The effect was robust and was found up to 1 year following the BAI. BAIs appeared to be effective for both men and women but there was insufficient evidence to make any judgements about differential effectiveness in different ethnic groups. There was a suggestion of a reduced effect in younger people compared with the general population aged 18 years or more, and in emergency care compared with general practice, but this disappeared when adjusted for the overall reduction in effect size due to newer trials. Longer or more intensive intervention appeared to have little effect in significantly improving outcomes.