GPs do not recommend screening for excessive alcohol use

Doctors find it hard to implement a prevention programme for excessive drinking. A programme of screening for excessive drinking followed by a brief intervention is officially recommended as a prevention strategy in primary care, but implementation of such programmes has been a problem. Beich and colleagues (p 870) interviewed 24 general practitioners who had tried a full screening and intervention programme in their own practices. The doctors found the programme disruptive of normal working arrangements and found it difficult to establish rapport with excessive drinkers and to ensure their compliance with the intervention. The results underline the value of context specific, pragmatic studies to evaluate the suitability of seemingly efficacious programmes.

(Credit: PHIL REES/REX)

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Relevant Article

Screening and brief intervention for excessive alcohol use: qualitative interview study of the experiences of general practitioners

Anders Beich, Dorte Gannik, and Kirsti Malterud
BMJ 2002 325: 870. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]