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Alcohol education in licensed premises using brief intervention strategies
D Reilly1, E van Beurden, E Mitchell
1Northern Rivers Health Service, Lismore, New South Wales, Australia.
Addiction (Abingdon, England)
|May 18, 1999
Summary
Operation Drinksafe successfully intervened with at-risk drinkers in licensed premises using brief alcohol interventions. This approach showed high acceptance and may benefit patrons ready to change their drinking habits.
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Alcohol Research
- Intervention Strategies
Background:
- Alcohol-related harm is a significant public health issue.
- Brief interventions are effective for reducing at-risk drinking.
- Licensed premises offer unique opportunities for intervention.
Purpose of the Study:
- To describe the feasibility of a new alcohol brief intervention strategy.
- To assess the intervention's acceptance among patrons and licensees.
- To identify predictors of alcohol-related injury in a rural Australian setting.
Main Methods:
- Operation Drinksafe intervention conducted in 67 licensed premises.
- 2761 voluntary participants received personal alcohol risk assessments.
- Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT) and blood alcohol concentration (BAC) were primary measurements.
Main Results:
- 53% of participants scored in the hazardous or harmful alcohol use range.
- Binge drinking was prevalent, particularly among males (62%).
- Younger age, memory loss, concerns from others, and weekly binge drinking predicted alcohol-related injury.
Conclusions:
- The Operation Drinksafe program demonstrated high acceptance in licensed venues.
- Brief interventions delivered in engaging ways within drinking environments can benefit at-risk patrons.
- This approach shows promise for reducing alcohol-related harm in community settings.